Danny on 98.5 Today

[nickagneta]

From today, 05/13


https://985thesportshub.com/episodes/celtics-president-of-basketball-operations-danny-ainge-the-stack-5-13-hour-4/


With their loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers Wednesday night, the Celtics officially cemented their place in the NBA’s inaugural play-in tournament, instead of an outright playoff bid. It was what felt like an inevitable result in an overall disappointing season.

On Thursday morning, Danny Ainge joined Toucher & Rich, where he was asked the questions many Celtics fans have been asking themselves in recent months. Namely, how did the Celtics get to this point, and where do they go from here?

“Our team has been decimated with injuries and has underperformed,” Ainge stated. “There’s no doubt about it. And, you know, we’re not as good as we thought we were. That simple.”

Ainge identified the issues as “not just an effort [problem],” adding, “It’s concentration. It’s a focus…How do you explain that we’re 3-10 against some of the worst records in the league and we’re 8-1 against some of the best records in the league?”

Many observers have attributed those situational struggles to poor coaching, but Ainge doesn’t see things that way. “The real issues are not Brad Stevens,” he said point blank. “You can’t just look at a coach and take his whole body of work throughout his whole coaching career and throw in this year and then make a judgment for crying out loud. That is idiotic.”

“Brad Stevens is a fantastic basketball coach, always has been, and is getting better, not worse,” Ainge continued.

Still, there will be at least some sort of shakeup for  the Celtics once the season ends. “I think that we will definitely be looking to make some changes in the offseason,” Ainge said. “Obviously can’t go into any of those kind of details. But, yeah, there will be changes. How significant? I don’t know yet. We’ll see.”

However, don’t expect those changes to impact the core of the roster. “The bottom line is our team hasn’t been as consistent, hasn’t been as healthy,” he explained. “We definitely will need to make some changes. But I wouldn’t say there’s any needed changes of our top – of our best players.”

That quote was part of an answer relating to a question about Marcus Smart, meaning Ainge views the ‘best players’ as more than Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Of course, there’s still plenty of time for that to change between now and when the offseason really begins.

Despite Ainge’s insistence that Stevens’ job is safe his core players wont be moved, he made it clear nobody is beyond criticism for the team’s disappointing result in 2021. “I’m saying I blame everybody and I’m saying everybody is guilty of both of those – of playing great and the good games and bad in the bad game,” he explained. “It’s a collective team.”

Danny looks to be laying a ton of the blame on injuries, Covid and the players.  As I have said elsewhere, the fanbase needs to stop blaming every loss on Brad and start holding the players accountable for their horrid performances. Danny seems to agree with this.

[Goldstar88]

From today, 05/13


https://985thesportshub.com/episodes/celtics-president-of-basketball-operations-danny-ainge-the-stack-5-13-hour-4/


With their loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers Wednesday night, the Celtics officially cemented their place in the NBA’s inaugural play-in tournament, instead of an outright playoff bid. It was what felt like an inevitable result in an overall disappointing season.

On Thursday morning, Danny Ainge joined Toucher & Rich, where he was asked the questions many Celtics fans have been asking themselves in recent months. Namely, how did the Celtics get to this point, and where do they go from here?

“Our team has been decimated with injuries and has underperformed,” Ainge stated. “There’s no doubt about it. And, you know, we’re not as good as we thought we were. That simple.”

Ainge identified the issues as “not just an effort [problem],” adding, “It’s concentration. It’s a focus…How do you explain that we’re 3-10 against some of the worst records in the league and we’re 8-1 against some of the best records in the league?”

Many observers have attributed those situational struggles to poor coaching, but Ainge doesn’t see things that way. “The real issues are not Brad Stevens,” he said point blank. “You can’t just look at a coach and take his whole body of work throughout his whole coaching career and throw in this year and then make a judgment for crying out loud. That is idiotic.”

“Brad Stevens is a fantastic basketball coach, always has been, and is getting better, not worse,” Ainge continued.

Still, there will be at least some sort of shakeup for  the Celtics once the season ends. “I think that we will definitely be looking to make some changes in the offseason,” Ainge said. “Obviously can’t go into any of those kind of details. But, yeah, there will be changes. How significant? I don’t know yet. We’ll see.”

However, don’t expect those changes to impact the core of the roster. “The bottom line is our team hasn’t been as consistent, hasn’t been as healthy,” he explained. “We definitely will need to make some changes. But I wouldn’t say there’s any needed changes of our top – of our best players.”

That quote was part of an answer relating to a question about Marcus Smart, meaning Ainge views the ‘best players’ as more than Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Of course, there’s still plenty of time for that to change between now and when the offseason really begins.

Despite Ainge’s insistence that Stevens’ job is safe his core players wont be moved, he made it clear nobody is beyond criticism for the team’s disappointing result in 2021. “I’m saying I blame everybody and I’m saying everybody is guilty of both of those – of playing great and the good games and bad in the bad game,” he explained. “It’s a collective team.”

Danny looks to be laying a ton of the blame on injuries, Covid and the players.  As I have said elsewhere, the fanbase needs to stop blaming every loss on Brad and start holding the players accountable for their horrid performances. Danny seems to agree with this.

Danny needs to be getting the most blame for assembling a horrific bench. Langford, Parker, Kornet, and Semi are end of bench talent. Grant, Edwards, Waters, Tacko, Green(while we had him) don’t even belong in the NBA. That’s half of the team and it is completely unacceptable. Not surprised they have horrid performances...

I do place some blame on Brad as well. Allowing Marcus to take so many 3’s, playing Edwards and Waters over Pritchard. Still not knowing when to use timeouts. Most teams shorten their rotation to 8 players during big games. Brad goes 10-11 deep in these situations. Feel like the players don’t know their role on the team and the season is nearly over.

[Atzar]

I'd love to hear from Ainge exactly why he thinks Stevens is getting better as a coach.  It strikes me as an interesting claim that is in line with other recent comments that he has made, but nobody has asked him to elaborate on why he thinks that. 

I'm not the most intelligent basketball mind out there, but when I watch a team whose offense has lost its creativity and whose defense has lost its way, the first thought that comes to my mind is certainly not "that coach is improving".  But I acknowledge that this season was full of all kinds of BS, and there's a ton of stuff behind the scenes that fans have no idea about.  So it would be interesting to hear Ainge explain that stance.

[Rikibellevie]

I'd love to hear from Ainge exactly why he thinks Stevens is getting better as a coach.  It strikes me as an interesting claim that is in line with other recent comments that he has made, but nobody has asked him to elaborate on why he thinks that. 

I'm not the most intelligent basketball mind out there, but when I watch a team whose offense has lost its creativity and whose defense has lost its way, the first thought that comes to my mind is certainly not "that coach is improving".  But I acknowledge that this season was full of all kinds of BS, and there's a ton of stuff behind the scenes that fans have no idea about.  So it would be interesting to hear Ainge explain that stance.

I see it more as "he will learn from his mistakes" so he'll progress. He recognise half way this year he asn't been good ("you can't judge his whole career"). For me it means Stevens has to proove a lot of things next year and sooner than later. Hope if it fails, Ainge will take the lessons for him also.

What is funny is that many of criticism CBS took before were (in part at least) true, when people like me didn't want to see it. He is a coach with unprobable bad points... But at the same time he has huge qualities in basketball knowledge and coaching. This has no disapeared. Maybe the fit with the core, the message don't pass anymore and he is tired. Maybe it was just a bad year. Next year will tell.

[Celtics4ever]

"I have always been impressed with how good of a defensive team we've been in the Brad Stevens era with our undersized roster...when I hear that a coach has been tuned out that's usually from a coach that does nothing but screaming and yelling."

Does this mean he realizes size matters now.

However, don’t expect those changes to impact the core of the roster. “The bottom line is our team hasn’t been as consistent, hasn’t been as healthy,” he explained. “We definitely will need to make some changes. But I wouldn’t say there’s any needed changes of our top – of our

Who is the core then?  I know Tatum and Brown.   But I view the rest of the team as on the table.   I think we should keep Pritch and Nesmith too and maybe Rob.

If we run it back with the same bench of misfits and if that fails it will be the end of the CBS and Ainge era, I believe.  They come back and fail miserably both of them will be toast.

[nickagneta]

"I have always been impressed with how good of a defensive team we've been in the Brad Stevens era with our undersized roster...when I hear that a coach has been tuned out that's usually from a coach that does nothing but screaming and yelling."

Does this mean he realizes size matters now.

However, don’t expect those changes to impact the core of the roster. “The bottom line is our team hasn’t been as consistent, hasn’t been as healthy,” he explained. “We definitely will need to make some changes. But I wouldn’t say there’s any needed changes of our top – of our

Who is the core then?  I know Tatum and Brown.   But I view the rest of the team as on the table.   I think we should keep Pritch and Nesmith too and maybe Rob.

If we run it back with the same bench of misfits and if that fails it will be the end of the CBS and Ainge era, I believe.  They come back and fail miserably both of them will be toast.

In the past, Danny has called our core: Tatum, Brown, Kemba and Smart. If he re-signs Fournier, I think it a good bet he considers Evan as being in the team's core as well.

It could be that other than those 5 guys, everyone else is fair game in a trade. And yes, I think that probably includes young guys that fans love like Timelord, Pritchard, Nesmith and Langford. While Danny may not move any of these four, I wouldn't rule it out if it's for the right player(s).

[PhoSita]

It could be that other than those 5 guys, everyone else is fair game in a trade. And yes, I think that probably includes young guys that fans love like Timelord, Pritchard, Nesmith and Langford. While Danny may not move any of these four, I wouldn't rule it out if it's for the right player(s).

I mean if you're not moving Kemba, Smart, Tatum, or Brown and you're re-signing Fournier, the young guys you mentioned are basically the only plausible trade assets remaining on the roster.

[Goldstar88]

From earlier today, 5/20.

Full interview here: https://985thesportshub.com/episodes/celtics-president-of-basketball-operations-danny-ainge-bruins-forward-jake-debrusk-5-20-hour-4/

Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge joined 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Toucher & Rich” on Thursday for his weekly interview, discussing a range of topics that included his own future.

Ainge was asked about a report from fellow 98.5 host Tony Massarotti, who said on Wednesday that he heard the Celtics were “calling around” and exploring the possibility of Ainge taking a step back from the “day-to-day grind.”
“I have thought that way before, but that’s not going on right now,” Ainge said of the report, reiterating that “there are not” plans to restructure his role.
“I mean, I have a really good staff of people,” Ainge added. “With Mike Zarren, and my son Austin, and Dave Lewin, and Remy Cofield, those guys have been doing a lot more over the last couple of years. I have been delegating a lot. Those guys are very, very capable.”

Projecting Jayson Tatum’s future

Forced to qualify for the NBA playoffs by going through the league’s play-in tournament, the Celtics eased past the Wizards on Tuesday, 118-100. The highlight performance for Boston came from Jayson Tatum, who dropped 50 points on Washington.

Ainge said he classifies the 23-year-old Tatum as a “top-echelon player.”
“He has exceeded expectations from when we drafted him,” Ainge said. “I knew he was going to be a good young player, but all the great ones are.”
While Ainge declined to say whether he thinks Tatum will win a league MVP at some point, he gave him the highest of praise.

“I think it’s easy to see now that Jayson Tatum is going to be a Hall of Fame player,” Ainge said. “I don’t think anybody doubts any of that. But I hate to give him those kind of accolades because I’d like to try to push him to work harder, and meet their goals. And I don’t want him to get complacent.”

The latest on fan capacity at TD Garden for Celtics-Nets

Though Gov. Charlie Baker announced Monday that large sports venues in Massachusetts will be allowed to return to full capacity on May 29 when the state lifts nearly all COVID-19 restrictions, Ainge noted that the NBA still has to clarify its policy before the Celtics can formally announce additional ticket availability.

“I don’t know that,” Ainge said when asked if attendance would be at 100-percent capacity for Game 4 against the Nets on Sunday, May 30.
“We’re waiting to figure all that out,” Ainge said. “There’s our state and then there’s the NBA. There’s all sorts of protocols and hoops to jump through. So it’s pretty complicated. I’m not sure how that’s going to work.
“I haven’t heard that when it comes to NBA capacity,” Ainge added. “I’m not sure that we’re there yet.”

A Robert Williams update

Robert Williams left Tuesday’s play-in game in the first half after suffering a lower body injury. The 23-year-old has been dealing with turf toe toward the end of the regular season.

“He’s day-to-day, I don’t know,” Ainge said when asked if he would be available for Game 1 on Saturday in Brooklyn.

“I don’t know until practice today,” Ainge said on whether Williams would practice. “Yesterday was a day off, so we’ll see how his toe responds and just going to take it day by day.”

[gift]

Can't help but wonder if this means Ainge low-key already did take a step back, is coming back in to do more now, and much of what we've seen over the last couple of years has been his staff running things a little more?

“I have thought that way before, but that’s not going on right now,” Ainge said of the report, reiterating that “there are not” plans to restructure his role.
“I mean, I have a really good staff of people,” Ainge added. “With Mike Zarren, and my son Austin, and Dave Lewin, and Remy Cofield, those guys have been doing a lot more over the last couple of years. I have been delegating a lot. "

[Celtics2021]

Can't help but wonder if this means Ainge low-key already did take a step back, is coming back in to do more now, and much of what we've seen over the last couple of years has been his staff running things a little more?

“I have thought that way before, but that’s not going on right now,” Ainge said of the report, reiterating that “there are not” plans to restructure his role.
“I mean, I have a really good staff of people,” Ainge added. “With Mike Zarren, and my son Austin, and Dave Lewin, and Remy Cofield, those guys have been doing a lot more over the last couple of years. I have been delegating a lot. "

Ainge talked a bit about stepping back after his heart attack two years ago, so I’m pretty sure that’s what his comment was in reference to.