Marc Spears- Durant will give C's meeting this summer

[Rosco917]

https://soundcloud.com/csnne/celtics-talk-ep-9-is-durant-to-boston-possible-guest-marc-spears

Spears-

Boston has a real chance. Boston makes sense. They make a lot of sense. When Durant does come into visit they need to have a Havlicek there, they need to have a Cousy there, they need to have a Satch Sanders, to tell him about the history and explain who the people are in the rafters. Plus, his road to the Finals will be easier through the East.

Perfect plan... from what I've heard and seen about Durant, he may be interested in the lore and rich history of the Celtics. Hey, you use what you got. I also think it would be advantageous if the C's have a decent showing in the play-offs.

[Eja117]

https://soundcloud.com/csnne/celtics-talk-ep-9-is-durant-to-boston-possible-guest-marc-spears

Spears-

Boston has a real chance. Boston makes sense. They make a lot of sense. When Durant does come into visit they need to have a Havlicek there, they need to have a Cousy there, they need to have a Satch Sanders, to tell him about the history and explain who the people are in the rafters. Plus, his road to the Finals will be easier through the East.

They need to show him before and after video of KG, PP, and Ray with the theme "This is your career. This is your career on Boston".

[Fan from VT]

Play up the historical HoF SF trend: Havkicek to Bird to Pierce to Durant. Championship wings live in Boston, win in Boston.

[Eja117]

Make some sort of incredible video montage. Have Matt Damon, Mark W,  and Ben Affleck come by and take him out to Irish bars (with a lot of body guards). Have Gronk and Brady come by and give him Patriots jerseys. Have his number reserved or something. Jim Koch give him lifetime beer. Go nuts. There is no too big.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Okay----so Durant decides to Sign with Boston--under ONE condition...
He gets to wear his No. 35 Jersey.

Do we Un-Retire Reggie Lewis' number ---or let KD walk away--?

[manl_lui]

Okay----so Durant decides to Sign with Boston--under ONE condition...
He gets to wear his No. 35 Jersey.

Do we Un-Retire Reggie Lewis' number ---or let KD walk away--?

I doubt that would be the reason, but say it is...who makes that decision? Not Ainge right?

[tyrone biggums]

Okay----so Durant decides to Sign with Boston--under ONE condition...
He gets to wear his No. 35 Jersey.

Do we Un-Retire Reggie Lewis' number ---or let KD walk away--?

You sell him on being the best #53 of all time. As a Northeastern Alumni I'm not sure how I would feel about this. Reggie was a good player and it was tragic. But I don't think they would ever un retire the number. Maybe they would ask his family for permission. See what happens.

[Eja117]

Okay----so Durant decides to Sign with Boston--under ONE condition...
He gets to wear his No. 35 Jersey.

Do we Un-Retire Reggie Lewis' number ---or let KD walk away--?

We immediately change the policy such that #s are no longer retired, but jerseys. So instead of looking up and seeing a ton of numbers we look up and see names and numbers.  Also as a sort of consolation to those players we put up Cooperstown style shrine type things around the area at eye level of everyone whose jersey has been retired. You invite all the players (or their families) back to present them with their jerseys in a case and a shrine for their home. The shrines immediately become a selling point. You could be the next enshrined player

We're overdue for that sort of change anyway.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Okay----so Durant decides to Sign with Boston--under ONE condition...
He gets to wear his No. 35 Jersey.

Do we Un-Retire Reggie Lewis' number ---or let KD walk away--?

We immediately change the policy such that #s are no longer retired, but jerseys. So instead of looking up and seeing a ton of numbers we look up and see names and numbers.  Also as a sort of consolation to those players we put up Cooperstown style shrine type things around the area at eye level of everyone whose jersey has been retired. You invite all the players (or their families) back to present them with their jerseys in a case and a shrine for their home. The shrines immediately become a selling point. You could be the next enshrined player

We're overdue for that sort of change anyway.

Excellent idea---then all numbers can be worn again---you retire the players name.

[BitterJim]

Okay----so Durant decides to Sign with Boston--under ONE condition...
He gets to wear his No. 35 Jersey.

Do we Un-Retire Reggie Lewis' number ---or let KD walk away--?

We immediately change the policy such that #s are no longer retired, but jerseys. So instead of looking up and seeing a ton of numbers we look up and see names and numbers.  Also as a sort of consolation to those players we put up Cooperstown style shrine type things around the area at eye level of everyone whose jersey has been retired. You invite all the players (or their families) back to present them with their jerseys in a case and a shrine for their home. The shrines immediately become a selling point. You could be the next enshrined player

We're overdue for that sort of change anyway.

Excellent idea---then all numbers can be worn again---you retire the players name.

Jim Loscutoff tried that, but then some jerk named Dave Cowens came along and got the number retired anyway...

Seriously though, I'd much rather look up at the rafters and see players names than just the numbers

[alldaboston]

Okay----so Durant decides to Sign with Boston--under ONE condition...
He gets to wear his No. 35 Jersey.

Do we Un-Retire Reggie Lewis' number ---or let KD walk away--?

We immediately change the policy such that #s are no longer retired, but jerseys. So instead of looking up and seeing a ton of numbers we look up and see names and numbers.  Also as a sort of consolation to those players we put up Cooperstown style shrine type things around the area at eye level of everyone whose jersey has been retired. You invite all the players (or their families) back to present them with their jerseys in a case and a shrine for their home. The shrines immediately become a selling point. You could be the next enshrined player

We're overdue for that sort of change anyway.

Lol, unlikely, but what if we get another guy named L. Bird who is also a beast and who we also decide to retire?

[mmmmm]

I just like the guy. Humble superstars are hard to find.

MA taxes are suboptimal for a FA though. Always better in FL or TX. otherwise, C's have done everything else possible to put the organization in the best position possible for a FA looking for future success and stability.

I agree about the taxes. I am hopeful that since Boston is a top 5 NBA market (and top 3 globally I believe) that he could get some of that back with more endorsements and merchandise sales?

This taxes thing comes up fairly often. Why doesn't the NBA fix it to level the playing field?

I understand that you can't change state tax law, but why not pro-rate the salary cap state-by-state so that after-tax salaries are always equal (based on what % of the cap a player receives)?

The league could even then make a series of side payments that would make whole the teams in high-tax states (who'd be paying out more pre-tax salary dollars).

The tax differential between states is not meaningless, but it's usually overstated.

Most state taxes are paid based on earnings in that state.  This impacts pro sports athletes in that money they earn in a given state will require state taxes be paid per that state.

So, when an athlete for San Antonio plays a game in Boston, he has to pay MA tax for his earnings for that game.

For an athlete playing for Boston, he'll have to pay state income tax on the games he plays in the Garden, and also on games played in other states that also have a state income tax (per a filing in that state), but not for the games played in states without an income tax.

The net effect of this is twofold: (1) The difference in state tax between a high tax state (MA) and a no-tax state (TX) is basically applicable to only around half the games (depending on the road schedule) and (2) a pro sports athlete needs a good accountant.

I think someone mentioned (on a previous discussion of this) that a few states have inter-state agreements that affect this as well, though I don't know about the details of that.  I'm not a tax attorney or accountant.  I have had to pay state taxes in multiple states before though.

[Eja117]

Okay----so Durant decides to Sign with Boston--under ONE condition...
He gets to wear his No. 35 Jersey.

Do we Un-Retire Reggie Lewis' number ---or let KD walk away--?

We immediately change the policy such that #s are no longer retired, but jerseys. So instead of looking up and seeing a ton of numbers we look up and see names and numbers.  Also as a sort of consolation to those players we put up Cooperstown style shrine type things around the area at eye level of everyone whose jersey has been retired. You invite all the players (or their families) back to present them with their jerseys in a case and a shrine for their home. The shrines immediately become a selling point. You could be the next enshrined player

We're overdue for that sort of change anyway.

Lol, unlikely, but what if we get another guy named L. Bird who is also a beast and who we also decide to retire?

Use first names!  Or you just have Bird/33 and Bird/XX

[tankcity!]

he has to give the Celtics a meeting.  It would be foolish not to.  It's arguably the best place for him to sign.

I know you've been saying this for a while, but still surprised to see a positive comment from you.

[tankcity!]

The one thing I'll say is that the Thunder have a more talented roster than the Warriors. Ibaka should be performing better than he is. They just make him take jump shots. They never use him on pick and rolls. Also, if you have a player like Ibaka, how are you a bad defensive team? It makes no sense.

Point is, Durant knows it takes more than talent to win in this league. Strength of organization is key. Also, if the Celtics were smart, they would point out that he has the ability to be better than Curry. People forget that the Warriors system makes Curry's life a lot easier, unlike the Thunder, who just give the ball to Durant and Westbrook and tell everyone to get out of the way.

So at the end of the day, does Durant want to prove to the world that he is the best player in the game? If he wins a championship with the Celtics, there is officially a debate.