Celtics' Cachet Being Tested Again

CACHET (ca·chet)

Pronunciation: \ka-shā\ Function: noun Etymology: French, from cacher Date: circa 1639
(1)an indication of approval carrying great prestige; (2) a characteristic feature or quality conferring prestige. PRESTIGE

Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, after they had retired for the game, both confessed that early during their playing careers they held a deep admiration for the Boston Celtics organization, Red Auerbach, and Bill Russell. The measure of the Celtics’ cachet was not limited to the two greatest big men of their era. Respect for the green was widespread among most, if not all, NBA players.

Celtics' fans figured that the Celtics' brand carried great weight well into the 1980s. After all, every where Larry Bird and company went they played to a full house and were treated like rock stars. But something happened to the Celtics' brand along the way. It lost some of its luster. In 1989, the Celtics' first round pick from the previous season, Brian Shaw, bolted the team to play for a then-unknown European team in Italy. In 1992, little regarded Jon Barry was drafted by the Celtics and had to be traded because he wouldn’t sign with the team.

The Barry nose-snubbing is often forgotten by those claiming that the Celtics had not lost their appeal in general, but only their appeal to black players, since Barry is white. No, something more was going on than a simple matter of race. Perhaps it was the elevation of agents into a more influential decision-making role or perhaps players were becoming more selfish. Whatever, the number of professional basketball players expressing reluctance to play for the Celtics has only grown over the last 17 years.

So it should come as no surprise that 35-year-old Rasheed Wallace, presented by the Celtics with a two-year (and, according to some reports, a three-year) contract for the full MLE, has asked for a week to make a decision. And like KG, Sheed's initial reaction to playing for Boston was a knee-jerk NOOOO!

Still, I struggle with Celtics' star having fallen this far.

The Celtics are less than thirteen months removed from a winning a championship in dominating fashion, and currently boast three of the biggest names in the business, not to mention one of the best point guards in the league. They are coached by a man whom players love to play for. The roster includes one of Sheed’s best friends. No other team is likely to offer more money or a longer contract than the Celtics have offered (if you believe the reports of the three-year offer), and, anyway, no one in the Wallace entourage is claiming that money or contract-length will dictate his decision.

So color me frustrated with Wallace’s lack of excitement over the Celtics’ interest. Or maybe I should just chill. After all, even Bill Walton called Jerry West right before he called Red Auerbach after Walton first became a free agent in 1985.