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As Tristan Thompson took his first media session with reporters from Boston on Thursday, we found it interesting how he detailed the full press the Celtics put on him.
There were calls from Danny Ainge and Kemba Walker at the start of free agency. Thompson had also had previous relationships with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. When much of the Celtics fan base was shouting the merits of Myles Turner, the Boston Brass and the team’s core were stuck on a big man, they were more confident that they could help them achieve their goals of championship.
“I had relationships with all of these guys and… I felt like I was wanted,” Thompson said. “It was like they really wanted me to be a part of what they were trying to accomplish. It was a nice, easy decision.”
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It’s not hard to see that Thompson was the guy who turned the Boston stars on. Remember the Celtics core of Walker, Tatum, Brown and Marcus Smart played in the FIBA tournament with Myles Turner. If these guys really wanted him as a Boston big man, they could have pointed it out to Ainge.
The fact that the Celtics looked lukewarm about anything Indiana could offer seems to emphasize the idea that they just liked the idea of Thompson at $ 9 million per season much better than Turner at $ 18 million.
And the arrival of Thompson seems to have softened the departure of Gordon Hayward. Boston’s ceiling might not be as high without Hayward, but the team are hopeful that Thompson can help them with their lofty goals.
Formerly part of the Cleveland roadblock that twice denied Boston in the Eastern Finals in 2017 and 2018, Thompson is now in Boston with hopes of providing championship-caliber leadership and pushing this past. work at the Celtics.
He will be loved by his playing on the court, especially his relentless efforts on the glass and his tenacity. And he said all the right things on Thursday about his new team.
“The coach always told me, usually the team that you are very successful against or that you have beaten for many years in the playoffs, they usually want you to join their team when you are available or when you become. free agent, ”Thompson said.“ So I’ve always heard rumors about the Celtics’ interest in me.
“I’ve had a good relationship with Jaylen – I’ve known Jaylen since he was first drafted. And JT, we talked, and he contacted me after the deadline, and everything, to come join. So when the free will started … Mr. Ainge called me when I could get these phone calls and he told me how much he loves my game and how good I could be. a great piece for this team and a missing piece of what they’re trying to accomplish. And the fact that Kemba contacted me, and I’ve known Kemba since we both played in high school when he was at Rice and me in St. Benedict. “
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One of the big talking points after the season was how Boston needed veteran leadership on a young team. Watching Andre Iguodala step off the Miami bench to burn Boston in a key playoff situation was a reminder of the value of veterans wearing the ring.
He only feels like Thompson has always been in the league. He is only 29 years old. And Thompson thinks he still has room to develop his game (you can be sure Brad Stevens is going to send him to Aron Baynes 3-point development school late in his career).
“I have a lot of room to grow and, you have seen the growth of my game every year and that’s what I want to keep doing and keep doing here with the Celtics,” said Thompson. “I feel good. The free time, those five, six, seven months or whatever it was, was my groundhog day. But I was on the court and in the weight room to take care of my body and prepare for it.
“I think for me I can bring a breath of fresh air, because these guys haven’t had an offseason. For me, having a long offseason, bringing that extra juice to send the guys away. “
The Celtics needed a guy like Thompson. Thompson needed a team like Boston with the desire to compete in the championships again.
This may be the ideal solution.
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