What Danny has done for us lately!

[RyNye]

I hate GMs that keep us relevant! 

[bbd24]

I hate GMs that keep us relevant! 

Exactly.  I mean who wants to be 15 games up on the next team in your division ?  That's crap.  That's a huge dissapointment.  25 should be the number and we shouldn't accept anything less.

How about them terrible starts ?  A GM here shouldn't have a job if his team is going 20-7 at the start.  1 or 2 losses sure, but these starts since acquiring the big 3 just won't be accepted anymore.

[gar]

Should not underplay the fact that he upgraded the roster without hampering our flexibility next year. I suspect that is Ray or KG want to come back it will be for relatively modest one year contracts or ala Sheed @ mid-season or toward the playoffs.

[Boris Badenov]

Danny's been a huge disappointment sense acquiring the Big Three

I don't think people understand how difficult it is to be the GM of the Celtics. We have championship expectations, but we are a second-tier destination in players' minds - at best. Many of Danny's "failures" have been due to injuries and/or Boston's lack of appeal for marquee players.

Danny built a championship team from the ground up with good drafts and smart trades, starting from the hardest place possible (the "perennial first round out" level).

Then, while keeping us in championship contention for four years running, Danny has maintained enough flexibility so that we are positioned to have one or two All-Stars on the books this summer with enough cap room to sign two more.

I'm not sure what else you could ask for...

[GreenFaith1819]

To be honest - if Boston doesn't win another championship, then whatever Danny has done since 07-08 will STILL be worth it, IMO.

I will NEVER forget That game 6 from June 08.

But I'll also NEVER forget when Perk went down, as well as KG.

Now we are dealing with Jeff Green. The positive I can take from his situation is that at least he is still with us.

Health and injuries are the wildcard that every GM must deal with.

[snively]

Danny's only disappointing post Big 3 season was the one immediately following the championship.  A bad draft, nobody to replace Posey's role and Patrick O'Bryant.  And it ultimately didn't matter as KG's injury derailed the season anyway. 

He had a much stronger 2009/2010.  Resigned Rondo. Got Sheed (who disappointed, but still a great fit) and Daniels, made a very nice trade for Nate. 

2010 offseason was also good.  Got Shaq and Delonte on the minimum, JO as a Sheed replacement, retained Nate.  Losing TA the only bummer there.  The Perk trade ended up doing some internal damage, but the value yield was pretty impressive: a quality 4th/5th big, a well-regarded young swing forward and what looked to be a very solid draft pick.

Danny put the team in an excellent position to win the title in 2008, and acquired significant roster upgrades in 2 of the 3 offseasons that followed. 

[BballTim]

Danny's only disappointing post Big 3 season was the one immediately following the championship.  A bad draft, nobody to replace Posey's role and Patrick O'Bryant.  And it ultimately didn't matter as KG's injury derailed the season anyway. 

  The plan to basically replace Posey was Tony Allen. Most of the people who were attacking Danny for not replacing Posey were pretty positive that TA could never play that big of a role in the playoffs, which doesn't seem to be the case.

[mmmmm]

I hate GMs that keep us relevant! 

Exactly.  I mean who wants to be 15 games up on the next team in your division ?  That's crap.  That's a huge dissapointment.  25 should be the number and we shouldn't accept anything less.

How about them terrible starts ?  A GM here shouldn't have a job if his team is going 20-7 at the start.  1 or 2 losses sure, but these starts since acquiring the big 3 just won't be accepted anymore.

Love it!

Aside from the humor though, there is a compelling point in Danny's favor buried in there.  Each year since Danny reformed the team around KG, Ray & Paul, the team has rocketed out of the gate.   THAT is the team that Danny has built each year.

Unfortunately, Danny can't control injuries and in each of the last three years, we have been derailed by injuries.

And before someone pipes up that it's Danny's fault for the injuries because they are all _old_ they need to stop and realize that other than KG in 2009 and Shaq last winter, MOST of the injuries that have killed us have been to the _YOUNGER_ guys!   (And KG's injury arguably had nothing to do with age).

2009 : KG
2010 : Perk
2011 : Shaq, Delonte', BBD, Semih, Perk, Rondo, Marquis, Nate, ...

I'd argue that Delonte's injury was ultimately the most costly last year, because that's what caused us to grind Rondo into the ground, with no real backup.  I'm hoping that Dooling will allow us to keep Rondo fresher this year.

This team is over due for some good health karma!

[manl_lui]

I like the moves so far by Danny, hes working hard and the Jeff Green thing is not his fault...

but yeh I love how Danny is trying to make this team continue to compete

[Corey]

What has he done for you lately?

Well. He took a team that had 6 players under contract, pushing the luxury tax, and turned it into a roster that can compete for a deep playoff run. He assembled a highly competitive bench from scraps, and he's kept open long term financial freedom moving forward.

If that isn't good enough, you need to change your expectations.

[YouGotRondo d]

Danny has made the most from the draft picks he's had.

Due to cap restrictions and player preference he has only been able to attract certain free agents. Unproven guys with high upside or hungry vets.Danny has opted for the latter, with generally favorable results.

My review of his performance so far would be like B+. This team is in position to compete this year and Danny Ainge has a big role in that.

The next few years though will be very important for Danny's legacy. With our aging core, the time has come when adding vets isn't good enough. This team needs an infusion of young talent, and it will be up to Danny and his scouts to find these players.

We are seeing more of this the last 2 years. The fact that we passed on Posey is proof. Danny looks to be trying to find rotation guys by "buying in bulk" on youngsters like Brown, Stietsma, Bradley, JJJ, and Moore.

I hope that he also continues to add some veteran talent, provided they are reasonably young. (I hope he can grab a guy like DeShawn Stevenson. He did a great job of frustrating LeBron. He reminds me of TA.)

[snively]

Danny's only disappointing post Big 3 season was the one immediately following the championship.  A bad draft, nobody to replace Posey's role and Patrick O'Bryant.  And it ultimately didn't matter as KG's injury derailed the season anyway. 

  The plan to basically replace Posey was Tony Allen. Most of the people who were attacking Danny for not replacing Posey were pretty positive that TA could never play that big of a role in the playoffs, which doesn't seem to be the case.

Shooting on the wing: that's the gap that was left open. 

I was a big advocate for retaining TA: I always felt he was much better than he showed in 2008.  I was just disappointed that we ended up with Scalabrine as our floor-spacing wing that year.