Celtics
“The one previous we’ve is the banners alone. The previous ought to be the banners, nevertheless it ought to be the folks.”
The Celtics is likely to be waiting for one other promising season in 2023-24.
However as Joe Mazzulla and his gamers attempt to lay the inspiration for a brand new marketing campaign throughout coaching camp this month, it’s clear that the Celtics coach needs to lean on the previous with a view to get essentially the most out of his present roster.
After apply wrapped following Boston’s second full session of camp, Celtics legend Paul Pierce was noticed on the court docket on the Auerbach Heart — capturing hoops alongside former teammate (and present C’s assistant coach) Sam Cassell earlier than later watching Jayson Tatum work on his put up sport.
Pierce’s look on the Celtics’ group facility will hopefully be the primary of many this season, in line with Mazzulla — who’s making a concerted effort towards getting as many ex-Celtics within the constructing as attainable this yr.
“I despatched an electronic mail out to all of the Celtic former gamers as a result of I felt prefer it’s necessary that we share on this expertise collectively,” Mazzulla mentioned on Wednesday. “They began the custom, they saved it going and now it’s our accountability as a company to maintain it alive. However once you don’t see them on a regular basis, you don’t get that connection to the previous. The one previous we’ve is the banners alone. The previous ought to be the banners, nevertheless it ought to be the folks.
“So I believed it was extraordinarily necessary that any and each Celtic is welcome to apply or a sport so we are able to construct that brotherhood of what we’re. And I sort of examine it to school. Like, when guys go to the NBA, they at all times return to their faculty to work out. We see that on a regular basis. And so you ought to be coming again right here. So I admire him and being there and lengthening that to everybody. And we simply must create that brotherhood, that atmosphere.”
Pierce, who spent 15 of the 19 seasons of his Corridor-of-Fame profession in Boston, has been a well-recognized sight at Celtics video games over the previous couple of years.
However the former All-Star and 2008 NBA Finals MVP took an energetic function in working with Tatum over the summer time, with each Celtics greats benefiting from regular work each on the court docket and within the fitness center.
“He was actually motivated. Paul truly misplaced 15-20 kilos. And it was about 4 weeks,” Tatum mentioned on Monday, including: “He got here into the fitness center on daily basis and it was cool to have him round,” Tatum continued. “He advised us plenty of tales in regards to the championship group that we are able to attempt to apply to this yr. Hopefully, we see much more of Paul.”
Contemplating the variety of Celtics legends who’ve stepped out on the parquet ground, it ought to come as little shock that Mazzulla needs the greats of yesteryear to be regulars in Boston all through the season, particularly if their championship mettle and veteran expertise can rub off on a roster seeking to hoist Banner 18 subsequent spring.
“Is there ever sufficient Paul Pierce time?” Derrick White mentioned. “However he retains saying that final week was my first [Colorado] sport, so aside from that it’s been good having him. It’s clearly good to see him.
“Clearly Paul’s a legend, a legend on this sport and it’s nice to have him right here, supporting us, speaking to the blokes, that’s nice. Eddie [House] is at all times round and Leon [Powe] was right here yesterday so it’s simply good to see these guys and so they had nice careers so you may study a lot from them.”
Join Celtics updates
Get breaking information and evaluation delivered to your inbox throughout basketball season.