The distraction of playing for future contracts...

[Roy H.]

Brian Robb has an interesting article about how the Celtics' success may in part be due to being singularly focused on winning a championship, rather than players having their attention divided by contract issues:

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2022/06/the-subtle-front-office-strategy-that-helped-celtics-turn-into-a-true-nba-finals-contender-brian-robb.html

I think there may be something to that.  We certainly saw what a chemistry bomb there was when Irving was a pending free agent, joined by Terry Rozier and Marcus Morris playing for contracts.  And, the most prominent guys traded away this season were those players on one year deals (Schroeder, Freedom, Hernangomez).

I think that this was a conscious decision by management, based upon the way Brad handed out contract extensions at the beginning of the year (Smart, Timelord, Richardson).

We should probably expect the same thing this off-season.  Grant Williams will likely be offered an extension, the team will assure Al that there's a spot for him in 2024, and we will probably target guys with the TPE who have time left on their deal, or who will be likely to agree to an extension.

[celticsclay]

I think the rozier, Morris and irving season was definitely a season where contract issues impacted morale and style of play. However with so many players signing shorter contracts with opt outs or player options it seems like it isn’t a possible long term strategy to try and have no pending free agents in the rotation. I think we are very fortunate right now that everyone in our rotation except Al is young. How many contenders are like that? Was the last team like that OKC?

[JohnBoy65]

I also am not sure you can attribute a bad chemistry season to contracts when you have Kyrie Irving on your team. There were a lot more deeper rooted issues with that team other than playing for contracts.

Your point might be true, and I wonder if Boston was purposeful on this, but if I had to guess I'd say probably not. The extensions Brad negotiated were pretty spectacular, and I think it had more to do with getting guys at a price they liked vs. letting it play out and wondering if the extension number is higher. Rob is a perfect example of this. He'd have a much larger contract if negotiated at the end of this season.

[bdm860]

I wrote something similar about this back in 2019, how the whole team was probably uncertain about their future, and how it probably affected chemistry.

I think one thing Robb misses in his article is the trade chatter (though briefly mentions it about Smart last summer).  While there was definitely some talk earlier in the season about Tatum/Brown not being able to play together, I don't think there was any realistic trades out there or rumors that Boston is shopping one of its stars.  A few years back though, there was constant chatter that the C's were going to pull off a big trade: Butler, George, Kawhi, AD, those potential deals left no player safe, because it was going to take a combination of salaries to make it happen.  Being free from those trade talks also helped I think.

What I wrote in 2019:

I think a big piece of the chemistry problem is too many guys with uncertain futures.

Not just the young guys, but seemingly everybody's status is uncertain:

* Kyrie is a free agent who might decide to leave
* Tatum, Brown, Smart, Ojeleye, Yabusele, Williams - some combination of these guys will be moved in an Anthony Davis trade, and everybody knows it.
* Morris, Rozier, Theis - all free agents, and Morris and Rozier aren't expected to return, and the team might not be able to afford Theis either.
* Hayward, while he has a huge contract that nobody would trade for, I bet in the back of his mind he's worried he's going to get traded. "I haven't produced in 2 years, the teams going to try to unload me."
* Horford and Baynes have player options.  You think it's in the back of their mind that they're going to opt in in June only for Danny to trade them in July?

I think when you look around that locker room, 90% of the guys have serious doubts that they will be back next year, and 100% of the guys have no idea who their teammates will be next year.  I think this is part of what's leading to chemistry problems.

Compare that to a team like Toronto, Kawhi's status is up in the air, but most of the rest of the team probably thinks they'll be back.  MIL, IND, and PHI all have a ton soon-to-be free agents, but their superstars are all in place, and most of the guys with expiring contracts know their teams will be trying to retain them.  I think there's a lot less uncertainty in those locker rooms.

[RJ87]

I don't know if it's so much that our players aren't playing for contracts but earned or not, Ainge had developed a reputation of being willing to trade anyone at the drop of a hat. That's the reality of the business, sure, but if a player constantly feels like he's constantly an "asset" he may not be willing to fully commit to the team when he doesn't know how long he'll be a part of it.