Celtics to name a team captain?

[Csfan1984]

I can't believe people want Al after he walked on this team.

Well the players understand its business at the end of the day. They can still be close friends and leave for a team that pays them more.

He didn't even give them time to consider 76ers offer. He didn't want to play with the team anymore it wasn't just money. There were reports of them being able to go higher after Kemba was officially made a sign and trade but Al bolted.

So Mr. "Flat Earth, not getting vaxed" had nothing to do with Horford's decision?  Al left a dysfunctional team and is coming back to a better one.

So a guy who can't manage turmoil when things get tough is the guy to lead?

This seems disingenuous. Philly offered a contract DA seemingly didn’t want to match. On top of that (at least coming from Embiid’s comments), Horford was signed because he was supposed to be a talent fit with Ben Simmons and this was at the height of the Philly hype and they were projected to be a contender at the time. Meanwhile, everyone was jumping ship from the C’s and we were projected to go nowhere (at least until DA scrambled to get Kemba onboard)

So really the decision for Horford was:
Option A: join a contender, play a big role, and get paid more money
Option B: take a step back, go on a semi-rebuilding year while playing for less money

There is nothing disingenuous about it you literally said he jumped ship when things got tough with option A over B. He was in a bigger roll here and the money was very close before they even made Kemba a sign and trade. If anything people here want to give him a pass for not being loyal and being apart of nothing but disappointing seasons his last two years here.

Firstly, that was Surferdad, a different poster

Secondly, if we go off Embiid’s comments, he was projected to be in a similarly large role in Philly

Thirdly, the money difference

Fourthly, C’s weren’t projected to be contenders, even with Al. Philly was a contender without him and adding him could put them over the top

Fifthly, not everybody is Deandre Jordan. When people agree to a contract, they usually push through with their verbal commitment

So no, it’s not just about “a guy jumping ship because he can’t handle turmoil”. There are so many factors that made signing with Boston easy to pass up. Where was all this loyalty talk when DA didn’t wanna sign Al for big money? And many of us (myself included) thought that Philly overpaid so we didn’t mind seeing him go. Where was our “loyalty” then?

I’d rather work with the guys who we have today. A captain is someone the locker room respects and will follow and who can call people out without it raising eyebrows because they have the “social authority” to. You think Smart’s listening to someone like Nesmith or Pritchard? You think Pritchard can tell Tatum off for going iso? Horford fits the captain criteria to a tee. The biggest downside is that he might not even be here next year because the C’s might not guarantee his contract (or will use him in a trade).

So you find a guy that values greed and an easy ride to be right for the role got it.

I don’t know where you get this notion that signing for less money to play for a team projected to be rebuilding is something NBA players will typically do. I’d be interested if you can show me an example of a player who turned down a higher offer to be able to play for a worse team. Like, instead of playing for a contender and getting paid more, they chose to go to a rebuilding team and get paid less.

As an aside, do you think Tatum or Brown will stick around past their current extensions if we don’t offer them the max? Maybe we should ship their greedy butts out of here too.

Again I got that you dont care about the way he left, thats on you. I have a problem with it. He did not wait he just bolted. Thats not a guy I want, I'm like KG in this regard.

Let's see what happens with Tatum and Brown before dragging them into Al's scenario.

If someone offered you a $100M+ contract and you were on the wrong side of 30 and no longer an all star player, you think it would be wise to wait on it? It’s a business man and Al did what’s best for him and his family. Not sure how you can hold that against him.

You can when it went down like it did with Horford. A guy that was already wealthy and overpaid his last contract by you. Add in the fact he engaged in tampering and didn't try to negotiate and give team time to free up money. I very much hold it against him.

You're probably the only one who holds a grudge.  Also, he wasn't overpaid in his prior contract.  He played at an All-Star level, was the defensive anchor (even getting his only career All-NBA defense honor), was consistently available during the regular season, and never missed a playoff for a team that went to two conference finals in there years.  On top of that he was a terrific mentor to a team full of young players that have since become the long-term core.  He definitely held up his part of the bargain on that first deal.  Based on how the last two years have gone, I think both Al and the Celtics probably regret not working it out, but I don't think either of them are holding grudges at this point, so I don't see why you would.

If you don't think there are players and people in the organization that hold a grudge you are mistaken. There are definitely people that hold griudges for Al for what happened besides me.

I’m sorry, but what player in the organization holds a grudge against Al for taking more money elsewhere?  Name him.

You keep phrasing things out of the context that people have a problem with it. If you can't get the issue after its been explained to you over and over again then you won't ever get who has a problem with it.

[W8ting2McHale]

I can't believe people want Al after he walked on this team.

Well the players understand its business at the end of the day. They can still be close friends and leave for a team that pays them more.

He didn't even give them time to consider 76ers offer. He didn't want to play with the team anymore it wasn't just money. There were reports of them being able to go higher after Kemba was officially made a sign and trade but Al bolted.

So Mr. "Flat Earth, not getting vaxed" had nothing to do with Horford's decision?  Al left a dysfunctional team and is coming back to a better one.

So a guy who can't manage turmoil when things get tough is the guy to lead?

This seems disingenuous. Philly offered a contract DA seemingly didn’t want to match. On top of that (at least coming from Embiid’s comments), Horford was signed because he was supposed to be a talent fit with Ben Simmons and this was at the height of the Philly hype and they were projected to be a contender at the time. Meanwhile, everyone was jumping ship from the C’s and we were projected to go nowhere (at least until DA scrambled to get Kemba onboard)

So really the decision for Horford was:
Option A: join a contender, play a big role, and get paid more money
Option B: take a step back, go on a semi-rebuilding year while playing for less money

There is nothing disingenuous about it you literally said he jumped ship when things got tough with option A over B. He was in a bigger roll here and the money was very close before they even made Kemba a sign and trade. If anything people here want to give him a pass for not being loyal and being apart of nothing but disappointing seasons his last two years here.

Firstly, that was Surferdad, a different poster

Secondly, if we go off Embiid’s comments, he was projected to be in a similarly large role in Philly

Thirdly, the money difference

Fourthly, C’s weren’t projected to be contenders, even with Al. Philly was a contender without him and adding him could put them over the top

Fifthly, not everybody is Deandre Jordan. When people agree to a contract, they usually push through with their verbal commitment

So no, it’s not just about “a guy jumping ship because he can’t handle turmoil”. There are so many factors that made signing with Boston easy to pass up. Where was all this loyalty talk when DA didn’t wanna sign Al for big money? And many of us (myself included) thought that Philly overpaid so we didn’t mind seeing him go. Where was our “loyalty” then?

I’d rather work with the guys who we have today. A captain is someone the locker room respects and will follow and who can call people out without it raising eyebrows because they have the “social authority” to. You think Smart’s listening to someone like Nesmith or Pritchard? You think Pritchard can tell Tatum off for going iso? Horford fits the captain criteria to a tee. The biggest downside is that he might not even be here next year because the C’s might not guarantee his contract (or will use him in a trade).

So you find a guy that values greed and an easy ride to be right for the role got it.

I don’t know where you get this notion that signing for less money to play for a team projected to be rebuilding is something NBA players will typically do. I’d be interested if you can show me an example of a player who turned down a higher offer to be able to play for a worse team. Like, instead of playing for a contender and getting paid more, they chose to go to a rebuilding team and get paid less.

As an aside, do you think Tatum or Brown will stick around past their current extensions if we don’t offer them the max? Maybe we should ship their greedy butts out of here too.

Again I got that you dont care about the way he left, thats on you. I have a problem with it. He did not wait he just bolted. Thats not a guy I want, I'm like KG in this regard.

Let's see what happens with Tatum and Brown before dragging them into Al's scenario.

If someone offered you a $100M+ contract and you were on the wrong side of 30 and no longer an all star player, you think it would be wise to wait on it? It’s a business man and Al did what’s best for him and his family. Not sure how you can hold that against him.

You can when it went down like it did with Horford. A guy that was already wealthy and overpaid his last contract by you. Add in the fact he engaged in tampering and didn't try to negotiate and give team time to free up money. I very much hold it against him.

You're probably the only one who holds a grudge.  Also, he wasn't overpaid in his prior contract.  He played at an All-Star level, was the defensive anchor (even getting his only career All-NBA defense honor), was consistently available during the regular season, and never missed a playoff for a team that went to two conference finals in there years.  On top of that he was a terrific mentor to a team full of young players that have since become the long-term core.  He definitely held up his part of the bargain on that first deal.  Based on how the last two years have gone, I think both Al and the Celtics probably regret not working it out, but I don't think either of them are holding grudges at this point, so I don't see why you would.

If you don't think there are players and people in the organization that hold a grudge you are mistaken. There are definitely people that hold griudges for Al for what happened besides me.

I’m sorry, but what player in the organization holds a grudge against Al for taking more money elsewhere?  Name him.

Since Brad brought him back, you can probably cross him off the list. Makes me wonder what position in the Celtics organization Csfan1984 holds that they’re so certain about this?

[Celtics2021]

I can't believe people want Al after he walked on this team.

Well the players understand its business at the end of the day. They can still be close friends and leave for a team that pays them more.

He didn't even give them time to consider 76ers offer. He didn't want to play with the team anymore it wasn't just money. There were reports of them being able to go higher after Kemba was officially made a sign and trade but Al bolted.

So Mr. "Flat Earth, not getting vaxed" had nothing to do with Horford's decision?  Al left a dysfunctional team and is coming back to a better one.

So a guy who can't manage turmoil when things get tough is the guy to lead?

This seems disingenuous. Philly offered a contract DA seemingly didn’t want to match. On top of that (at least coming from Embiid’s comments), Horford was signed because he was supposed to be a talent fit with Ben Simmons and this was at the height of the Philly hype and they were projected to be a contender at the time. Meanwhile, everyone was jumping ship from the C’s and we were projected to go nowhere (at least until DA scrambled to get Kemba onboard)

So really the decision for Horford was:
Option A: join a contender, play a big role, and get paid more money
Option B: take a step back, go on a semi-rebuilding year while playing for less money

There is nothing disingenuous about it you literally said he jumped ship when things got tough with option A over B. He was in a bigger roll here and the money was very close before they even made Kemba a sign and trade. If anything people here want to give him a pass for not being loyal and being apart of nothing but disappointing seasons his last two years here.

Firstly, that was Surferdad, a different poster

Secondly, if we go off Embiid’s comments, he was projected to be in a similarly large role in Philly

Thirdly, the money difference

Fourthly, C’s weren’t projected to be contenders, even with Al. Philly was a contender without him and adding him could put them over the top

Fifthly, not everybody is Deandre Jordan. When people agree to a contract, they usually push through with their verbal commitment

So no, it’s not just about “a guy jumping ship because he can’t handle turmoil”. There are so many factors that made signing with Boston easy to pass up. Where was all this loyalty talk when DA didn’t wanna sign Al for big money? And many of us (myself included) thought that Philly overpaid so we didn’t mind seeing him go. Where was our “loyalty” then?

I’d rather work with the guys who we have today. A captain is someone the locker room respects and will follow and who can call people out without it raising eyebrows because they have the “social authority” to. You think Smart’s listening to someone like Nesmith or Pritchard? You think Pritchard can tell Tatum off for going iso? Horford fits the captain criteria to a tee. The biggest downside is that he might not even be here next year because the C’s might not guarantee his contract (or will use him in a trade).

So you find a guy that values greed and an easy ride to be right for the role got it.

I don’t know where you get this notion that signing for less money to play for a team projected to be rebuilding is something NBA players will typically do. I’d be interested if you can show me an example of a player who turned down a higher offer to be able to play for a worse team. Like, instead of playing for a contender and getting paid more, they chose to go to a rebuilding team and get paid less.

As an aside, do you think Tatum or Brown will stick around past their current extensions if we don’t offer them the max? Maybe we should ship their greedy butts out of here too.

Again I got that you dont care about the way he left, thats on you. I have a problem with it. He did not wait he just bolted. Thats not a guy I want, I'm like KG in this regard.

Let's see what happens with Tatum and Brown before dragging them into Al's scenario.

If someone offered you a $100M+ contract and you were on the wrong side of 30 and no longer an all star player, you think it would be wise to wait on it? It’s a business man and Al did what’s best for him and his family. Not sure how you can hold that against him.

You can when it went down like it did with Horford. A guy that was already wealthy and overpaid his last contract by you. Add in the fact he engaged in tampering and didn't try to negotiate and give team time to free up money. I very much hold it against him.

You're probably the only one who holds a grudge.  Also, he wasn't overpaid in his prior contract.  He played at an All-Star level, was the defensive anchor (even getting his only career All-NBA defense honor), was consistently available during the regular season, and never missed a playoff for a team that went to two conference finals in there years.  On top of that he was a terrific mentor to a team full of young players that have since become the long-term core.  He definitely held up his part of the bargain on that first deal.  Based on how the last two years have gone, I think both Al and the Celtics probably regret not working it out, but I don't think either of them are holding grudges at this point, so I don't see why you would.

If you don't think there are players and people in the organization that hold a grudge you are mistaken. There are definitely people that hold griudges for Al for what happened besides me.

I’m sorry, but what player in the organization holds a grudge against Al for taking more money elsewhere?  Name him.

You keep phrasing things out of the context that people have a problem with it. If you can't get the issue after its been explained to you over and over again then you won't ever get who has a problem with it.

What “context”?  You said there are players in the organization that hold a grudge against Al for leaving.  The only players still on the Celtics that were there with Al are Smart, Brown, Tatum, and Robert Williams.  I’ve never heard any of them remotely express a grudge against Al, and it seems improbable that they would, as players are generally good with guys getting big contracts when they can get them.  Which of them has ever sounded upset at Horford?

[Csfan1984]

I can't believe people want Al after he walked on this team.

Well the players understand its business at the end of the day. They can still be close friends and leave for a team that pays them more.

He didn't even give them time to consider 76ers offer. He didn't want to play with the team anymore it wasn't just money. There were reports of them being able to go higher after Kemba was officially made a sign and trade but Al bolted.

So Mr. "Flat Earth, not getting vaxed" had nothing to do with Horford's decision?  Al left a dysfunctional team and is coming back to a better one.

So a guy who can't manage turmoil when things get tough is the guy to lead?

This seems disingenuous. Philly offered a contract DA seemingly didn’t want to match. On top of that (at least coming from Embiid’s comments), Horford was signed because he was supposed to be a talent fit with Ben Simmons and this was at the height of the Philly hype and they were projected to be a contender at the time. Meanwhile, everyone was jumping ship from the C’s and we were projected to go nowhere (at least until DA scrambled to get Kemba onboard)

So really the decision for Horford was:
Option A: join a contender, play a big role, and get paid more money
Option B: take a step back, go on a semi-rebuilding year while playing for less money

There is nothing disingenuous about it you literally said he jumped ship when things got tough with option A over B. He was in a bigger roll here and the money was very close before they even made Kemba a sign and trade. If anything people here want to give him a pass for not being loyal and being apart of nothing but disappointing seasons his last two years here.

Firstly, that was Surferdad, a different poster

Secondly, if we go off Embiid’s comments, he was projected to be in a similarly large role in Philly

Thirdly, the money difference

Fourthly, C’s weren’t projected to be contenders, even with Al. Philly was a contender without him and adding him could put them over the top

Fifthly, not everybody is Deandre Jordan. When people agree to a contract, they usually push through with their verbal commitment

So no, it’s not just about “a guy jumping ship because he can’t handle turmoil”. There are so many factors that made signing with Boston easy to pass up. Where was all this loyalty talk when DA didn’t wanna sign Al for big money? And many of us (myself included) thought that Philly overpaid so we didn’t mind seeing him go. Where was our “loyalty” then?

I’d rather work with the guys who we have today. A captain is someone the locker room respects and will follow and who can call people out without it raising eyebrows because they have the “social authority” to. You think Smart’s listening to someone like Nesmith or Pritchard? You think Pritchard can tell Tatum off for going iso? Horford fits the captain criteria to a tee. The biggest downside is that he might not even be here next year because the C’s might not guarantee his contract (or will use him in a trade).

So you find a guy that values greed and an easy ride to be right for the role got it.

I don’t know where you get this notion that signing for less money to play for a team projected to be rebuilding is something NBA players will typically do. I’d be interested if you can show me an example of a player who turned down a higher offer to be able to play for a worse team. Like, instead of playing for a contender and getting paid more, they chose to go to a rebuilding team and get paid less.

As an aside, do you think Tatum or Brown will stick around past their current extensions if we don’t offer them the max? Maybe we should ship their greedy butts out of here too.

Again I got that you dont care about the way he left, thats on you. I have a problem with it. He did not wait he just bolted. Thats not a guy I want, I'm like KG in this regard.

Let's see what happens with Tatum and Brown before dragging them into Al's scenario.

If someone offered you a $100M+ contract and you were on the wrong side of 30 and no longer an all star player, you think it would be wise to wait on it? It’s a business man and Al did what’s best for him and his family. Not sure how you can hold that against him.

You can when it went down like it did with Horford. A guy that was already wealthy and overpaid his last contract by you. Add in the fact he engaged in tampering and didn't try to negotiate and give team time to free up money. I very much hold it against him.

You're probably the only one who holds a grudge.  Also, he wasn't overpaid in his prior contract.  He played at an All-Star level, was the defensive anchor (even getting his only career All-NBA defense honor), was consistently available during the regular season, and never missed a playoff for a team that went to two conference finals in there years.  On top of that he was a terrific mentor to a team full of young players that have since become the long-term core.  He definitely held up his part of the bargain on that first deal.  Based on how the last two years have gone, I think both Al and the Celtics probably regret not working it out, but I don't think either of them are holding grudges at this point, so I don't see why you would.

If you don't think there are players and people in the organization that hold a grudge you are mistaken. There are definitely people that hold griudges for Al for what happened besides me.

I’m sorry, but what player in the organization holds a grudge against Al for taking more money elsewhere?  Name him.

You keep phrasing things out of the context that people have a problem with it. If you can't get the issue after its been explained to you over and over again then you won't ever get who has a problem with it.

What “context”?  You said there are players in the organization that hold a grudge against Al for leaving.  The only players still on the Celtics that were there with Al are Smart, Brown, Tatum, and Robert Williams.  I’ve never heard any of them remotely express a grudge against Al, and it seems improbable that they would, as players are generally good with guys getting big contracts when they can get them.  Which of them has ever sounded upset at Horford?

Let's just say it ain't one I said players. You can try and guess which ones.

[Big333223]

I think there are two ways to go with this, and reading through the thread everyone else seems to be thinking it as well:

Tatum and Brown are the team's best players. The theme of the offseason has been handing them the reigns and letting them take over. Naming them captains would solidify that all the more.

Or: The hierarchy on the team is pretty set. Tatum and Brown will be taking the most shots, doing the big interviews, etc. They don't need to be named captains. The designation can be used to elevate important voices in the locker room of guys who aren't the two best on the floor. Smart and Horford seem like the obvious answers there.

[Csfan1984]

I think there are two ways to go with this, and reading through the thread everyone else seems to be thinking it as well:

Tatum and Brown are the team's best players. The theme of the offseason has been handing them the reigns and letting them take over. Naming them captains would solidify that all the more.

Or: The hierarchy on the team is pretty set. Tatum and Brown will be taking the most shots, doing the big interviews, etc. They don't need to be named captains. The designation can be used to elevate important voices in the locker room of guys who aren't the two best on the floor. Smart and Horford seem like the obvious answers there.

That's pretty much it. I just see a lot of problems with Horford and Smart vs if you make Tatum and Brown the captains. If either Jay goes KD and feels it's a slight it could go bad long term. If the best players get named is anyone going to complain or claim it's ridiculous, absolutely not.

[Surferdad]

I think there are two ways to go with this, and reading through the thread everyone else seems to be thinking it as well:

Tatum and Brown are the team's best players. The theme of the offseason has been handing them the reigns and letting them take over. Naming them captains would solidify that all the more.

Or: The hierarchy on the team is pretty set. Tatum and Brown will be taking the most shots, doing the big interviews, etc. They don't need to be named captains. The designation can be used to elevate important voices in the locker room of guys who aren't the two best on the floor. Smart and Horford seem like the obvious answers there.

Agree with the latter.  My money is on Horford/Smart.

[gouki88]

I can't believe people want Al after he walked on this team.

Well the players understand its business at the end of the day. They can still be close friends and leave for a team that pays them more.

He didn't even give them time to consider 76ers offer. He didn't want to play with the team anymore it wasn't just money. There were reports of them being able to go higher after Kemba was officially made a sign and trade but Al bolted.

So Mr. "Flat Earth, not getting vaxed" had nothing to do with Horford's decision?  Al left a dysfunctional team and is coming back to a better one.

So a guy who can't manage turmoil when things get tough is the guy to lead?

This seems disingenuous. Philly offered a contract DA seemingly didn’t want to match. On top of that (at least coming from Embiid’s comments), Horford was signed because he was supposed to be a talent fit with Ben Simmons and this was at the height of the Philly hype and they were projected to be a contender at the time. Meanwhile, everyone was jumping ship from the C’s and we were projected to go nowhere (at least until DA scrambled to get Kemba onboard)

So really the decision for Horford was:
Option A: join a contender, play a big role, and get paid more money
Option B: take a step back, go on a semi-rebuilding year while playing for less money

There is nothing disingenuous about it you literally said he jumped ship when things got tough with option A over B. He was in a bigger roll here and the money was very close before they even made Kemba a sign and trade. If anything people here want to give him a pass for not being loyal and being apart of nothing but disappointing seasons his last two years here.

Firstly, that was Surferdad, a different poster

Secondly, if we go off Embiid’s comments, he was projected to be in a similarly large role in Philly

Thirdly, the money difference

Fourthly, C’s weren’t projected to be contenders, even with Al. Philly was a contender without him and adding him could put them over the top

Fifthly, not everybody is Deandre Jordan. When people agree to a contract, they usually push through with their verbal commitment

So no, it’s not just about “a guy jumping ship because he can’t handle turmoil”. There are so many factors that made signing with Boston easy to pass up. Where was all this loyalty talk when DA didn’t wanna sign Al for big money? And many of us (myself included) thought that Philly overpaid so we didn’t mind seeing him go. Where was our “loyalty” then?

I’d rather work with the guys who we have today. A captain is someone the locker room respects and will follow and who can call people out without it raising eyebrows because they have the “social authority” to. You think Smart’s listening to someone like Nesmith or Pritchard? You think Pritchard can tell Tatum off for going iso? Horford fits the captain criteria to a tee. The biggest downside is that he might not even be here next year because the C’s might not guarantee his contract (or will use him in a trade).

So you find a guy that values greed and an easy ride to be right for the role got it.

I don’t know where you get this notion that signing for less money to play for a team projected to be rebuilding is something NBA players will typically do. I’d be interested if you can show me an example of a player who turned down a higher offer to be able to play for a worse team. Like, instead of playing for a contender and getting paid more, they chose to go to a rebuilding team and get paid less.

As an aside, do you think Tatum or Brown will stick around past their current extensions if we don’t offer them the max? Maybe we should ship their greedy butts out of here too.

Again I got that you dont care about the way he left, thats on you. I have a problem with it. He did not wait he just bolted. Thats not a guy I want, I'm like KG in this regard.

Let's see what happens with Tatum and Brown before dragging them into Al's scenario.

If someone offered you a $100M+ contract and you were on the wrong side of 30 and no longer an all star player, you think it would be wise to wait on it? It’s a business man and Al did what’s best for him and his family. Not sure how you can hold that against him.

You can when it went down like it did with Horford. A guy that was already wealthy and overpaid his last contract by you. Add in the fact he engaged in tampering and didn't try to negotiate and give team time to free up money. I very much hold it against him.

You're probably the only one who holds a grudge.  Also, he wasn't overpaid in his prior contract.  He played at an All-Star level, was the defensive anchor (even getting his only career All-NBA defense honor), was consistently available during the regular season, and never missed a playoff for a team that went to two conference finals in there years.  On top of that he was a terrific mentor to a team full of young players that have since become the long-term core.  He definitely held up his part of the bargain on that first deal.  Based on how the last two years have gone, I think both Al and the Celtics probably regret not working it out, but I don't think either of them are holding grudges at this point, so I don't see why you would.

If you don't think there are players and people in the organization that hold a grudge you are mistaken. There are definitely people that hold griudges for Al for what happened besides me.

I’m sorry, but what player in the organization holds a grudge against Al for taking more money elsewhere?  Name him.

You keep phrasing things out of the context that people have a problem with it. If you can't get the issue after its been explained to you over and over again then you won't ever get who has a problem with it.

What “context”?  You said there are players in the organization that hold a grudge against Al for leaving.  The only players still on the Celtics that were there with Al are Smart, Brown, Tatum, and Robert Williams.  I’ve never heard any of them remotely express a grudge against Al, and it seems improbable that they would, as players are generally good with guys getting big contracts when they can get them.  Which of them has ever sounded upset at Horford?

Let's just say it ain't one I said players. You can try and guess which ones.

So in other words, you've got nothing to back up your unsubstantiated drama-peddling?

[Csfan1984]

I can't believe people want Al after he walked on this team.

Well the players understand its business at the end of the day. They can still be close friends and leave for a team that pays them more.

He didn't even give them time to consider 76ers offer. He didn't want to play with the team anymore it wasn't just money. There were reports of them being able to go higher after Kemba was officially made a sign and trade but Al bolted.

So Mr. "Flat Earth, not getting vaxed" had nothing to do with Horford's decision?  Al left a dysfunctional team and is coming back to a better one.

So a guy who can't manage turmoil when things get tough is the guy to lead?

This seems disingenuous. Philly offered a contract DA seemingly didn’t want to match. On top of that (at least coming from Embiid’s comments), Horford was signed because he was supposed to be a talent fit with Ben Simmons and this was at the height of the Philly hype and they were projected to be a contender at the time. Meanwhile, everyone was jumping ship from the C’s and we were projected to go nowhere (at least until DA scrambled to get Kemba onboard)

So really the decision for Horford was:
Option A: join a contender, play a big role, and get paid more money
Option B: take a step back, go on a semi-rebuilding year while playing for less money

There is nothing disingenuous about it you literally said he jumped ship when things got tough with option A over B. He was in a bigger roll here and the money was very close before they even made Kemba a sign and trade. If anything people here want to give him a pass for not being loyal and being apart of nothing but disappointing seasons his last two years here.

Firstly, that was Surferdad, a different poster

Secondly, if we go off Embiid’s comments, he was projected to be in a similarly large role in Philly

Thirdly, the money difference

Fourthly, C’s weren’t projected to be contenders, even with Al. Philly was a contender without him and adding him could put them over the top

Fifthly, not everybody is Deandre Jordan. When people agree to a contract, they usually push through with their verbal commitment

So no, it’s not just about “a guy jumping ship because he can’t handle turmoil”. There are so many factors that made signing with Boston easy to pass up. Where was all this loyalty talk when DA didn’t wanna sign Al for big money? And many of us (myself included) thought that Philly overpaid so we didn’t mind seeing him go. Where was our “loyalty” then?

I’d rather work with the guys who we have today. A captain is someone the locker room respects and will follow and who can call people out without it raising eyebrows because they have the “social authority” to. You think Smart’s listening to someone like Nesmith or Pritchard? You think Pritchard can tell Tatum off for going iso? Horford fits the captain criteria to a tee. The biggest downside is that he might not even be here next year because the C’s might not guarantee his contract (or will use him in a trade).

So you find a guy that values greed and an easy ride to be right for the role got it.

I don’t know where you get this notion that signing for less money to play for a team projected to be rebuilding is something NBA players will typically do. I’d be interested if you can show me an example of a player who turned down a higher offer to be able to play for a worse team. Like, instead of playing for a contender and getting paid more, they chose to go to a rebuilding team and get paid less.

As an aside, do you think Tatum or Brown will stick around past their current extensions if we don’t offer them the max? Maybe we should ship their greedy butts out of here too.

Again I got that you dont care about the way he left, thats on you. I have a problem with it. He did not wait he just bolted. Thats not a guy I want, I'm like KG in this regard.

Let's see what happens with Tatum and Brown before dragging them into Al's scenario.

If someone offered you a $100M+ contract and you were on the wrong side of 30 and no longer an all star player, you think it would be wise to wait on it? It’s a business man and Al did what’s best for him and his family. Not sure how you can hold that against him.

You can when it went down like it did with Horford. A guy that was already wealthy and overpaid his last contract by you. Add in the fact he engaged in tampering and didn't try to negotiate and give team time to free up money. I very much hold it against him.

You're probably the only one who holds a grudge.  Also, he wasn't overpaid in his prior contract.  He played at an All-Star level, was the defensive anchor (even getting his only career All-NBA defense honor), was consistently available during the regular season, and never missed a playoff for a team that went to two conference finals in there years.  On top of that he was a terrific mentor to a team full of young players that have since become the long-term core.  He definitely held up his part of the bargain on that first deal.  Based on how the last two years have gone, I think both Al and the Celtics probably regret not working it out, but I don't think either of them are holding grudges at this point, so I don't see why you would.

If you don't think there are players and people in the organization that hold a grudge you are mistaken. There are definitely people that hold griudges for Al for what happened besides me.

I’m sorry, but what player in the organization holds a grudge against Al for taking more money elsewhere?  Name him.

You keep phrasing things out of the context that people have a problem with it. If you can't get the issue after its been explained to you over and over again then you won't ever get who has a problem with it.

What “context”?  You said there are players in the organization that hold a grudge against Al for leaving.  The only players still on the Celtics that were there with Al are Smart, Brown, Tatum, and Robert Williams.  I’ve never heard any of them remotely express a grudge against Al, and it seems improbable that they would, as players are generally good with guys getting big contracts when they can get them.  Which of them has ever sounded upset at Horford?

Let's just say it ain't one I said players. You can try and guess which ones.

So in other words, you've got nothing to back up your unsubstantiated drama-peddling?

I known what people with more inside info than the people on here and media have said. People that actual sit and eat with former players/ teammates of current players said. If its 100% truthful or just boasting I don't know. I'm not actually a player.