The real reason why Larry Bird stopped supporting the Celtics after 1997

[SelakStreet]

it was over Celtics management like Paul Gaston and Bird's former teammate M.L. Carr trading away Bird's favorite teammate Sherman Douglas to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1995-96 for Todd Day (with Alton Lister included a throw-in going to Boston with Day) that eventually led to Bird's departure from Boston in 1997.

even after the legendary Boston Celtics icon retired in 1992, Bird didn't jump ship to another team. He went straight to a front office role as the special assistant to then-CEO Dave Gavitt in order to try to keep the Celtics a contender (even after Bird, McHale and Parish were done), with Gavitt and Bird sharing the same creative vision for the team's future that included Sherman Douglas.

Gavitt was the executive who would've been willing to accomodate Bird's wishes and high regard for a player like Douglas, because Douglas supposedly embodied the type of player who played with heart, toughness and leadership, even if Gaston and Carr didn't see it that way. But then Gavitt was forced out and Paul Gaston took over with M.L. Carr becoming the GM.

But, Gaston and Carr weren't as accomodating to Bird as Gavitt was. Even after Bird told them not to trade Douglas, they did it anyway and Bird felt disillusioned over Boston and walked away once the losing seasons became too much. That was the reason why Bird eventually left Boston to go coach the Indiana Pacers.

[JimmyPlopper]

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[Iwasawitness]

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