It never pays to wait to pay. Boston’s four major sports teams (Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins, Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots) have enjoyed unparalleled success for a region (12 championships, 18 championship appearances).
And while they all support each other, they’re all very competitive. Not just within their leagues, but amongst each other. Like neighbors, they know what the Jones are up to. And not just the four currently on the Patriots.
Winning championships has become the norm in Boston. But to win, the Celtics, Red Sox, Bruins and Patriots have to spend.
It’s been four years since a pro men’s team won a championship and were feted with a Duck Boat parade (to the disrespect of the Boston Pride and Boston Renegades). The Celtics have a chance to end that drought this season, and maybe the Bruins will have a shot. But their championship windows shrink dramatically if they don’t take care of their players who could hit free agency soon.
They don’t want to be like the Patriots, which refused to pay Tom Brady a VERY team friendly $25 million per year for two years in 2020. New England then watched Brady win a seventh Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers while the Patriots’ rebuild is on year three with a quarterback controversy.
There’s a price to pay in the front office so the teams don’t pay the price on the field of play.
Teams can’t win without talented players. If any of the Boston teams wants to end the city’s championship drought, the Boston teams need to step up and pay up:
Boston Celtics
The Celtics almost ended that drought last spring, but ran out of gas during the NBA Finals.
In hopes of getting over the top in 2022-23, the Celtics acquired Malcolm Brogdon via trade and signed Danilio Gallinari and Blake Griffin. Boston is willing to spend to win it all, but a key role player didn’t cash in.
Boston couldn’t reach an extension agreement with Grant Williams, so he’s playing this season on an expiring contract. He will be a restricted free agent in 2023, but if Williams has interest from around the league, one team could sign Williams to an offer sheet that’s too rich for the Celtics.
G-Will’s value on the court is unmistakable. He became a corner three marksman so deadly that he earned a “Corner Office” moniker from his teammates. He posted career highs in several statistical categories last season and his ability to guard four positions (and some point guards) was invaluable for Boston’s lack of depth.
If Williams was trying to reset the market for 3-and-D players, he certainly had the right to do so. Peers like Robert Covington and Luke Kennard are making almost $13 million this season. Taking Williams’ versatility into consideration validates a higher price tag.
Whatever Williams’ asking price was, another strong season will only increase the price tag. If Williams signs an offer sheet next year, the Celtics have just two days to match or let G-Will pack his corner office for a better view. Filling that vacancy won’t be easy for the Celtics.
Boston Bruins
Facing a similar dilemma are the Bruins who couldn’t reach an extension agreement with superstar winger David Pastrnak. Pasta may share G-Will’s disappointment, but the comparisons end there.
It’s not always easy to replace a role player. But it would be very difficult to recover from losing an elite goal scorer.
Pastrnak led the Bruins in goals in four of the past five seasons, finished fourth in the MVP voting in 2019-20 after a career high 48 goals, is fifth in the NHL in goals over the past five seasons, and is only 26 years old.
That’s a franchise player. Boston would be stupid if they let Pastrnak get away.
The Bruins didn’t have the cap space to sign Pastrnak, who’s within his rights to demand more than $10 million per year. He gave Boston a hometown discount on his previous deal. This time around, it’s on the Bruins to thank Pastrnak’s loyalty with a market value deal this time.
After a four-point game to start the season, you could hear the price of Pasta going up.
Bruins GM Don Sweeney has had his fair share of criticisms over the years. If his failure to lock up Pastrnak before the season leads to Pasta’s departure, failing to close that deal would be Sweeney’s biggest mistake, by far.
Pastrnak will be an unrestricted free agent after the season and will be one of the top prizes if he hits the market. There will be no excuse for the Bruins to sign Pastrnak to the richest contract in franchise history next year. More than enough money will become available when several players become free agents, freeing up the funds to get Pastrnak’s name on a contract.
If Sweeney doesn’t get that done, Sweeney’s hot seat will be scorching.
Boston Red Sox
Signing one franchise player is one thing. Imagine trying to sign two. That might be what the Boston Red Sox have to do.
3B Rafael Devers is in his final year of arbitration eligibility and SS Xander Bogaerts has a player option to opt out of his current deal and become a free agent. Both players are beloved in Boston and Red Sox Nation would be incensed if the Red Sox lose both.
The good news is Devers isn’t going anywhere. He won’t hit free agency until 2024, but the Red Sox need to take this opportunity and sign Devers to an extension. Depending on your source, the Red Sox have either opened negotiations or they’re not in a rush to extend Devers.
No active extension talks between the Red Sox and Rafael Devers, according to a source with direct knowledge. Nothing imminent on that front.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) October 25, 2022
Boston is going to try hard to extend him this winter. That intention has not changed. Just have not picked up talks in recent weeks.
The big question is does Bogaerts exercise his player option to become a free agent, hoping to cash in on the money thrown around Major League Baseball. Salaries have exploded for the top talent in the league. This could be Bogaerts’ last chance for a huge payday since he’s north of 30 years old.
The Red Sox seem prepared if Bogaerts leaves. They signed SS Trevor Story before the season, which looks like Bogaerts insurance in case Bogaerts opts out. Story has been solid defensively, but isn’t the offensive weapon Bogearts is. Story’s injury-shortened 2022 season wasn’t a good introduction to Boston either.
If Bogaerts leaves, it would remind fans of the Mookie Betts trade: a home grown talent becomes one of the best at his position but has to go elsewhere to be paid market value.
The worst part was all Red Sox Nation could do was watch Betts continue his elite play with the Los Angeles Dodgers and win a World Series, while the Red Sox got next to nothing in return. Boston fans will be in fear of history repeating if Bogearts leaves.
It shouldn’t had ended that way with Betts. Bogearts time in Boston shouldn’t end that way either.