Does this hurt our chances to recruit players?

[jraven76]

I'm disappointed in Ray's decision like everyone else, but a part of me wonders how much of it is nostalgia vs. actual basketball concerns. That said, something else popped into my mind and it's truly the most worrisome part of all of this for me. Does Ray's decision hurt our chances to recruit other players over the next few years?

I think Ray is globally considered a pretty great guy and if other players see his decision as a slight on the franchise - will it factor in to their decisions as well? We already seem to have a difficult time recruiting players to sign in Boston (unless they get traded here and see how great it truly is).

I can't read insider links, but I have a feeling that John Hollinger is touching on this very subject in his article on ESPN http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/allenheat_120707/nba-miami-heat-get-richer-ray-allen

Thoughts?

[cb8883]

Absolutely! We're going to be looked at as a 2nd tier destination or worst case 3rd tier...this is why Danny should have heeded his own advice and just blew it up...

[Celtics Fan]

No it doesn't. Ray left because it was better for him and us.

[GrandTheftRondo]

I was actually just thinking about this...

I still think we're a contender. I don't know if I can say we're in the same tier as the Heat, OKC or even the Spurs yet. But we will always be in the mix. We have a winning culture/mentality and that's not going to change.

What I feel hurts us though is this franchise has absolutely no loyalty to anyone and it sounds good in theory but when it comes to enticing free agents...not so much.

Danny Ainge definitely does not make anyone feel secure in their roles. Everyone has been put on the trading block. Our team captain was practically traded to NJ at the deadline. The Perk trade was random and came out of absolutely nowhere. Ray and Rondo were dangled like bloody bait in shark tank over and over and over.

If I was a free agent...idk if I could say Boston would be at the top of my list. I would want to go somewhere I feel could feel comfortable and not have my name in trade rumors every trade deadline and off season.

[get_banners]

Absolutely! We're going to be looked at as a 2nd tier destination or worst case 3rd tier...this is why Danny should have heeded his own advice and just blew it up...

i don't know about that. lots of players that passed through here rave about the organization. ray is generally thought of as all class, but this move seems to be far from class. ray complained this year about losing his starting job to a guy who outperformed him across the board and was a better fit for our offense than ray. he complained about being shopped frequently, whereas paul pierce, a guy who has been shopped more often than most stars, just seemed grateful at getting a shot to stay with boston all these years.

[GreenFaith1819]

It could.

There is already speculation out there about Rondo's surliness. I don't agree with most of it, but still -

The fact is, is that there is a cloud over BOS and Rondo. Has been for some time.

For various reasons (weather, climate, age, etc, etc) BOS just hasn't been a "Top" spot. Again - much of this is just nonsense, but Ray leaving and the rumors behind it is just not good.

[get_banners]

It could.

There is already speculation out there about Rondo's surliness. I don't agree with most of it, but still -

The fact is, is that there is a cloud over BOS and Rondo. Has been for some time.

For various reasons (weather, climate, age, etc, etc) BOS just hasn't been a "Top" spot. Again - much of this is just nonsense, but Ray leaving and the rumors behind it is just not good.

i mean...i think we forget that most great players are jerks. jordan punked his teammates all the time. bird called out his teammates all the time. rondo has a bball IQ that is through the roof, and i'm sure his teammates get p---ed when he calls them out in games and in the locker room...but he puts them in the best position to succeed. ray will never have a PG get him the ball as well as rondo did. rondo knows how to run a game better than anyone else on the team, which is saying something. so...i don't care that much if some guys get rubbed the wrong way when the kid tells them they're screwing up...because they probably are screwing up.

[goCeltics]

if players don't wanna play with the best play creating point guard in the league(rondo) and the best defensive leader(kg) that means their a clown and aren't interested in winning, ray was a role player at this stage of his career, no biggie

[GreenFaith1819]

It could.

There is already speculation out there about Rondo's surliness. I don't agree with most of it, but still -

The fact is, is that there is a cloud over BOS and Rondo. Has been for some time.

For various reasons (weather, climate, age, etc, etc) BOS just hasn't been a "Top" spot. Again - much of this is just nonsense, but Ray leaving and the rumors behind it is just not good.

i mean...i think we forget that most great players are jerks. jordan punked his teammates all the time. bird called out his teammates all the time. rondo has a bball IQ that is through the roof, and i'm sure his teammates get p---ed when he calls them out in games and in the locker room...but he puts them in the best position to succeed. ray will never have a PG get him the ball as well as rondo did. rondo knows how to run a game better than anyone else on the team, which is saying something. so...i don't care that much if some guys get rubbed the wrong way when the kid tells them they're screwing up...because they probably are screwing up.

Much of your post I agree with, but the sad reality here is that many of the "Top Stars" in the NBA want to play with their friends...people they like...people they hang out with.

It's already been discussed on here ad infinitum.

Let's look at Josh Smith....I LOVE the guy as a player, and I'm guessing that he's a decent person, but some of the comments around the blog discussing the guy just don't paint a pretty picture of him.

And that's wrong, IMO. But folks are free to have their opinions.

But the interesting thing with Josh Smith is that he WANTS to play with Rajon - or at least he DID, in the past. He even spoke well of BOS's fans - after we closed them out.

If Josh Smith, whom again I love as a player, is the ONLY player that would commit to BOS then that's a shame.

CP3 "Wanted no part of BOS" during potential trade talks early in the season. Some of us were even willing to take a one-yr rental to get him in BOS.

David West changed his mind, after getting so close to signing with BOS. In retrospect, I'm glad that NEITHER of them came, because we wouldn't have Rondo or Bass, but still....

The fact remains. Perhaps Jared having a breakout year could help the climate, but the way this (Ray Allen leaving) has went down is just bad. I have faith that BOS will be there in the end, but questions still remain.

[Geo123]

Ask Jason Terry that question?

[esel1000]

Ask Jason Terry that question?

Jason Terry said in an interview part of his reason for signing with us is that we have Rondo... if a player doesn't want to play here because we have Rondo, forget them. Their loss. I'll take guys like the Jet here

[GreenFaith1819]

Ask Jason Terry that question?

Jason Terry said in an interview part of his reason for signing with us is that we have Rondo... if a player doesn't want to play here because we have Rondo, forget them. Their loss. I'll take guys like the Jet here

That's all fine and dandy, but I'll hinge Jared Sullinger's potential on recruiting young superstars more than Jet.

[Margarita5]

it is amazing!

[Who]

Nope

[Celtics18]

Jet rushed at the opportunity to sign with the Boston Celtics.  Also, all the free agents who were with this team last year seem to be genuinely falling all over themselves for the opportunity to get to call themselves Celtics for another year.  Kevin Garnett is of course the biggie, but Bass and Green clearly always saw Boston as their first choice. 

I'm also convinced that role players like Mickael Pietrus, Chris Wilcox, and Keyon Dooling are sitting by their phones like anxious, love struck teenagers waiting for Danny's call. 

The Celtics are clearly a desirable destination for the right players.  I guess, in the end, Ray Allen really just wasn't a Celtic at heart.  We'll be fine.  Enjoy the sunshine, Ray.