If the Celtics get another ring is Ainge the best active GM?

[Celtics/Run]

I vote yes

[DavorCroatiaFan]

Hands down yes

[Shots]

I vote yes

Looking at this years Spurs, I'd say R.C Buford looks up there as well. Depending on how Perkins turns out for OKC, Sam Presti also deserves an honorable mention.

But yeah, Ainge has definitely proven to be among the best executives in the league.

[Bahku]

I think he's already thought of that way by many people ... another title would certainly add weight to it.

[Celtics17]

I think Danny has certainly one of the best eyes in the league for spotting talent wether it be in the league already or draft picks. I believe this comes from him being a tremendous all around athlete himself. It just makes it that much easier to spot talent where others might not. He is also proving himself very adept at handling the business end of it as well. I can't say if he's the best but if his latest additions allow us to win the tile this year then is certainly number one in my book.

[wdleehi]

Spurs

Lakers



Teams with multiple rings under current GM.



I take the Spurs being able to completely rebuild a title team around Duncan with out lotto picks and the draw of LA. 


When Ainge rebuilds the team into a title contender around Rondo (after winning another ring this year as well), then he is to the level of greatness.  Right now, he is really, really good.  (So was Dumars at first, then he lost his mind)

[The DarkPassenger]

It would make him one of the better ones. Danny just seems to be so daring and not afraid to make a trade in order to improve his team. He doesn't play favorites, he just wants to win. He even is not afraid to trade players that he drafted, who he liked, in order to make improvements.

[Jon Niednagel]

Spurs

Lakers



Teams with multiple rings under current GM.



I take the Spurs being able to completely rebuild a title team around Duncan with out lotto picks and the draw of LA. 


When Ainge rebuilds the team into a title contender around Rondo (after winning another ring this year as well), then he is to the level of greatness.  Right now, he is really, really good.  (So was Dumars at first, then he lost his mind)

Yup. Using recent number of "rings" as the barometer, this is synopsis is pretty much spot on.

[Celtics17]

I am not saying Danny is better then the Spurs or Lakers GM's but I am also not sure that number of rings makes you the best GM either. If KG hadnt been hurt chances are we gunning for a fourth straight title. That is kind of the same logic that a certain player is better then another because he won more rings and while sometimes that is true I wouldnt say it generally. Just my opinion.

[BballTim]

Spurs

Lakers



Teams with multiple rings under current GM.



I take the Spurs being able to completely rebuild a title team around Duncan with out lotto picks and the draw of LA. 


When Ainge rebuilds the team into a title contender around Rondo (after winning another ring this year as well), then he is to the level of greatness.  Right now, he is really, really good.  (So was Dumars at first, then he lost his mind)

  The Spurs were a 50+ win team in the years before they tanked for Doncan, and they started out his run with players like Robinson and Elliot on the team. They rebuilt on the fly but that's not as much of a feat when you have a franchise big in his prime on that team. Popovich has done nothing to lead anyone to believe that he'd ever be capable of building a contender around a player like Rondo, or even that he'd be able to acquire a player of KG's stature that he didn't luck into.

[wdleehi]

Spurs

Lakers



Teams with multiple rings under current GM.



I take the Spurs being able to completely rebuild a title team around Duncan with out lotto picks and the draw of LA. 


When Ainge rebuilds the team into a title contender around Rondo (after winning another ring this year as well), then he is to the level of greatness.  Right now, he is really, really good.  (So was Dumars at first, then he lost his mind)

  The Spurs were a 50+ win team in the years before they tanked for Doncan, and they started out his run with players like Robinson and Elliot on the team. They rebuilt on the fly but that's not as much of a feat when you have a franchise big in his prime on that team. Popovich has done nothing to lead anyone to believe that he'd ever be capable of building a contender around a player like Rondo, or even that he'd be able to acquire a player of KG's stature that he didn't luck into.

No team without a star.  And teams get their star through luck as much as skill. 


There is not three stars in Boston if Ray and KG both didn't demand trades the same year the Celtics were bad (high draft pick with young potential built up on the team) 


But the Spurs found two all-stars at the end of the 1st round to rebuild around Duncan. 




Yes, it is easier to rebuild around Duncan.  Ainge will have to rebuild around Rondo (or use him as a trade asset to rebuild) 

[BballTim]

Spurs

Lakers



Teams with multiple rings under current GM.



I take the Spurs being able to completely rebuild a title team around Duncan with out lotto picks and the draw of LA. 


When Ainge rebuilds the team into a title contender around Rondo (after winning another ring this year as well), then he is to the level of greatness.  Right now, he is really, really good.  (So was Dumars at first, then he lost his mind)

  The Spurs were a 50+ win team in the years before they tanked for Doncan, and they started out his run with players like Robinson and Elliot on the team. They rebuilt on the fly but that's not as much of a feat when you have a franchise big in his prime on that team. Popovich has done nothing to lead anyone to believe that he'd ever be capable of building a contender around a player like Rondo, or even that he'd be able to acquire a player of KG's stature that he didn't luck into.

No team without a star.  And teams get their star through luck as much as skill. 


There is not three stars in Boston if Ray and KG both didn't demand trades the same year the Celtics were bad (high draft pick with young potential built up on the team) 


But the Spurs found two all-stars at the end of the 1st round to rebuild around Duncan. 




Yes, it is easier to rebuild around Duncan.  Ainge will have to rebuild around Rondo (or use him as a trade asset to rebuild) 

  And Danny drafted a player capable of being the centerpiece of the KG trade as well as an all-star when both picks were outside the lottery. Clearly he's added better pieces to his roster without the benefit of winning the lottery than Pop has. How high would you put his chances of replacing TD with an all-star big if he doesn't win the lottery?

[hpantazo]

Spurs

Lakers



Teams with multiple rings under current GM.



I take the Spurs being able to completely rebuild a title team around Duncan with out lotto picks and the draw of LA. 


When Ainge rebuilds the team into a title contender around Rondo (after winning another ring this year as well), then he is to the level of greatness.  Right now, he is really, really good.  (So was Dumars at first, then he lost his mind)

  The Spurs were a 50+ win team in the years before they tanked for Doncan, and they started out his run with players like Robinson and Elliot on the team. They rebuilt on the fly but that's not as much of a feat when you have a franchise big in his prime on that team. Popovich has done nothing to lead anyone to believe that he'd ever be capable of building a contender around a player like Rondo, or even that he'd be able to acquire a player of KG's stature that he didn't luck into.

No team without a star.  And teams get their star through luck as much as skill. 


There is not three stars in Boston if Ray and KG both didn't demand trades the same year the Celtics were bad (high draft pick with young potential built up on the team) 


But the Spurs found two all-stars at the end of the 1st round to rebuild around Duncan. 




Yes, it is easier to rebuild around Duncan.  Ainge will have to rebuild around Rondo (or use him as a trade asset to rebuild) 

you keep bringing up the need for multiple "stars" but I think you can develop guys that have the talent into stars, not just luck into them or get them from FA. Rondo was not a star his first couple of years, and neither was Kobe for that matter, so who's to say that Ainge doesn't see Green as a future star to pair with Rondo and Dwight Howard? The celtics have been very good at developing players. Pierce was nowhere near a star when he came here, and Perkins was a borderline NBA player who developed into a starting center on a championship team. I think with Rondo, Green, and Bradley, the celtics can add someone like Dwight Howard and fill in the rest of the cast, they can rebuild.

[wdleehi]

Spurs

Lakers



Teams with multiple rings under current GM.



I take the Spurs being able to completely rebuild a title team around Duncan with out lotto picks and the draw of LA. 


When Ainge rebuilds the team into a title contender around Rondo (after winning another ring this year as well), then he is to the level of greatness.  Right now, he is really, really good.  (So was Dumars at first, then he lost his mind)

  The Spurs were a 50+ win team in the years before they tanked for Doncan, and they started out his run with players like Robinson and Elliot on the team. They rebuilt on the fly but that's not as much of a feat when you have a franchise big in his prime on that team. Popovich has done nothing to lead anyone to believe that he'd ever be capable of building a contender around a player like Rondo, or even that he'd be able to acquire a player of KG's stature that he didn't luck into.

No team without a star.  And teams get their star through luck as much as skill. 


There is not three stars in Boston if Ray and KG both didn't demand trades the same year the Celtics were bad (high draft pick with young potential built up on the team) 


But the Spurs found two all-stars at the end of the 1st round to rebuild around Duncan. 




Yes, it is easier to rebuild around Duncan.  Ainge will have to rebuild around Rondo (or use him as a trade asset to rebuild) 

  And Danny drafted a player capable of being the centerpiece of the KG trade as well as an all-star when both picks were outside the lottery. Clearly he's added better pieces to his roster without the benefit of winning the lottery than Pop has. How high would you put his chances of replacing TD with an all-star big if he doesn't win the lottery?

Which is why I said Ainge is very good.


But he was lucky as well.  Lucky KG didn't force the trade a season earlier or later.  Lucky he Pierce went down that allowed the Celtics to have the 5th pick and get Ray (since no Ray would probably meant no KG).   Lucky the Celtics didn't win the top pick, which likely would have meant the trading of Pierce and building around Oden and Jefferson. 


Ainge is at the top of GMs.  To be great, he needs to build more then one title team run.  (This team is going for it's second title in this 4 year run)



It is not a shot at Ainge, but when I think Great GMs, I look at Red. 

[BballTim]

Spurs

Lakers



Teams with multiple rings under current GM.



I take the Spurs being able to completely rebuild a title team around Duncan with out lotto picks and the draw of LA. 


When Ainge rebuilds the team into a title contender around Rondo (after winning another ring this year as well), then he is to the level of greatness.  Right now, he is really, really good.  (So was Dumars at first, then he lost his mind)

  The Spurs were a 50+ win team in the years before they tanked for Doncan, and they started out his run with players like Robinson and Elliot on the team. They rebuilt on the fly but that's not as much of a feat when you have a franchise big in his prime on that team. Popovich has done nothing to lead anyone to believe that he'd ever be capable of building a contender around a player like Rondo, or even that he'd be able to acquire a player of KG's stature that he didn't luck into.

No team without a star.  And teams get their star through luck as much as skill. 


There is not three stars in Boston if Ray and KG both didn't demand trades the same year the Celtics were bad (high draft pick with young potential built up on the team) 


But the Spurs found two all-stars at the end of the 1st round to rebuild around Duncan. 




Yes, it is easier to rebuild around Duncan.  Ainge will have to rebuild around Rondo (or use him as a trade asset to rebuild) 

  And Danny drafted a player capable of being the centerpiece of the KG trade as well as an all-star when both picks were outside the lottery. Clearly he's added better pieces to his roster without the benefit of winning the lottery than Pop has. How high would you put his chances of replacing TD with an all-star big if he doesn't win the lottery?

Which is why I said Ainge is very good.


But he was lucky as well.  Lucky KG didn't force the trade a season earlier or later.  Lucky he Pierce went down that allowed the Celtics to have the 5th pick and get Ray (since no Ray would probably meant no KG).   Lucky the Celtics didn't win the top pick, which likely would have meant the trading of Pierce and building around Oden and Jefferson. 


Ainge is at the top of GMs.  To be great, he needs to build more then one title team run.  (This team is going for it's second title in this 4 year run)



It is not a shot at Ainge, but when I think Great GMs, I look at Red. 

  I don't think you could find a single person here that was talking about how lucky Danny was when we finished 5th in the lottery. And your definition of luck covers every GM ever, including Red. He only drafted players that other teams didn't draft, he only traded for players that were made available by other teams. What if Bird hadn't been available at #6, GS hadn't traded Parrish and a pick for the #1 pick, or DJ hadn't been available? He'd have been pretty mediocre in the 80s and I'm sure you could ask similar questions about all the other players he acquired.