The Celtics are already proving to be a destination for ring-hungry free agents

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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MAY 27: The Boston Celtics celebrate after Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 27, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

The Boston Celtics off-season has been all about keeping the band together.

President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens is poised to run it back with the same core that basically went wire-to-wire in the 2023-24 season, owning the NBA’s best regular-season record and stampeding their way to the franchise’s first championship since 2008. But significant financial constraints left them largely unable to make any significant roster changes. Not that they needed any.

So, Stevens opted to hand out lucrative extensions for Jayson Tatum and Derrick White, while also retaining a slew of internal free agents like Luke Kornet, Neemias Queta, and Xavier Tillman. And here’s the thing: for those guys, it wasn’t about the money, but the winning.

That’s according to Celtics director of player personnel Austin Ainge, who told reporters on Monday (h/t Brian Robb at MassLive) that some of the Celtics’ re-signed players had better financial opportunities in front of them, but chose to stay in Boston for other reasons.

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^{Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) holds the MVP trophy after winning the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden. Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports}
“We had some guys turn down more money other places to come back,” Ainge said. “It feels really good that guys we care about a lot to come back and go for another run.”

The lone holdout in this scenario appears to be Oshae Brissett, who remains a free agent. But it’s hard to begrudge him for trying to maximize the earnings on his next contract, while the proverbial iron is hot for him after winning a championship.

But this bodes well for the Celtics and the idea of luring future free agents that are prioritizing the promise of a championship-caliber team and a deep playoff run. That has long been the biggest draw that Boston could hope for on the open market, since other cities have the advantage in other, non-basketball ways.

MORE: Jayson Tatum becomes newest “2K” cover athlete

However, the Celtics are champions, they’re primed to run the NBA for the next few years, and players are treated like kings and heroes here (except maybe on the radio!). It’s an attractive option for players chasing glory rather than money. This year’s championship has solidified that status.

Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.

THE HISTORY OF VIDEO GAME COVERS AND BOSTON ATHLETES

Boston athletes and video game covers go way back. Probably further back that you’re imagining.

Basically, they go back to the very beginning of video game history. The rise of home console systems converged with the emergence of Larry Bird as a superstar player for the Boston Celtics, making it a logical choice to plaster No. 33’s face on the newest game covers.

And it wasn’t just about putting Bird’s face on the box. Bird was the game. He and “Dr. J” Julius Erving, and later Michael Jordan, helped sell the earliest basketball video games to consumers in the early 1980s. More than 40 years later, Boston athletes have graced video game covers more than a dozen times. It’s a tough group to break into, but you could say Boston sports teams have had some success in recent years.

Here’s a look at the history of Boston athletes on video game covers, beginning with the one that started it all…