Danny Ainge's job performance since the 2007 off season

[Fafnir]

The MLE and LLE are the true indicators of how DA has done since the 2007 Off-season.

I don't agree that Ainge deserves a C+ or B- for his work in this short window of time. Signing TA and EH instead of Posey was a mistake when considering the contract aligned to expire with KG anyway making the extra year irrelevant with Posey's "expiring" eventually becoming an asset.

Signing Rasheed to an over generous 3 year deal while the Lakers land Artest, Rockets get Ariza and Magic retain Gortat for similar money was also poor but can be considered average when exploring the other options out there at the time... Stealing a Lamar Odom or David Lee would have been absolutely huge.

Ainge total body of work is an A- or B+, but the last couple of years isn't above a D.

Fair enough, but Gortat/David Lee/Odom were never options that could have happened.

Lee would never sign just an MLE deal, Gortat signed the full MLE right away from Dallas (we didn't have a starting job to offer him), and Odom was never leaving LA for any place unless it was for more money.

Right, but even when considering the remaining options it doesn't make overpaying Rasheed for multiple years anything above mediocrity.

Understandable, but you have to evaluate based on the available alternatives.

[BballTim]

Ive been on Ainge's case for a while now,  but every time I came after him I was labled a pink hat or any of that crap

But the facts are the facts

Post Big 3 Deal Era, the only useful signings that were made were:

Posey, House, PJ , Quis (yes I still think he was a positive), Resigning Rondo

THATS IT

Eh...  Re-signing BBD and signing Shelden to a minimum contract worked out pretty well, and both are on very good contracts.  Re-signing Tony was a pretty decent move, at least in terms of this season.

I think the POB signing was the worst of Danny's recent signings (for a variety of reasons, including because it was at the expense of Chris Andersen), with the Rasheed deal following closely behind (due to failure to meet what seemed like reasonable expectations). 

  Tony had injury problems last year that limmited his availability and effectiveness. If he was healthy last year then the wing situation doesn't look so bleak and the Marbury signing is more of a flyer. Also, I read somewhere that he offered Anderson a deal but Chris wanted to go back to Denver.

[Mr October]

First, James Posey wasn't the only other move or possibility of use for that 2008 MLE other than re-signing Eddie House and Patrick O'Bryant(Tony Allen was signed using Bird rights). There were a great other possible players that could have been signed that might have made this team better long term.

Who else was out there?

Remember by the time Posey got the fourth year almost all of the other options had signed.

I'm not going to rehash this as their are 20 page threads in the archives that discussed this. I will state what I wrote when that off season started. My opinion then was to forget Posey from the beginning and concentrate on using the MLE, LLE and other means right away to strike at other players. If I remember right the players I wanted targeted were Roger Mason and Matt Barnes and Kurt Thomas.

  You're assuming that you have your pick of any player that's a free agent. That's not really the case. Aside from players that want to play on warm weather teams, many teams have more backup minutes available than we did with Ray and Paul and KG playing.

Yes! The warm weather factor is huge. A West coast guy like Matt Barnes never showed any interest in going to a north East team.

Orlando at least has the warm weather, and the proximity to Atlanta and Miami - good enough for a West coaster.

[BballTim]

Signing Rasheed to an over generous 3 year deal while the Lakers land Artest, Rockets get Ariza and Magic retain Gortat for similar money was also poor but can be considered average when exploring the other options out there at the time... Stealing a Lamar Odom or David Lee would have been absolutely huge.

  Odom or Lee weren't going to sign for the MLE. Gortat wasn't going to sign somewhere that he wasn't going to start, and the Magic would have matched that move anyway. I don't think that Artest or Ariza were looking to be Paul's backup.

[the_Bird]

If what you say is true, Danny is supposed to figure out how Daniels fits and interacts with 7 other players? No GM can do that! Both guys have their warts, but their "attitudes" aren't the problem its their play.

Yes, GM's do it all the time with free agents and draftees in EVERY sport.

Do you really think that it's any surprise that Nate Robinson isn't fitting into this team? The writing was on the wall that this guy wasn't the right fit mentally or personality wise. Danny ignored that. Do you think Ron Artest would have been a good personality fit here? Or Quentin Richardson? Or someone lazy like Eddie Curry or Patrick O'Bryant?

I think it's pretty clear that Danny judges talent and film but sometimes misses out completely in the extraneous other things that need to be taken into account as to whether a player is a good fit for an organization, that being personality, work ethic, personal makeup, attitude, etc. He has a decent sized list of misses in this regard. Blount, Banks, Telfair, O'Bryant, Marbury, Wallace, Daniels, Robinson, Giddens.

Is the "Brain Doc" still on staff?  

[Roy Hobbs]

Also, I read somewhere that he offered Anderson a deal but Chris wanted to go back to Denver.

I've never read that Danny offered a contract, and I've followed this story fairly closely.  I remember Andersen saying that he'd be interested in Boston around the time of his workout here, and I read that Andersen said that he was glad he signed with Denver several months after he signed his contract, but I've never seen him say "Boston offered me a deal, but I turned it down".

[Mr October]

Nick, I enjoy the majority of your posts, but this thread feels a lot like Monday morning quarter backing.

On Wallace: The Celtics were desperate for a big man after 2009. Plus, what was Ainge supposed to do when all 3 of his stars approach him and tell him who they want on the team? This blog was mostly overjoyed with the off season moves last summer. Wallace and Daniels looked like great pickups.

On 2008, Ainge made the mistake of waiting (and persuing) James Posey and Corey Maggette. Ultimately he was outbid, and those 2 players became over paid. At that point there wasn't much left to choose from. All I read was that Barnes wanted to stay on the west coast

Ideally the C's should have walked away with Chris Andersen and maybe a Quentin Ross or Roger Mason instead of POB and TA. But even then a ton opf people had doubts over whether Andersen would really pan out.

And also ideally, someone else would have been drafted over Giddens.

But no one is perfect. No GM is perfect. Considering the lack of trade-able assets and lack of funds (due to the contracts of the big 3), I feel that Ainge has done a solid job overall trying to squeeze gold out of junk. I'd rate him as a B- since the summer of 2007, considering the options / limitations.

[Mr October]

Signing Rasheed to an over generous 3 year deal while the Lakers land Artest, Rockets get Ariza and Magic retain Gortat for similar money was also poor but can be considered average when exploring the other options out there at the time... Stealing a Lamar Odom or David Lee would have been absolutely huge.

  Odom or Lee weren't going to sign for the MLE. Gortat wasn't going to sign somewhere that he wasn't going to start, and the Magic would have matched that move anyway. I don't think that Artest or Ariza were looking to be Paul's backup.

Right. Just because you want a player, doesn't mean that player wants you.

Especially when there is more money, restricted free agency rules, playing time or team loyalty/comfortability in play.

[moiso]

Also, I read somewhere that he offered Anderson a deal but Chris wanted to go back to Denver.

I've never read that Danny offered a contract, and I've followed this story fairly closely.  I remember Andersen saying that he'd be interested in Boston around the time of his workout here, and I read that Andersen said that he was glad he signed with Denver several months after he signed his contract, but I've never seen him say "Boston offered me a deal, but I turned it down".

You are right, Andersen was never offered a contract.  He wanted to come here and was dissapointed that Danny chose POB instead.

[BballTim]

I don't agree that Ainge deserves a C+ or B- for his work in this short window of time. Signing TA and EH instead of Posey was a mistake when considering the contract aligned to expire with KG anyway making the extra year irrelevant with Posey's "expiring" eventually becoming an asset.

  When you say "extra year" it really means "second extra year". Danny wanted Posey for two years and was willing to overpay for a 3rd year even though Posey wouldn't be worth the money at the time. From what I've seen he was right.

[Mr October]

Also, I read somewhere that he offered Anderson a deal but Chris wanted to go back to Denver.

I've never read that Danny offered a contract, and I've followed this story fairly closely.  I remember Andersen saying that he'd be interested in Boston around the time of his workout here, and I read that Andersen said that he was glad he signed with Denver several months after he signed his contract, but I've never seen him say "Boston offered me a deal, but I turned it down".

You are right, Andersen was never offered a contract.  He wanted to come here and was dissapointed that Danny chose POB instead.

Easily Ainge's biggest failure that we know of in the big 3 era. ...perhaps the only big failure in this era.

[Mr October]

TP to BballTim and Fafnir.

You have to look at the alternatives that Ainge had to choose from. It really wasn't much. Not enough people are taking this into account.

In free agency, a player has to want you as much as you want them.

In trades, if you give up garbage, you're going to get garbage back - or mediocre for mediocre.

[EJPLAYA]

Considering Boston is not really a "hot spot" destination for free agents due to the weather, racism myth, and lack of entertainment, I'd say Danny has done a very good job in getting what he has over the years. This isn't LA or Miami folks.

He got what most considered to be the best big man in the market in Sheed. He got Marquis Daniels for next to nothing. He picked up a solid 3rd backup in Shelden who has played better than most thought he would. He re-signed TA (much to my disgust) who has turned out to be very good value. No I didn't love losing House, but if Nate had House's regular minutes he would have had a few hot nights as well. Plus he can actually bring the ball up the floor.

Truth is that Danny has done a very good job and if we didn't have all the injuries the last two years we might have had a second and third banner up there after this year. Boy you guys are spoiled if you can complain about DA...

[moiso]

I think Danny has been good overall, but in reality over the last two years nothing has really gone as well as Danny anticipated.  Except maybe Finley.

[slamtheking]

Also, I read somewhere that he offered Anderson a deal but Chris wanted to go back to Denver.

I've never read that Danny offered a contract, and I've followed this story fairly closely.  I remember Andersen saying that he'd be interested in Boston around the time of his workout here, and I read that Andersen said that he was glad he signed with Denver several months after he signed his contract, but I've never seen him say "Boston offered me a deal, but I turned it down".

You are right, Andersen was never offered a contract.  He wanted to come here and was dissapointed that Danny chose POB instead.

Easily Ainge's biggest failure that we know of in the big 3 era. ...perhaps the only big failure in this era.

choosing POB over Andersen is definitely a poor decision in hindsight but I hardly think it qualifies as "biggest failure".
I think "failure" is a bit strong to apply to a 5th big man option.  Even then, it's hardly his biggest mistake.  I'd consider the lack of a good replacement for Posey to be the biggest mistake.