Best Celtics never to win a ring in Boston

[jose melendez]

The Celtics have been so successful that almost all of their greats have hoisted a banner in Boston. As of now, Jayson Tatum is pretty clearly the best Celtic never to have done so, displacing either Antoine Walker or Reggie Lewis.

But who's fourth? Isaiah Thomas who burned hot but short and made two All-Star teams with the C's? Jaylen Brown, Taytum's running mate? Kyrie? No fuck him. Al Horford who made one All-Star team with the Cs? Those are the only players ever to make an All-Star team with the Cs, but never win a ring with them.

I think it might be Isaiah right now. Not much longevity, but so, so good while he was here.

 

[Humphrey]

I'd qualify it by the player had to have played well here, not been just passing through or at the end of the line.

Eliminates the likes of Bob McAdoo and Dominique Wilkins.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Marcus Smart? Easy Ed Macauley ?

 

[jose melendez]

I'd qualify it by the player had to have played well here, not been just passing through or at the end of the line.

Eliminates the likes of Bob McAdoo and Dominique Wilkins.

Absolutely.

 

[Devizier]

The Celtics have been so successful that almost all of their greats have hoisted a banner in Boston. As of now, Jayson Tatum is pretty clearly the best Celtic never to have done so, displacing either Antoine Walker or Reggie Lewis.

Second is probably Ed Macauley.
Jaylen is probably third.
Then Antoine and Reggie.
Fifth is like.. Dino Radja?

 

[jose melendez]

Marcus Smart? Easy Ed Macauley ?

Macauley is great. I'd just assumed he'd picked one up with Russell, but they never overlapped.

 

[bellowthecat]

Those are the only players ever to make an All-Star team with the Cs, but never win a ring with them.

How eager we are to forget Kemba Walker.

After Tatum I'd say it's Al, with Brown not too far behind. Al was (and still is) absolutely awesome when he came here and has helped guys like IT and JB be their best selves.

 

[Devizier]

Macauley is great. I'd just assumed he'd picked one up with Russell, but they never overlapped.

Well, my friend, there's a reason for that.

 

[jose melendez]

Well, my friend, there's a reason for that.

Yup.

 

[jose melendez]

I put 'Toine over Ed. Two more seasons, higher PPG, higher RPG, though Ed was a better assist man. Toine probably goes above Reggie too.

 

[jose melendez]

Damn, Ed's win shares crush Toine and Reggie though.

 

[Marceline]

I'd qualify it by the player had to have played well here, not been just passing through or at the end of the line.

Eliminates the likes of Bob McAdoo and Dominique Wilkins.

Also eliminates Shaq, who I would've said without this qualifier.

 

[Kliq]

Yeah, Macauley is the answer to the question. He was a legit Top 10 NBA player for his years in Boston and was good enough to be traded as the centerpiece for the most dominant college player anyone had seen up until that point.

 

[pedro1918]

Len Bias?

 

[luckiestman]

Reggie Lewis if I don’t count active guys in their prime

 

[Captaincoop]

Reggie Lewis.

 

[HoyaSoxa]

Is Reggie the only retired number without a ring?

Never mind, answered my own question - Macaulay's 22 also hangs in the rafters.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Is Reggie the only retired number without a ring?

Macauley. And Marcus

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

Len Bias?

too soon.

 

[the moops]

Also eliminates Shaq, who I would've said without this qualifier.

Shaq won 4 NBA championships

 

[deanx0]

1. Tatum
2. Easy Ed
3. Lewis
4. Jaylen
5. Antoine
6. Smart
7. Al

 

[Marceline]

Shaq won 4 NBA championships

But didn't win any in Boston. Which is what the original post said.

 

[Red Right Arm]

Where/how does Gordon Hayward fit in the conversation? He was here in what should have been his prime years and did contribute to a couple of playoff runs but not in a particularly meaningful way.

 

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

Where/how does Gordon Hayward fit in the conversation? He was here in what should have been his prime years and did contribute to a couple of playoff runs but not in a particularly meaningful way.

Probably below Kyrie.

 

[Red Right Arm]

Probably below Kyrie.

Fair enough. It's a relatively short list though. Eventually you start getting into the Dee Browns and Dana Barroses (Barrosi?) of the world.

Do Al Jefferson and/or Chauncey Billups count?

 

[Cesar Crespo]

Also eliminates Shaq, who I would've said without this qualifier.

Joe Johnson.

 

[Ale Xander]

Jaylen and Jayson are tbd/na
Bias never played any games

1. Easy Ed
2. Antoine
3. Reggie
4. Dino
5. Gordon

 

[Spelunker]

Dino? As in Radja?

 

[yaykob]

Should Dee Brown be somewhere on this list? He was never really great but he was a bright spot on some of those awful early 90's celtics teams...

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

I’d put Dee Brown in my Top 10-15 not to win a ring here. I am just surprised Marcus isn’t getting more votes.

 

[lexrageorge]

I have difficulty including members of the current team, because their story is still being written. If we limit ourselves to players that have since retired:

Macauley
Reggie Lewis
Antoine Walker
Dino Radja
Al Jefferson
Isaiah Thomas
Dee Brown

The other qualifier is that they needed to have been a positive contributor during their time here, so Dominique Wilkins and Artis Gilmore and Bob McAdoo do not count. Rick Fox became a decent contributor to Laker title teams after he left, but really didn't do much here. No such list should have Ricky Davis or Eric Williams on it.

If we add current active NBA players (including those no longer w/ Boston): Tatum would top the list; Brown would be #3; Smart and Kyrie would be #5 and #6 after Lewis; Horford edges Radja; Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley, and Kelly Olynyk probably all deserve to be in the top 20 of such a list.

 

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

If we add current players: Tatum would top the list; Brown would be #3; Smart and Kyrie would be #5 and #6 after Lewis; Horford edges Radja; Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley, and Kelly Olynyk probably all deserve to be in the top 20 of such a list.

Why would Kyrie be on a list of current Celtics?

 

[lexrageorge]

Why would Kyrie be on a list of current Celtics?

I should have said "active players", as that is what I meant rather than "current Celtics".

 

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

I should have said "active players", as that is what I meant rather than "current Celtics".

Gotcha. Makes sense.

 

[bibajesus]

I’d put Dee Brown in my Top 10-15 not to win a ring here. I am just surprised Marcus isn’t getting more votes.

Marcus Banks is just outside my top 3.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

Rick Fox became a decent contributor to Laker title teams after he left, but really didn't do much here.

I would have aid the opposite - Fox's most productive years were as a Celtic. More points, rebounds, steals, blocks per game as a C in fewer minutes. PER 15.3 with Boston vs 12.1 as a Laker. BPM +0.7 as a C, -0.7 as a Laker. Career year 1996-97, his final year in Boston, when he averaged 15.4/5.2/3.8 in 35 mpg.

Of course, his offnesive contributions were not needed on the stacked Lakers.

 

[Devizier]

Fox’s most noteworthy accomplishments were off the court anyways.