The Celtics had so success in the draft, with Reggie Lewis and Brian Shaw being considered good picks given the team’s lower draft positions.
However, when it ca to player developnt and injecting them with the "Celtic green blood," the Celtics’ outdated mindset clashed violently with the ideas of a new era of players and the all-new NBA salary environnt.
In the eyes of Bostonians, becoming a "Celtic" was a special honor.
The green of the Celtics was different from other teams. Donning this jersey and playing in the Boston Garden ant carrying the glorious history of the team, a responsibility, a tradition, a glory.
Therefore, the Celtics managent never thought that after being selected by the Celtics, a player would choose to walk away and not sign with the team.
In 1979, Larry Bird, a superstar talent famous across Arica, after being drafted by the Celtics, faced Auerbach’s pressure and relentless criticism from the Boston dia over rookie contract negotiations. Under the psychological pressure from all Celtics fans, he had no choice but to sign the contract and beco an honored mber of the Celtics.
In 1983, when Kevin McHale beca a free agent, the Knicks offered him a 3-year, 3.6 million US Dollar contract, but Auerbach retained Kevin McHale with a 4-year, 4 million US Dollar deal—less annual salary than the Knicks’ offer.
In fact, the Knicks were willing to give McHale a 5-year deal worth 7 million US Dollars, but McHale declined.
As an old-school player, he wanted to stay with the Celtics to win championships, not to chase bigger offers in the larger city of New York.
But by 1990, tis had changed. With the relentless efforts of the Players Union, under the continuous enhancent of the rules by David Stern, and amidst the constantly shifting social attitudes and values, the aura of the Boston Celtics in the minds of the young players was fading. The old approach of using historical legacy and the spirit of glory to pressure players into signing cheap contracts was no longer effective.
Jane Walker encountered nurous difficulties in several instances involving rookie drafts and signings because she persisted with the Celtics’ arrogance, assuming that being picked ant young players would obediently fall into line, eagerly don the heavy green jersey, and play at the dilapidated Boston Garden, offering their youth.
No, the young players began to learn to say no, especially with the help of a new generation of agents.
The first to cause Jane Walker and the Celtics managent a headache was Brian Shaw, the talented guard from Oakland, selected by the Celtics as the 24th pick in the first round of 1988.
In the 1988-1989 season, he contributed an average of 8.6 points, 5.6 assists, and 1 steal per ga in his first season with Boston, proving a quite decent point guard and viewed as the future main option for the position by the Celtics, worthy of developnt.
But as a first-round pick, his salary for the first year was only 75,000 US Dollars, and he only signed a one-year contract.
In comparison, David Rivers, a guard picked by the Los Angeles Lakers one position lower at 25th, averaged 2.9 points and 2.3 assists per ga, and his first-year salary was 200,000 US Dollars.
In the eyes of the Celtics’ managent, the very act of playing for the Celtics already represented great value, so it was natural to get a bit less money.
In the 1989 offseason, Jane Walker offered Brian Shaw a one-year contract worth 550,000 US Dollars, hoping he would play out the 1989-1990 season.
But Brian Shaw, on the advice of his agent Leonard Almato, declined the Celtics’ insulting offer and chose instead to play in Italy.
According to the collective bargaining agreent, the Celtics had the right of first refusal to sign Brian Shaw, making it very difficult for other NBA teams to snatch Shaw from the Celtics under similar offer conditions.
However, this agreent only applied to NBA teams and had no power over clubs overseas. Brian Shaw, now a free agent, was completely free to play in Europe.
The Il ssaggero club in Italy offered Brian Shaw a contract worth 2 million US Dollars over two years, the difference between the two offers was just too great.
Moreover, playing in Europe involved fewer gas, shorter travel, more relaxed competition, and lower taxes, so Shaw didn’t hesitate much and chose Italy.
Brian Shaw’s decision infuriated Auerbach, who couldn’t fathom soone "betraying" the Celtics like that.
At the sa ti, he couldn’t understand why Shaw would give up the honor of being a glorious Celtic, give up the chance to be a part of this warm family.
But tis were simply different. In this failed signing of Brian Shaw, Jane Walker showed her sluggishness and condescension. Upon learning that the Italian club had made a higher offer, she gave up on the effort to keep Shaw, resulting in the Celtics losing a promising newcor for nothing.
By 1990, Jane Walker was faced with a chance for redemption: after a wonderful year in Italy, Brian Shaw was hosick, missed Arica, and wanted to return to the NBA.
The Celtics still retained the right of first refusal on Brian Shaw, and the contract Shaw signed with Il ssaggero contained a clause that allowed the second year to be abandoned.
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