Bass wants to Return, Long Term.

[dtrader]

for all the talk about how FA dont want to come here..

its kind of funny to see players like Bass, Green, pietrus only here for just a few months and they want to stay here for life.

I think it speaks to the environment that this organization has created.

now if we can only convince someone like D.howard the same we'd be all set

Its not strange at all.  Most people dont bash their current employers.  Of course a player who is already a celtic is going to say how much they love the celtics, want to stay long term, love the tradition, etc. It sounds good to the media and fans, and can be a bargaining chip for their agents later when they say "my player has always been dedicated to being here long term...we just need the organization to be dedicated to him a little".

 What purpose would it serve a guy currently on contract to say he DIDNT love the tradition, want to stay, or wasnt happy?  Most likely that just gets you less fans, less minutes, or less interest from the organization when your contract is up.

The problem is that the only players that say they want to play for us, are the ones who already do.

[Chief]

After two-year stints with the New Orleans Hornets, Dallas Mavericks and Orlando Magic, Bass wants to find a home. The power forward can opt-out of the final year of his contract after this season, but he’s tired of adjusting to new surroundings and hopes to stay in Boston long-term. “I want to finish my career in Boston, if I can,” Bass said. “I want to be here for many, many years. You just want to be a part of something like this. This is history. I want to be a part of this team’s history. I want to make somewhere my home rather than playing somewhere for two years and then leaving.” “I’m enjoying it here,” Bass added. “I like my teammates a lot, I like the coaching staff and I like the tradition in Boston.

Great, love this guy! Lock him up Danny!

Great! Now that we know he wants to stay, all we have to figure out is will he give us a discount to stay here and sign long term for less than MLE money.

and be willing to be the 6th or 7th man.

[Who]

No interest. Cap flexibility is more valuable.

[guava_wrench]

It is easy to say this when you are a bit player and contract negotiations have not begun.

Quis has been the guy who has really shown he wants to be here. Even after spells where he was mediocre and not getting many minutes and even after being traded, he keeps coming back.

[greenpride32]

I think it will be a similar situation to Ryan Anderson in ORL.  The Magic didn't want to sign him because of the uncertainty around Howard.  If the C's don't expect to compete next year or in the near term they really don't have a a need for a guy like Bass.  He's a pretty solid bench guy and spot starter for a competing team.

[chambers]

After two-year stints with the New Orleans Hornets, Dallas Mavericks and Orlando Magic, Bass wants to find a home. The power forward can opt-out of the final year of his contract after this season, but he’s tired of adjusting to new surroundings and hopes to stay in Boston long-term. “I want to finish my career in Boston, if I can,” Bass said. “I want to be here for many, many years. You just want to be a part of something like this. This is history. I want to be a part of this team’s history. I want to make somewhere my home rather than playing somewhere for two years and then leaving.” “I’m enjoying it here,” Bass added. “I like my teammates a lot, I like the coaching staff and I like the tradition in Boston.

Great, love this guy! Lock him up Danny!

Great! Now that we know he wants to stay, all we have to figure out is will he give us a discount to stay here and sign long term for less than MLE money.

I like your thinking.
Make him crawl to us, not vice versa.
Good GM mind frame there.

[snively]

for all the talk about how FA dont want to come here..

its kind of funny to see players like Bass, Green, pietrus only here for just a few months and they want to stay here for life.

I think it speaks to the environment that this organization has created.

now if we can only convince someone like D.howard the same we'd be all set

Its not strange at all.  Most people dont bash their current employers.  Of course a player who is already a celtic is going to say how much they love the celtics, want to stay long term, love the tradition, etc. It sounds good to the media and fans, and can be a bargaining chip for their agents later when they say "my player has always been dedicated to being here long term...we just need the organization to be dedicated to him a little".

 What purpose would it serve a guy currently on contract to say he DIDNT love the tradition, want to stay, or wasnt happy?  Most likely that just gets you less fans, less minutes, or less interest from the organization when your contract is up.

The problem is that the only players that say they want to play for us, are the ones who already do.

You have a good point, but these kind of comments speak very well of the organization.  I'd imagine most teams playing .500 ball aren't getting such enthusiastic endorsements from their players.

That said, unless we execute some kind of trade this season to put long-term pieces in place, we can't afford to spend cap space on giving Bass what the market will pay.  We have $25 mil to find starters at the 2, 4 and 5 position, and as well as Bass has played, he's not quite full-time starter material.

[TripleOT]

This Bass pronouncement on the heels of Dooling waxing about how great his experience in Boston has been so far. 

Part of it must be suiting up with three HOfers.  Part is the Doc/Ainge combo.  Both guys have a ton of credibility with today's NBA players, and Doc, one of the top coaches in the game, shares the ethnic background of 75% of the league's players.

The ownership makes sure that the team gets top of the league daily amenities, like training facilities, catering, medical treatment, family amenities, etc.  The fan base is extremely knowledgeable, rabid, and loyal. The players perform on the legendary parquet under 17 banners and a gaggle of retired numbers.

The Cs braintrust can't do anything about New England weather and the fact that Massachusetts has a state income tax.  But they have done everything humanly possible to make the Celtics an attractive landing spot for FAs.  It will be interesting the first time there's money available to attract one if their efforts pay off. 

As the crop of FAs thin out as extensions are signed, the Cs might be forced to acquire FAs in the $6-8m range.  They can still  put together a competitive roster for the future that way, although snagging a max FA is preferable.   

[Celts Fan 92]

I wanna bring bass back long term since he wants to be here but everyone tht keeps talkin bout max contract guys who's out there?? seems like everyone is gettin re-signed

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I wanna bring bass back long term since he wants to be here but everyone tht keeps talkin bout max contract guys who's out there?? seems like everyone is gettin re-signed

This is a good point. Most of the big names are locked up long term at this point, there's a good chance we DON'T get Howard, and all of the real game-changers (LeBron, Wade, Rose, Durant) won't be on the market for quite some time. So unless Danny can swing a trade for a good young buck, our best hope for landing another stud is probably the draft. And since the FA market for studs is exceedingly thin, I don't see what's wrong with bringing back a solid player like Bass for something like 4 years at $6M-$8M per -- unless you just want to run a bunch of vet-min scrubs out there and be an atrocious (24-win?) team for a couple seasons.

[Celtics18]

Brandon, haven't you heard that it's cold in Boston, the nightlife stinks, and all the fans are racist, and this team has no future.

I guess he hasn't been reading CelticsBlog enough.

[clover]

It is easy to say this when you are a bit player and contract negotiations have not begun.

Quis has been the guy who has really shown he wants to be here. Even after spells where he was mediocre and not getting many minutes and even after being traded, he keeps coming back.

I never got the sense that MD was turning down better offers elsewhere.

[indeedproceed]

Brandon, haven't you heard that it's cold in Boston, the nightlife stinks, and all the fans are racist, and this team has no future.

I guess he hasn't been reading CelticsBlog

I guess you haven't been either if you're taking potshots at an entire blog like that.

[Marcus13]

Don't lock him up yet.  I like Brandon but we have to figure out the direction this team is going in before we start committing dollars long term to roleplayers.

[Celtics18]

Brandon, haven't you heard that it's cold in Boston, the nightlife stinks, and all the fans are racist, and this team has no future.

I guess he hasn't been reading CelticsBlog

I guess you haven't been either if you're taking potshots at an entire blog like that.

I'm not taking pot shots at the entire blog.  I'm just pointing out that the theory that nobody wants to play in Boston is being widely circulated.  I'm not saying that it's being circulated by everyone.

I'll try to play by the rules, but I reserve the right to be feeling a wee bit snarky at all the intense negativism that goes on regarding this basketball team.