Chain reactions: Marcus Banks and Ricky Davis

[lon3lytoaster]

I was just watching some old games I had on DVD and game up with a pretty interesting thought, this team wouldn't be what it is today without these two seeminly insignificant members of Celtic history, Ricky Davis and Marcus Banks. This might seem a little bold, but these two guys almost made this team by themselfs.

I'll start with Ricky, and just say that while he was here I fully supported him and thought he was the funnest player to watch. Now when we first traded for Davis, Jim O'Brien was coach, as I'm sure most of us remember. What some people might not remember, though is that Ricky was one of the main reasons why O'Brien left. He hated the idea of Danny trading for the trouble making malcontent, so he just up and left the Celtics mid-way through the season.

So he and Dick Harter left with the next person to step up to the job full time was Doc Rivers. Probably one of the maybe 2-3 coaches in the entire league that could manage all of the egos Allen, Pierce, Garnett, and even Rajon. He also wanted Tom Thibodeau on his staff, who deserves a lot more credit and recognition for his role in Boston's defense. Without him we still would probably be a good defensive team, but I don't believe we would be best in the league. You have Jim O'Brien leaving due to Ricky Davis to thank for both Doc and Thibodeau.

Then, the other half of what helped make this team what it is today, Marcus Banks. Right off the bat he was traded along with Kendrick Perkins for two scrubs who haven't done much of anything in the league. I think it was Troy Bell, and Dahntay Jones. After his rookie year he was supposed to be heading to the Lakers for Gary Payton, but due to Payton's unwillingless to show up, the trade was changed and we got a first round pick and traded Jumaine Jones instead.

That pick bounced around the league from LA, to Boston, Atlanta, Phoenix and back to Boston. The picked turned out to be Rondo. It's safe to say after last season that Rajon is a bonafide star in the NBA and he probably never would have ended up here if not for Marcus Banks.

Marcus was traded from Boston in 2006, I think and in that deal we got back Wally Sczcerbiak, I might be wrong here but I think Banks was on the last Minnesota team that Kevin Garnett played for. After that year team ownership knew the Wolves were going no where, and KG needed a new home.

When the Celtics traded Wally, Jeff Green and Delonte to Seattle for Ray Allen, KG finally wanted to come here and win a championship.

So in conclusion, these two players who are less than liked by Celtics fans both directly, and indirectly contributed to what the Celtics are today. Maybe we should have a celebration in the Garden for Ricky and Marcus, kind of like Telfair night but better. This is a pretty long read, and might not have a real point, but I think it's interesting nonetheless.

[TheReaLPuba]

Dude....Jim O'Brien wanted to stay and finish the season. He didn't just pickup and leave midseason at all. It was Ainge who said he should just leave.

[lon3lytoaster]

Dude....Jim O'Brien wanted to stay and finish the season. He didn't just pickup and leave midseason at all. It was Ainge who said he should just leave.

Actually, you are right about him not leaving mid season, my bad there but I'm 90% he was extremely unhappy with the Davis trade and other moves.

[gift]

Dude....Jim O'Brien wanted to stay and finish the season. He didn't just pickup and leave midseason at all. It was Ainge who said he should just leave.

i read that ainge gave o'brien the option to continue with the team and re-evaluate at the end of the season.  that could just be spin, but i tend to think not, given how suddenly obrien quit, right after one of his favorite players was traded away.

[GJPBoston]

i read that ainge gave o'brien the option to continue with the team and re-evaluate at the end of the season.  that could just be spin, but i tend to think not, given how suddenly obrien quit, right after one of his favorite players was traded away.

No, both Ainge and O'Brien have stated the following: O'Brien told Ainge mid-season that he would not return next year because of disagreements about the direction of the team (but that he would finish out the season).  Ainge and the owners then fired O'Brien as they did not want a coach who felt that way/planned to leave.

[gift]

seriously? i've never heard that before, and as i mentioned, heard quite the opposite.  not saying it's not true, but it certainly wasn't the "official" story at the time.

when did this side of the story come out?

[RAcker]

I wonder what Obie thinks of the direction in which Danny took the team now?   

[GJPBoston]

when did this side of the story come out?

I thought it came out shortly afterwards.  I will look for some links to articles and post them.  I was hugely dissapointed at the time as I loved the defense the Celtics played under O'Brien and I was so happy to have them relevant again.  I was furious at the time at Ainge for taking the course that led to it, but now I am happy with how things played out.

The only article that I could find discussing whether the offer to finish out the year was made by O'Brien or by Ainge was the below article, but I know I read it in the Globe as I don't normally read David Aldridge.  Also, I remember hearing Ainge interviewed about it and much later Grousback talking about it.  Onc correction on what I said: all sources agree O'Brien resigned and was not fired.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=aldridge_david&id=1721137

[TheReaLPuba]

Well in either case its all in the past.

I'm so happy we're title contenders right now...that's all that matters.

But if Ainge decides to trade our Big 3 for youngsters and malcontents and we end up in the lottery for the next several years I'm not gonna blame Doc for resigning if he does.

[shiggins]

ricky was traded for wally...

[LB3533]

I want to point out that the biggest reason why Obie quit was because Danny was going to fire Harter.

Harter's defense was, I guess, too complex for Chris Mihm to comprehend and Tony Battie and Eric Williams were two, long standing players for that defensive system.

I don't think Ricky Davis was ever the major reasons why Obie left, at any point.

The loss of his defensive coordinator is what drove Obie to resign, leave, whatever.

[greg683x]

It wasnt getting Davis that irritated O'Brien, it's that Battie and EWill were Obie's "guys"  They played hard nosed defense.  Im sure he felt like Ainge traded away a big piece of his 'core.'  It's like not like he flew off the handle when he heard we're getting Ricky Davis.

....I heard he was heartbroken over losing Yogi Stewart too.   

[lon3lytoaster]

ricky was traded for wally...

Uhhuh, and so were Marcus Banks, Justin Reed and Mark Blount.

[miraclejohan]

I was just watching some old games I had on DVD and game up with a pretty interesting thought, this team wouldn't be what it is today without these two seeminly insignificant members of Celtic history, Ricky Davis and Marcus Banks. This might seem a little bold, but these two guys almost made this team by themselfs.

I'll start with Ricky, and just say that while he was here I fully supported him and thought he was the funnest player to watch. Now when we first traded for Davis, Jim O'Brien was coach, as I'm sure most of us remember. What some people might not remember, though is that Ricky was one of the main reasons why O'Brien left. He hated the idea of Danny trading for the trouble making malcontent, so he just up and left the Celtics mid-way through the season.

So he and Dick Harter left with the next person to step up to the job full time was Doc Rivers. Probably one of the maybe 2-3 coaches in the entire league that could manage all of the egos Allen, Pierce, Garnett, and even Rajon. He also wanted Tom Thibodeau on his staff, who deserves a lot more credit and recognition for his role in Boston's defense. Without him we still would probably be a good defensive team, but I don't believe we would be best in the league. You have Jim O'Brien leaving due to Ricky Davis to thank for both Doc and Thibodeau.

Then, the other half of what helped make this team what it is today, Marcus Banks. Right off the bat he was traded along with Kendrick Perkins for two scrubs who haven't done much of anything in the league. I think it was Troy Bell, and Dahntay Jones. After his rookie year he was supposed to be heading to the Lakers for Gary Payton, but due to Payton's unwillingless to show up, the trade was changed and we got a first round pick and traded Jumaine Jones instead.

That pick bounced around the league from LA, to Boston, Atlanta, Phoenix and back to Boston. The picked turned out to be Rondo. It's safe to say after last season that Rajon is a bonafide star in the NBA and he probably never would have ended up here if not for Marcus Banks.

Marcus was traded from Boston in 2006, I think and in that deal we got back Wally Sczcerbiak, I might be wrong here but I think Banks was on the last Minnesota team that Kevin Garnett played for. After that year team ownership knew the Wolves were going no where, and KG needed a new home.

When the Celtics traded Wally, Jeff Green and Delonte to Seattle for Ray Allen, KG finally wanted to come here and win a championship.

So in conclusion, these two players who are less than liked by Celtics fans both directly, and indirectly contributed to what the Celtics are today. Maybe we should have a celebration in the Garden for Ricky and Marcus, kind of like Telfair night but better. This is a pretty long read, and might not have a real point, but I think it's interesting nonetheless.

I couldn't help but think of (shameless self plug) my song for Danny Ainge I recorded at the beginning of the championship season.  The last section of the second verse of "Green 17 or Burst" where I tracked the rosters from drafting Marcus to getting Garnett.  I wish I had the lyrics to post so I could just type them in here, but instead, here's the link

http://www.purevolume.com/miraclejohan/albums/Green+17+pt.4

The previous 3 seasons has some stuff too, but that verse makes me smile, even though it ceases to be rapping at that point and is just a fanatic fan frantically recounting the past 4 years getting ready for the season.

Anyway, what I have to say on the subject is said there.  And thensome.

[lon3lytoaster]

Oh Miracle Johan.. Haven't seen that name in a while.

I swear to god, I'm good. Antoine, gimme some gum!