Why do elite players NOT want to play for the Celtics?

[ACF]

Move the Lakers back to Minny, move the Clippers to Seattle, move the Warriors back to Philly and the Kings back to Rochester and let's see what these spoiled brats would have to say about that.

[Kiorrik]

Basically, NBA players - or rather this new generation of superstars - are a bunch of spoiled brats. They want to play with their friends, want the weather to be nice and to make the most money they can.

Boston has been a harsh town, one where grit, determination, hard work, all of that is concentrated. It's not the place where the flashy superstars go, it's where rusty old veterans go to win a title. Where you fight for the championship under the weight of 17 previous championships. You'll have to uphold a standard of sorts, which is unrivaled within the league.

EJPLAYA already mentioned part of the above (weather) but I think it's all part of a larger theme where the stars are just a bunch of kids with too much money.

Perk did well. He's not flashy, he's a frown. KG is hardly 'all laughs', Pierce has been through the grinder, Allen is the leagues hardest working sharpshooter and class act.

This is no place for the unmotivated, the cowering, the weak.

THIS ... IS ... BOSTON!

[PosImpos]

   There are players out there that want to be a Celtic.  They're not the players most fans fantasize about, but good players who play with heart and respect history.  Players that keep their head down, and work hard, and put the team above themselves.  We are lucky to have four all stars like that.  We got a few role players like that this year.  Hopefully we will get another star or two next year.  There won't be Dwight Howard or Chris Paul coming here, and I for one prefer it that way. 

players like that are nice, but unfortunately in order to win championships you really need to get superstars, not just humble hard workers who fit well into a team concept.

   That is nothing more than an assumption.  I am a strong believer that playing well makes you a star.  Being a star doesn't make you play well.  When we beat the other teams, our players will become super stars. 

cart before the horse there, in my opinion.

talent ---> winning, not the other way around

[Cman]

Move the Lakers back to Minny, move the Clippers to Seattle, move the Warriors back to Philly and the Kings back to Rochester and let's see what these spoiled brats would have to say about that.

I love it!

And let's decide that Alaska needs a team, and, to be ironic, send the Heat there!

[ACF]

Move the Lakers back to Minny, move the Clippers to Seattle, move the Warriors back to Philly and the Kings back to Rochester and let's see what these spoiled brats would have to say about that.

I love it!

And let's decide that Alaska needs a team, and, to be ironic, send the Heat there!

Good thinking, buddy, TP.

[Cman]

Move the Lakers back to Minny, move the Clippers to Seattle, move the Warriors back to Philly and the Kings back to Rochester and let's see what these spoiled brats would have to say about that.

I love it!

And let's decide that Alaska needs a team, and, to be ironic, send the Heat there!

Good thinking, buddy, TP.

Lebron

I'm taking my talent to... Anchorage.

[European NBA fan]

Besides the other reasons (flash, fame and fortune), I believe that some players have a strained relationship with the Celtics. While Dwight Howard might not hate the Celtics, I'm pretty sure they make him feel uncomfortable. The one Celtic he had good relations with was Big Baby, which tells a lot about his personality. He likes it light, not so serious as the Big 3 and Rondo.

Chris Paul would probably be a great fit, but since the trade would include Rondo, he would be the only piece left after the Big 3. That would give one (long) shot at a championship, then rebuild.

[Kiorrik]

Move the Lakers back to Minny, move the Clippers to Seattle, move the Warriors back to Philly and the Kings back to Rochester and let's see what these spoiled brats would have to say about that.

Dang you ACF, for posting the exact words "spoiled brats" before I did! Didn't notice, since I took a while with my post

Delayed TP for beating me to the punch :p

[Roy H.]

Lots of reasons:

1. Age / concern about the future;
2. Weather;
3. Nightlife;
4. Taxes;
5. Boston's perceived history of racism;
6. Dislike of the organization due to the current team's cockiness (this is probably a very small reason)
7. Fear that they'd be playing "fourth wheel" to the big three, and that their voice wouldn't be heard in the locker room.

Reasons players *should* want to come to Boston:

1.  Danny's aggressiveness and creativity in building a winner;
2.  Doc Rivers
3.  Ownership that is willing to spend money;
4.  An amazing fan base;
5.  A chance to be part of a winning tradition;
6.  This individual team's flexibility going forward;
7.  The chance to play with several Hall of Famers

[Celtics4ever]

We have beaten some of them a lot and they don't like the organization.  To them we are the villian.....

[Rondo2287]

Move the Lakers back to Minny, move the Clippers to Seattle, move the Warriors back to Philly and the Kings back to Rochester and let's see what these spoiled brats would have to say about that.

I love it!

And let's decide that Alaska needs a team, and, to be ironic, send the Heat there!

move the clippers back to buffalo!

[CelticsFanNC]

   These elite players are in their 20's.  During their lifetimes the Boston Celtics have been mostly mediocre or worse.  It takes more then a few great seasons to turn around the only reputation these younger players have about the Celtics.

 Also the unconventional way in which Ainge built them into contenders the first time can look from the outside as a fluke.

  Danny and Doc still need to prove they can build the Boston Celtics into what they once were....yearly, consistent title contenders.  Once they do that Boston will again be looked at as a great landing spot for elite players but that takes time.   Us longtime fans don't look at the Celtics the same way younger people do because we've experienced the Celtics as consistent title contenders in the past.  Turning the reputation of a poorly run and poorly coached organization takes time.

[Fan from VT]

I agree with a lot of the stated reasons

-age of team

-KG is not exactly making friends with opponents

-Neither is Rondo

-Weather

-It's just not LA or NY in terms of marketing


Then there's this whole fan dynamic: "we are a tough grit city, and we'll let you know it and if you don't want to play here it's cause you weren't tough enough so we don't want you anyway and if you stink on the court we will let you know it because we have high standards and this should make you tougher, but why doesn't anyone want to play for us, they should we are the best place to play!

[hwangjini_1]

We have beaten some of them a lot and they don't like the organization.  To them we are the villian.....

good point. plus let's face it, KG is not particularly the most gracious winner in history.

i remember a number of teams and players relished stomping the snot out of the celtics after bird & company retired.

nonetheless, i think that ainge can bring talent to boston. i was impressed with his efforts to bring in paul and west when he basically had very little to trade. next off season should be fascinating to watch.

[thirstyboots18]

The Celtics have a great legacy.  However, there was a little matter of twenty some years when they traded indiscriminately, tanked, forgot their own legacy,  tried to build on the cheap).  That twenty years takes a lot of living down.  It takes a long time to build a good reputation, but only a second to tear it down.

Add to that the "me first" attitude and the idea that the star players can put a team together better than management can (if management did it it would be called collusion, I think).

Danny and Doc have done a good job trying to erase the damage...for instance, inviting the "legacy"...ex Celtic champions...back to the fold.   (There was a period where they were discourage...or outright banned...from the locker room and/or contact with the team.)