Great read : Rich Levine debunking 5 offseason myths about the Celtics

[LarBrd33]

Here is a snippet of the article but it's really worth reading in its entirety, he makes great points about myths (or, in some cases, overreactions) that have fueled quite a few debates on these very boards :

What follows is an attempt to size up and eliminate five myths you’ll be hearing about the Celtics this offseason before the narrative air strikes crash down and incinerate your brain:

No. 1: The Celtics Will Never Land a Big-Time Free Agent

You know how it goes: The Celtics will never land a big-time free agent because they never have … because it’s cold, because of taxes, because of racism. But here’s the truth about the Celtics and free agency: The team was over the salary cap from 1997 until July 10, 2015.

Writing on Reddit in 2015, Ryan Bernardoni did a great job of breaking down Boston’s journey out from cap hell; the bottom line is that the Celtics were never in the running for serious free agents in large part because they could never afford one.

Even if that wasn’t the case — even if money wasn’t an issue — by my count only 15 big-time free agents have switched teams in the last 20 years. What about the ones that re-signed with their old team? Shouldn’t we count them? Sure, but in that case we need to count Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen on the Celtics’ tab and the whole argument disappears. So let’s look at the 15 who did change cities:[...]

Yeah I've been saying that for years.  The idea that Boston isn't a free agent destination doesn't make sense.  The Patriots and Red Sox never have an issue luring top-name talent.  The Celtics were just over the cap during the entire modern era of the NBA.

There was also the idea that young black men don't want to play in Boston, but it's kind of nonsense.  If that was the perception, it changed with the arrival of Kevin Garnett.  Players unanimously seem to have glowing remarks about playing in the city.  We never had an issue signing players with the MLE.  Isaiah Thomas recently had his piece in the Players Tribune praising Boston.   

[Evantime34]

Here is a snippet of the article but it's really worth reading in its entirety, he makes great points about myths (or, in some cases, overreactions) that have fueled quite a few debates on these very boards :

What follows is an attempt to size up and eliminate five myths you’ll be hearing about the Celtics this offseason before the narrative air strikes crash down and incinerate your brain:

No. 1: The Celtics Will Never Land a Big-Time Free Agent

You know how it goes: The Celtics will never land a big-time free agent because they never have … because it’s cold, because of taxes, because of racism. But here’s the truth about the Celtics and free agency: The team was over the salary cap from 1997 until July 10, 2015.

Writing on Reddit in 2015, Ryan Bernardoni did a great job of breaking down Boston’s journey out from cap hell; the bottom line is that the Celtics were never in the running for serious free agents in large part because they could never afford one.

Even if that wasn’t the case — even if money wasn’t an issue — by my count only 15 big-time free agents have switched teams in the last 20 years. What about the ones that re-signed with their old team? Shouldn’t we count them? Sure, but in that case we need to count Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen on the Celtics’ tab and the whole argument disappears. So let’s look at the 15 who did change cities:[...]

Yeah I've been saying that for years.  The idea that Boston isn't a free agent destination doesn't make sense.  The Patriots and Red Sox never have an issue luring top-name talent.  The Celtics were just over the cap during the entire modern era of the NBA.

There was also the idea that young black men don't want to play in Boston, but it's kind of nonsense.  If that was the perception, it changed with the arrival of Kevin Garnett.  Players unanimously seem to have glowing remarks about playing in the city.  We never had an issue signing players with the MLE.  Isaiah Thomas recently had his piece in the Players Tribune praising Boston.

My belief is that team that can help a player to perform to their utmost potential and provide them with the chance to win is can be a place where free agents go.

The Celtics are a well run organization with a great coach who can do both those things. I feel like the city itself is an ancillary factor to the organization itself.

In reality super star free agents rarely move. It's not likely we sign a superstar free agent away from their team because it's not likely any team signs a superstar away from their former team.

[spikelovetheCelts]

Here is a snippet of the article but it's really worth reading in its entirety, he makes great points about myths (or, in some cases, overreactions) that have fueled quite a few debates on these very boards :

What follows is an attempt to size up and eliminate five myths you’ll be hearing about the Celtics this offseason before the narrative air strikes crash down and incinerate your brain:

No. 1: The Celtics Will Never Land a Big-Time Free Agent

You know how it goes: The Celtics will never land a big-time free agent because they never have … because it’s cold, because of taxes, because of racism. But here’s the truth about the Celtics and free agency: The team was over the salary cap from 1997 until July 10, 2015.

Writing on Reddit in 2015, Ryan Bernardoni did a great job of breaking down Boston’s journey out from cap hell; the bottom line is that the Celtics were never in the running for serious free agents in large part because they could never afford one.

Even if that wasn’t the case — even if money wasn’t an issue — by my count only 15 big-time free agents have switched teams in the last 20 years. What about the ones that re-signed with their old team? Shouldn’t we count them? Sure, but in that case we need to count Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen on the Celtics’ tab and the whole argument disappears. So let’s look at the 15 who did change cities:[...]

Yeah I've been saying that for years.  The idea that Boston isn't a free agent destination doesn't make sense.  The Patriots and Red Sox never have an issue luring top-name talent.  The Celtics were just over the cap during the entire modern era of the NBA.

There was also the idea that young black men don't want to play in Boston, but it's kind of nonsense.  If that was the perception, it changed with the arrival of Kevin Garnett.  Players unanimously seem to have glowing remarks about playing in the city.  We never had an issue signing players with the MLE.  Isaiah Thomas recently had his piece in the Players Tribune praising Boston.

Times and perceptions are changing. Ownership, Management and coach are all top notch. We are for sure a top 5 place to play. Just hearing KD's name is proof enough with all the open money this summer.