One of my few counterpoints would be that there don't seem to be tons of guys flocking to play for Jordan in Charlotte. Or Bird in Indiana.
I think this is apples and oranges. First off, Bird and Jordan did not play for their respective teams. Bird cannot tell a player how amazing it is to play in Indiana (even though he briefly coached there) or how the fans treat their players because he never experienced it. Jordan cannot sell someone on how awesome it was to win 6 rings in Charlotte because he didn't. To players, Bird is just another GM, and Jordan is just another guy to pay their contract.
On the other hand, Russell is not a front-office stiff with a dog in the fight. He is describing something that he experienced first-hand: the cultural implications of thriving as a professional athlete in the Boston area. That in itself is unique from a Bird or Jordan. At this point, Durant is probably not starstruck talking to past/present NBA stars: he is one. He has probably talked to Bill Russell before. However, Russell's
opinion could be viewed as a valuable because he has knowledge about playing, and having unprecedented success, in Boston. In addition, Russell could tell KD how the city/organization has treated him through his retirement, for example how he is still revered, recognized, and celebrated by common fans and the Celtics organization. As a man that is known to have been (be?) pretty straightforward in his interviews, anything that he tells Durant would supposedly be true, and it would also be out of his love for Boston, as he is not from the area and has no financial stake in the matter.
Russell would be part of a multi-pronged attack. Stevens will deal with the basketball details, telling Durant how he would fit into the offense and how others would complement him. Ainge could lay out (pretty straightforward, with the C's cap space) methods to acquire players that Durant wants to play with. Wyc and Pags could point to precedents of being all-in financially to fielding the best team possible. IT and others could tell Durant what it's like to play in the Garden 41 games a year. And Russell and other legends could detail to Durant just what it's like to
succeed in Boston, how the city reveres you and how the organization takes care of you for the rest of your life.
Durant's friends and family will be there in the meeting with him. The basketball and financial stuff would be for him. The emotional appeal and the certainty that their brother/son/cousin/friend would be welcomed and taken care of for the rest of his days would be for everyone else in Durant's corner.