Danny Ainge on Toucher and Rich: 'This is not a championship team'

[chambers]

You can listen to the call here:

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2016/01/28/ainge-celtics-not-a-championship-team-but-wont-rush-into-trade/

This is a summary snippet from CBS....

`Celtics president Danny Ainge is a realist, and knows that with their current roster, Boston is not a championship team.

But that doesn’t mean he’s going to make a big trade just to make a big trade at the deadline.

Ainge joined 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich for his weekly call into the show on Thursday morning, and discussed the balancing act he’s currently performing when it comes to the Celtics. He’s armed with several young players and a plethora of future draft picks, but that doesn’t mean this is going to be a quick turnaround (as we’ve seen the last two seasons).

Ainge wouldn’t say that not making a move at the February 18 trade deadline would be considered a failure, because he knows just how hard it is to find that franchise-altering deal.

“I can’t put myself in that position, because then you do silly things. I would like to do something to put us in that position (to win a championship), of course. Every day I’m thinking and trying to come up with ways to do that. But it’s just not that simple,” said Ainge. “A lot of the mistakes that are made around our league is people trying to do something too fast; they’re impatient and they panic. We’re definitely not in a panic mode. We have objectives that we would like to accomplish, but you have to make a good deal. We can’t just say we want to win a championship and are going to get so-and-so. It’s not that simple.”

The Celtics won their fourth straight on Wednesday night with a 111-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets. It’s the 10th straight game Boston has scored 100+ points, which Ainge said is the product of their smaller lineup that employs better shooters. That has led to a slight decrease in Boston’s defense, thought it didn’t show Wednesday as Boston had 15 steals for the fifth time this season.

“We’ve had ups and downs throughout the year and right now we’re on a nice roll, but winning for us is very fragile,” said Ainge. “You have to stay humble, keep working and play hard every night. I always worry when we have success that our team will let their guard down, thinking they’re a little better than they are, but I’m happy with the way they’re playing. It’s been fun.”

[Tr1boy]

I don't think anything will happen at the trade deadline. And Danny if he does not get a top  5 pick at the lotto will try to pull another trade many picks for Winslow type offer

Another quiet off season. Can't see Derozan coming here

[SHAQATTACK]

He is bidding his time , waiting for Cavs to crack LeBron get hurt ,old or check out after this year.....I think it is a must season for Cavs .  Too much can go wrong , if they fail this year.....the title starts to drift away as LeBron ages

I think he is watching Durrant, waiting to see what happens to Cavs this summer , where his Nets pick lands. 

Bunch of stars on shaky ground spinning their wheels around the league year after year not really closer to a title.  Some of them will shock their fans and leave to join rising teams.

[straightouttabahstun]

It's gonna be all about the offseason. Not the trade deadline. Lee may go. But this group of players have too much good chemistry right now. They're trying to make noise in the post season and disrupting it mid season without time to practice together will kill their flow.

[greenrunsdeep41]

Just want to be clear here- he never says that this isn't a championship team or that they can't win directly. I feel like you need to change your title, it's misleading.

[chambers]

Just want to be clear here- he never says that this isn't a championship team or that they can't win directly. I feel like you need to change your title, it's misleading.

In the very first question of the segment, the host asks him: 'Danny do you think this is a team that can win an NBA championship?'

Danny pauses and says : 'No, I don't think so.'

Listen to the segment.

[SHAQATTACK]

It's gonna be all about the offseason. Not the trade deadline. Lee may go. But this group of players have too much good chemistry right now. They're trying to make noise in the post season and disrupting it mid season without time to practice together will kill their flow.

Agree.   Lee is the only move I see ,,maybe Zeller.

This off season is going to be BIG .....after our pick is decided, Cavs fail, and depends on how good the Celtics end up being .....will they have power finally to attract the big dogs

[greenrunsdeep41]

Just want to be clear here- he never says that this isn't a championship team or that they can't win directly. I feel like you need to change your title, it's misleading.

In the very first question of the segment, the host asks him: 'Danny do you think this is a team that can win an NBA championship?'

Danny pauses and says : 'No, I don't think so.'

Listen to the segment.

That's really still not the same thing as saying this is not a championship team. That's a very absolute statement. Saying no I don't think so leaves a possibility. I'm not sure if your quotations are for a paraphrase in the title or not but he never says this is not a championship team. That's different then someone else asking him and him replying with a vague opinion. So, I stand by my statement that your title is misleading.

[GC003332]

As long as he is true to his word and exhibits patience that is what I am looking for, I would even like for him to be a seller and try and garner some more future firsts if possible at the trade deadline, look to help out some teams in the West looking to buy .Play the long game, maintain salary cap flexibility, try and take advantage of the teams that are in a more win now mode.
You can never have enough future firsts at you disposal when the time comes to make that blockbuster trade.There is no rush.

[strokeracevt]

DA is a realist. Can we beat GS or the Spurs in 7? No way. DA knows that no matter who we get in a trade over the next few weeks is going to get us a championship.