The Celts are ready for Orlando; no positive tests or opt outs

[Roy H.]

BOSTON (CBS) — The Celtics have been hitting the gym at the Auerbach Center for the last few weeks, but Wednesday was a big day for the team. It was the first day that all players made their way through the team’s training facility for mandatory workouts.

The Celtics had perfect attendance on Wednesday, and better yet, no players have tested positive for COVID-19 since they started testing everyone — players, coaches and staff members — back on June 23. So far, no one has opted out of the NBA’s restart in Orlando, either.

That sets up Boston extremely well for when they make their way down to the NBA’s “bubble season” next week.

“We’re testing every other day and, knock on wood, none so far,” head coach Brad Stevens told reporters on a Zoom call Wednesday. “It’s important that we all take care of ourselves and do everything we can to go into the bubble healthy. Those first couple of weeks of practice are going to be important getting our legs underneath us. Once you get into practice and really playing, it’s a different kind of level you have to reach.”

The Celtics arrive in Orlando on July 8, with a three-week training camp tipping off the next day. Stevens said he was pleased with how his players stayed in shape during the NBA’s COVID-19 hiatus, though admitted they have a long way to go to get back into “game shape.”

[celticsclay]

While this is good news I obviously hope they never get it, i wonder if this is even ideal. Is a team like the jazz where the best two players on the team are at a lessened (if not zero) chance of getting it better off?

[saltlover]

While this is good news I obviously hope they never get it, i wonder if this is even ideal. Is a team like the jazz where the best two players on the team are at a lessened (if not zero) chance of getting it better off?

Smart tested positive in March, so if immunity is conferred by having been infected, we do have at least one player who's safe.  I say at least one, because it is very possible that other members of the team were asymptomatic but infected during the height of the MA outbreak when testing was limited, and/or didn't want to reveal a positive diagnosis for reasons of personal medical privacy.

[blink]

I think it is at least kind of good news that Tatum decided to participate.  There were reports that I read where he was iffy about returning due to impacts on his future contract if he got injured.  Maybe there wasn't ever a big chance of him not playing, but at least he is there.

[SparzWizard]

This is the only time where I've ever seen the Celtics completely healthy and ready for the playoffs.

[RLewis35]

This is the only time where I've ever seen the Celtics completely healthy and ready for the playoffs.

I know.  It makes me nervous. I’m envisioning a 3-0 lead on the lakers in the finals before forfeiting bc the entire team catches covid. 

[Evantime34]

This is the only time where I've ever seen the Celtics completely healthy and ready for the playoffs.

It gives us a much better chance than if the season had ended naturally. I think the depth will be tested due to players missing due to coronavirus. I'd suspect that someone on the team will get it and have to miss time.

[libermaniac]

I think it is at least kind of good news that Tatum decided to participate.  There were reports that I read where he was iffy about returning due to impacts on his future contract if he got injured.  Maybe there wasn't ever a big chance of him not playing, but at least he is there.

I never really understood that.  What does COVID have to do with his chance at a career-threatening injury?

[saltlover]

I think it is at least kind of good news that Tatum decided to participate.  There were reports that I read where he was iffy about returning due to impacts on his future contract if he got injured.  Maybe there wasn't ever a big chance of him not playing, but at least he is there.

I never really understood that.  What does COVID have to do with his chance at a career-threatening injury?

1) If his conditioning was affected due to lack of available training facilities, he could be at greater risk of injury.
2) A condensed schedule of games (to try to finish things before it's too late) is known to lead to injury.
3) Covid itself has the potential to cause career-altering affects (permanent lung damage being the most common and notable).
4) If he is injured in Orlando and needing immediate surgery, overwhelmed medical institutions because of Covid may be less able to treat him effectively, potentially reducing healing and/or requiring corrective surgeries in the future.

That said, I think the collective risk is still very low for him, contractwise (and ultimately he signed on, so he probably felt so too).  Kevin Durant got a 10-year max deal weeks after tearing his Achilles.  Even if Tatum is so unlucky as to tear his, I think he'd still get a max rookie deal, especially considering it wouldn't go into effect until a year after any injury.  Even a Hayward-level injury probably doesn't deprive him of a max -- he's shown so much that at least one team would take that gamble.  If he were entering free agency this summer, it maybe could have been a different story, but he's not.  (And it's good that Jaylen already signed his deal, because I could have seen him sitting out if he hadn't.)

[libermaniac]

I think it is at least kind of good news that Tatum decided to participate.  There were reports that I read where he was iffy about returning due to impacts on his future contract if he got injured.  Maybe there wasn't ever a big chance of him not playing, but at least he is there.

I never really understood that.  What does COVID have to do with his chance at a career-threatening injury?

1) If his conditioning was affected due to lack of available training facilities, he could be at greater risk of injury.
2) A condensed schedule of games (to try to finish things before it's too late) is known to lead to injury.
3) Covid itself has the potential to cause career-altering affects (permanent lung damage being the most common and notable).
4) If he is injured in Orlando and needing immediate surgery, overwhelmed medical institutions because of Covid may be less able to treat him effectively, potentially reducing healing and/or requiring corrective surgeries in the future.

That said, I think the collective risk is still very low for him, contractwise (and ultimately he signed on, so he probably felt so too).  Kevin Durant got a 10-year max deal weeks after tearing his Achilles.  Even if Tatum is so unlucky as to tear his, I think he'd still get a max rookie deal, especially considering it wouldn't go into effect until a year after any injury.  Even a Hayward-level injury probably doesn't deprive him of a max -- he's shown so much that at least one team would take that gamble.  If he were entering free agency this summer, it maybe could have been a different story, but he's not.  (And it's good that Jaylen already signed his deal, because I could have seen him sitting out if he hadn't.)

Good points.  TP.  I agree that the risk is very low, though.

[tenn_smoothie]

I think it is at least kind of good news that Tatum decided to participate.  There were reports that I read where he was iffy about returning due to impacts on his future contract if he got injured. 

Are those reports accurate ?  I hope not. That would be extremely disappointing if this guy is putting himself ahead of the team.

[Ogaju]

If I am Tatum's agent he is NOT playing without an extension in his contract.

[footey]

Oladipo just dropped out over injury concerns.  This could be huge.

If Sixers can pass Pacers, and we stay fixed at 3, we could get Pacers sans Oladipo in first round. Would strongly prefer that to Philly.

[saltlover]

If I am Tatum's agent he is NOT playing without an extension in his contract.

Well considering the Celtics can’t legally offer him a contract until the offseason, that’s a pretty unreasonable negotiating position.

That said, here are the 11 players since the CBA was reworked in ‘99 who’ve made the All-Star game before turning 22:

LeBron
Durant
Anthony Davis
Bosh
Blake Griffin
Dwight Howard
Doncic
Kyrie
Rose
Trae Young
Tatum

Tatum is getting a max deal because that’s what every one one of those players, aside from the current three on their rookie deals, all received.  He can tear his ACL tomorrow and he’s still getting a max.

The only points open for negotiation will be the length of the deal, options, etc.  The base salary is set.

[gouki88]

If I am Tatum's agent he is NOT playing without an extension in his contract.

Well considering the Celtics can’t legally offer him a contract until the offseason, that’s a pretty unreasonable negotiating position.

That said, here are the 11 players since the CBA was reworked in ‘99 who’ve made the All-Star game before turning 22:

LeBron
Durant
Anthony Davis
Bosh
Blake Griffin
Dwight Howard
Doncic
Kyrie
Rose
Trae Young
Tatum

Tatum is getting a max deal because that’s what every one one of those players, aside from the current three on their rookie deals, all received.  He can tear his ACL tomorrow and he’s still getting a max.

The only points open for negotiation will be the length of the deal, options, etc.  The base salary is set.

Man, weird that only two of those guys, besides Tatum, are wings (Doncic is a big guard). Two top-5 SF's is pretty good company for JT