Props to Danny Ainge

[cman88]

Obviously credit has to be given to ime for finally getting this team to play the way they should. And obviously Brad stevens has made some wonderful moves to get this team where it currently is. trading kemba, bringing back Theis/horford, bringing in white and jettisoning guys who just weren't fitting in.

But, props to Ainge for his drafting.  Smart, brown, tatum, timelord, grant williams, prichard. All ainge guys and all a big reason of why this team is where it is.

Ainge has made some mistakes, sure but this current iteration of this team has his hands all over it.

[csfansince60s]

TP....completely agree....he was The Architect....and that is an appropriate name for him, as this team is playing defensively like they are in The Matrix!

[td450]

He deserves some credit, but he clearly wasn't the architect of this team. His moves over the last 2 years showed he didn't fully understand what he had. He was more like the guy who bought the lumber.

This is an awesome team, but there was only one path to success, and that was a full commitment to defense on one end and better ball movement on the other. Tatum and Brown are awesome, but they aren't elite offensive decision makers yet. They are unique because they are big time scorers who are also capable of intense defense. There are less than 10 guys like that in the league.

Ainge just wanted to add talent. Kemba and Fournier were never going to be part of an air tight defensive scheme. Tatum and Brown can't be championship level great on offense alone.

Stevens and Udoka took what Ainge left them and got them to where they had to be.

[hpantazo]

Huge props to Ainge for all the moves you listed. Also for what I consider his most underrated move, knowing when to step aside. He was impatient and made some poor decisions towards the end. Letting Stevens take over has allowed Ainge's original vision to fully flourish.

[Goldstar88]

He deserves some credit, but he clearly wasn't the architect of this team. His moves over the last 2 years showed he didn't fully understand what he had. He was more like the guy who bought the lumber.

This is an awesome team, but there was only one path to success, and that was a full commitment to defense on one end and better ball movement on the other. Tatum and Brown are awesome, but they aren't elite offensive decision makers yet. They are unique because they are big time scorers who are also capable of intense defense. There are less than 10 guys like that in the league.

Ainge just wanted to add talent. Kemba and Fournier were never going to be part of an air tight defensive scheme. Tatum and Brown can't be championship level great on offense alone.

Stevens and Udoka took what Ainge left them and got them to where they had to be.

Some credit??  He deserves a ton of credit. I mean, he drafted the core of Smart, Brown, Tatum, Timelord. Also drafted Pritchard and Grant. Danny was the one that initially brought in Horford and Theis as well. He also hired Brad and brought him into the organization. People need to give Danny his credit for this team, he was the architect.

[jambr380]

He deserves some credit, but he clearly wasn't the architect of this team. His moves over the last 2 years showed he didn't fully understand what he had. He was more like the guy who bought the lumber.

This is an awesome team, but there was only one path to success, and that was a full commitment to defense on one end and better ball movement on the other. Tatum and Brown are awesome, but they aren't elite offensive decision makers yet. They are unique because they are big time scorers who are also capable of intense defense. There are less than 10 guys like that in the league.

Ainge just wanted to add talent. Kemba and Fournier were never going to be part of an air tight defensive scheme. Tatum and Brown can't be championship level great on offense alone.

Stevens and Udoka took what Ainge left them and got them to where they had to be.

Some credit??  He deserves a ton of credit. I mean, he drafted the core of Smart, Brown, Tatum, Timelord. Also drafted Pritchard and Grant. Danny was the one that initially brought in Horford and Theis as well. He also hired Brad and brought him into the organization. People need to give Danny his credit for this team, he was the architect.

I know, that is a really weird take. I like Brad, but he’s also traded two 1st rounders this year, as well as that swap. I am not fully convinced on Derek White, and with Pritchard’s growth, I may even look to trade him this offseason. Sure, he is decent on D and moves the ball, but he needs to produce more at his salary.

There are also some rumblings that Ainge helped bring Horford back. He should get a ring if this team goes all the way.

[td450]

He deserves some credit, but he clearly wasn't the architect of this team. His moves over the last 2 years showed he didn't fully understand what he had. He was more like the guy who bought the lumber.

This is an awesome team, but there was only one path to success, and that was a full commitment to defense on one end and better ball movement on the other. Tatum and Brown are awesome, but they aren't elite offensive decision makers yet. They are unique because they are big time scorers who are also capable of intense defense. There are less than 10 guys like that in the league.

Ainge just wanted to add talent. Kemba and Fournier were never going to be part of an air tight defensive scheme. Tatum and Brown can't be championship level great on offense alone.

Stevens and Udoka took what Ainge left them and got them to where they had to be.

Some credit??  He deserves a ton of credit. I mean, he drafted the core of Smart, Brown, Tatum, Timelord. Also drafted Pritchard and Grant. Danny was the one that initially brought in Horford and Theis as well. He also hired Brad and brought him into the organization. People need to give Danny his credit for this team, he was the architect.

Those are all parts. Ainge collected parts. He gets credit for getting almost all of the parts of the team we have now. What he didn't get to was how to assemble what he had into a group that could win a title.

We know he didn't get it because several of the last moves he made undercut the core identity that we are seeing now.

You could take this same group now, drop a couple of mediocre defenders and maybe an iso scorer/ball stopper or two into the rotation, and we win 45 games.

[gouki88]

Lot of the criticism of drafting Grant and PP has disappeared.

Ainge introduced the Celtics to every main piece of the rotation besides Derrick White. Brad reintroduced us to Horford (I suspect Ainge had already got this deal on the books) and Theis.

[Goldstar88]

He deserves some credit, but he clearly wasn't the architect of this team. His moves over the last 2 years showed he didn't fully understand what he had. He was more like the guy who bought the lumber.

This is an awesome team, but there was only one path to success, and that was a full commitment to defense on one end and better ball movement on the other. Tatum and Brown are awesome, but they aren't elite offensive decision makers yet. They are unique because they are big time scorers who are also capable of intense defense. There are less than 10 guys like that in the league.

Ainge just wanted to add talent. Kemba and Fournier were never going to be part of an air tight defensive scheme. Tatum and Brown can't be championship level great on offense alone.

Stevens and Udoka took what Ainge left them and got them to where they had to be.

Some credit??  He deserves a ton of credit. I mean, he drafted the core of Smart, Brown, Tatum, Timelord. Also drafted Pritchard and Grant. Danny was the one that initially brought in Horford and Theis as well. He also hired Brad and brought him into the organization. People need to give Danny his credit for this team, he was the architect.

Those are all parts. Ainge collected parts. He gets credit for getting almost all of the parts of the team we have now. What he didn't get to was how to assemble what he had into a group that could win a title.

We know he didn't get it because several of the last moves he made undercut the core identity that we are seeing now.

You could take this same group now, drop a couple of mediocre defenders and maybe an iso scorer/ball stopper or two into the rotation, and we win 45 games.

Yeah, that’s not Danny’s job to make the pieces work well together, that would be the coach. Also, what are the moves that he made that undercut the core identity of the team?

[GreenlyGreeny]

Did Danny hire Ime? Did Danny re-sign Horford or let him walk? Did Danny trade Theis to Chicago or trade for Theis from Houston? Did Danny and his coaching staff meld Timelord into the dominant defender he is today? Did Danny trade for Derrick White? Did Danny coach a raw JB and JT into the dynamic duo they are today?

Danny forced a woeful bench, clearly the team Brad did not want, onto Brad last year and that’s why we lost 4-1 to the Nets.

Brad has since made changes that have us championship-bound.

If someone wants to give Danny props, he’s now an executive for the Utah Jazz, so there will be plenty of lovers of the Danny love on various Jazz boards…

[gouki88]

Did Danny hire Ime? Did Danny re-sign Horford or let him walk? Did Danny trade Theis to Chicago or trade for Theis from Houston?

Danny forced a woeful bench, clearly the team Brad did not want, onto Brad last year and that’s why we lost 4-1 to the Nets.

Brad has since made changes that have us championship-bound.

If someone wants to give Danny props, he’s now an executive for the Utah Jazz, so there will be plenty of lovers of the Danny love on various Jazz boards…

It's pretty crazy that you can be so wilfully ignorant of the context of Brad in the front office.

[GreenlyGreeny]

He deserves some credit, but he clearly wasn't the architect of this team. …
Stevens and Udoka took what Ainge left them and got them to where they had to be.

This. Our final series with Danny’s team: 4-1 loss to the Nets. Our current series with Brad’s/Ime’s team: 3-0 lead against the Nets.

[GreenlyGreeny]

Did Danny hire Ime? Did Danny re-sign Horford or let him walk? Did Danny trade Theis to Chicago or trade for Theis from Houston?

Danny forced a woeful bench, clearly the team Brad did not want, onto Brad last year and that’s why we lost 4-1 to the Nets.

Brad has since made changes that have us championship-bound.

If someone wants to give Danny props, he’s now an executive for the Utah Jazz, so there will be plenty of lovers of the Danny love on various Jazz boards…

It's pretty crazy that you can be so wilfully ignorant of the context of Brad in the front office.

The owners hired the right guy to replace Danny, and Brad hired the right guy to replace himself. Then Brad took that absurd bench/team and the Kemba albatross, and turned us around from pretenders into contenders.

Danny (and scouts) deserve some credit for drafting Smart, JT, JB and Timelord, but Brad turned this crew from pretenders into contenders in less than a year. He is one of the finest basketball minds around and the props belong with him and Ime, not Danny. In fact, in one season as our GM Brad is going to accomplish the same feat that Danny achieved in 18 years: A title.

[gouki88]

Did Danny hire Ime? Did Danny re-sign Horford or let him walk? Did Danny trade Theis to Chicago or trade for Theis from Houston?

Danny forced a woeful bench, clearly the team Brad did not want, onto Brad last year and that’s why we lost 4-1 to the Nets.

Brad has since made changes that have us championship-bound.

If someone wants to give Danny props, he’s now an executive for the Utah Jazz, so there will be plenty of lovers of the Danny love on various Jazz boards…

It's pretty crazy that you can be so wilfully ignorant of the context of Brad in the front office.

Brad hired the right guy to replace him. Then he took that absurd bench/Kemba albatross and turned us around from pretenders into contenders.

Danny deserves some credit, but Brad turned this crew from pretenders into contenders in less than a year. He is one of the finest basketball minds around and the props belong with him and Ime, not Danny. In fact, in one season as our GM Brad is going to accomplish the same feat that Danny achieved in 18 years: A title.

It's genuinely delusional that you think Danny didn't contribute to that Kemba trade.

And Danny is responsible for the only reason we have any chance at a title in the next couple of years. That would be Jayson Tatum. Who Danny Ainge was able to get AND squeeze out an additional pick in the process.

[GreenlyGreeny]

Did Danny hire Ime? Did Danny re-sign Horford or let him walk? Did Danny trade Theis to Chicago or trade for Theis from Houston?

Danny forced a woeful bench, clearly the team Brad did not want, onto Brad last year and that’s why we lost 4-1 to the Nets.

Brad has since made changes that have us championship-bound.

If someone wants to give Danny props, he’s now an executive for the Utah Jazz, so there will be plenty of lovers of the Danny love on various Jazz boards…

It's pretty crazy that you can be so wilfully ignorant of the context of Brad in the front office.

Brad hired the right guy to replace him. Then he took that absurd bench/Kemba albatross and turned us around from pretenders into contenders.

Danny deserves some credit, but Brad turned this crew from pretenders into contenders in less than a year. He is one of the finest basketball minds around and the props belong with him and Ime, not Danny. In fact, in one season as our GM Brad is going to accomplish the same feat that Danny achieved in 18 years: A title.

It's genuinely delusional that you think Danny didn't contribute to that Kemba trade.

It’s genuinely delusional that you think a trade Danny could have made at the 2021 deadline was passed over because Danny wanted to do the trade in the off-season after handing the reigns to Brad.

Danny had absolutely nothing to do with the Kemba trade. For crying out loud, Danny’s the schmuck who panicked when Kyrie left and chose Kemba over re-signing Horford. If Danny was some basketball savant, like some say, he’d have seen that Smart could be the PG we needed without forcing IT, Kyrie and Kemba on CBS.

And Danny is responsible for the only reason we have any chance at a title in the next couple of years. That would be Jayson Tatum. Who Danny Ainge was able to get AND squeeze out an additional pick in the process.

Our scouting staff deserves credit, too. You know, folks like Mike Zarren, the real brains behind the former Danny operation…

Here’s what Danny is: A guy who got us one title in 18 years. Not good enough for the Celtics. Check out my signature for what we worship in Boston. Utah may be happy with one title in 18 years, but not us.