Danny's interest in David West is another reason to be concerned with him

[Roy H.]

And while you don't make moves in retrospect, you certainly critique them.  Danny is batting below the Mendoza Line with his moves since winning back in '08.

I *hated* everything about the 2008 off-season.  Danny really dropped the ball, I think.

The 2009 off-season (before the '09-'10 off-season) wasn't a bad one, in my mind.  Signing Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels seemed like a coup at the time.  The results weren't even bad; Rasheed played his heart out in the 2010 playoffs, and was a big part of us reaching Game 7 against the Lakers.

2010 was another off-season where there was very little criticism at the time.  JO, Shaq, Delonte, and Wafer all seemed like good adds.  It was looking brilliant early on, too, but injuries derailed us.

Finally, this off-season was another solid one in my mind.  The Baby-for-Bass trade looks great, we'll see on Wilcox, Dooling appears solid, Marquis is contributing, Pietrus should be a good addition, etc. 

It all comes down to resources.  With the very limited money that Danny has had at his disposal, I think he's done pretty well, with the exception of the summer of 2008.

[birdbrady]

And while you don't make moves in retrospect, you certainly critique them.  Danny is batting below the Mendoza Line with his moves since winning back in '08.

I *hated* everything about the 2008 off-season.  Danny really dropped the ball, I think.

People don't understand how much of a killer that off-season was.  I didn't understand it.  At one point, there was one side of me that Ainge didn't feel like the team was going to contend after 09 and absolutely no later than 10 - so he didn't want to committ long term (Posey.)  But then as we saw, the team basically was a contender through 2011.  However, at the same time - he was willing to offer a 5-6 year deal at the full mid level to Corey Maggette (6M per.)  that contract would have been awful!

If Danny had a good off-season in 08, got us even one contributing veteran in the front court - that team could have EASILY repeated.  The 2009 team had a far superior starting 5 to the 2008 team.  KG dipped a little, but was still the dominant KG on the defensive end and on the boards.  Ray rebounded from 2008 (which was actually Ray's worse year here.)  Pierce was still Pierce.  And Rondo and Perkins improved dramatically from the 08 title team.  If Danny had replaced PJ Brown and Sam Cassell (not the 08 Sam Cassell, but the Sam Cassell that we thought was gonna give us - a solid veteran back up PG), that team would have won it all, but most importantly it could have saved KG's career.  That was a real carryover to 2010 because KG in 10 was really subpar.  If we had a healthy KG in 10, hell even the 2011 KG - then we beat LA.  Game 7 was lost on one simple stat: 18-3 (18 rebounds for Gasol, 3 for KG.)  This was all tied back to that (non) off-season Ainge had in 08.

The 2009 off-season (before the '09-'10 off-season) wasn't a bad one, in my mind.  Signing Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels seemed like a coup at the time.  The results weren't even bad; Rasheed played his heart out in the 2010 playoffs, and was a big part of us reaching Game 7 against the Lakers.

Sadly this is Ainge's best off-season.  Signing Sheed, who was a huge bust up until the playoffs.  And even in the post-season he wasn't *that* good.  For every big shot he made (Game 6 against Cleveland) - he was utterly horrific on the boards in Game 7 against LA.  He didn't crash at all.  And even his laziness -> (hell first play of the game after Fisher's missed outside shot, he tried slipping away into the front court rather - which cost us a rebound and Fisher made a 3; was like that all game with him)

2010 was another off-season where there was very little criticism at the time.  JO, Shaq, Delonte, and Wafer all seemed like good adds.  It was looking brilliant early on, too, but injuries derailed us.

He signed injury prone players.  They knew JOs knee was killing him in that 10 playoff series we had v Miami.  Jermaine never even got surgery on it.  And we gave him the full mid-level.  Just imagine if we split that mid-level on say Matt Barnes, and someone else.  With Barnes (the back up SF that we needed) - we don't make that Perkins trade, and we would have had the defensive wing we needed for LeBron-Wade.  As I said in my original post; Shaq was a great signing.  But we got so enamored with him that it eventually cost us -- thinking he was going to be healthy.

Also, that off-season we lost Tony Allen.  Ainge loses huge points there.

Finally, this off-season was another solid one in my mind.  The Baby-for-Bass trade looks great, we'll see on Wilcox, Dooling appears solid, Marquis is contributing, Pietrus should be a good addition, etc. 

It all comes down to resources.  With the very limited money that Danny has had at his disposal, I think he's done pretty well, with the exception of the summer of 2008.

I think this off-season has been good given that Ainge had no flexibility because he wanted to keep the cap space for 2012.  Dooling isn't that bad as people say.  He's a good locker room guy and I'd like to have him back at the min.  We also picked up a bonus (protected) 2nd rounder in that trade.  Not sure I'd want Dooling as my primary back up PG moving forward tho.

But anyways, in all of your off-season breakdowns - you never mentioned the drafts.  It's been 4 years and we haven't come away with an impact rotation guy since Baby.

[celtics2]

Funny, but Larry Bird would strongly disagree with you...

Except for this 1 Banner Ainge brought us on a roll of the dice Celtic Management has been pathetic for decades now. Time we go outside basketball for help.

Bird's Management and Coaching skills come nowhere near his playing skills.

[Tone]

I agree Danny has been a lucky GM with the KG deal most of his trades have been gambles where everyone on roster is in trade rumors.Danny has made great draft picks outside of giddens and gabe pruitt the Perkins was another gamble knowing Shaq was injured. I think the only reason people like Danny because he won a championship which was good but most of his trades were not good.

[Zev Love X]

I know it wasn't the main focus of the article but is this dude actually complaining that we didn't get Brandon Roy??

[Junkyard Dawg]

criticizing David West for what he's done in, what, 7 games with the pacers, after the very solid career he has had as a number 2 option in NOLA, doesn't seem fair.  West will be a solid contributor in INDY, and mentor for the young guys, and would have provided exactly what we need here in Boston had he come;  more offense.  Having Jeff Green and West here would have taken some of the offensive pressure off of KG and would have allowed Doc to regulate the starters mins more.. can't blame Danny at all for what happened there.

[BballTim]

I disagree. Danny has done a spectacular job contending every year for a championship while balancing salaries for the future.

If Danny didn't plan for 2012, we would sink into 6-8 years of garbage. The Celtics are in prime position to rebuild a roster for contention on the fly this summer.

I have faith in Danny and I've loved almost everything he has done. Of course in retrospect some things didn't work out, but you don't make moves "in retrospect."

im not so sure how the Celtics are supposed to rebuild on the fly this summer.  have you looked at the list of free agents for this summer?  very unlikely any of the big names (D-Will, Howard) will be on the table for the Celtics.  otherwise, there's not much.

i agree that Danny has done all that can be expected so far to put the Celtics in the position to rebuild as quickly as possible, but I'm not so sure we won't get 6-8 years of garbage anyway.  at best, i think we're talking about 2-4 years of garbage at least.

  The free agent class is pretty bad. I'd think it's probably just as likely that Danny would try and make a trade, using the cap space to absorb salaries.

[Moranis]

I disagree. Danny has done a spectacular job contending every year for a championship while balancing salaries for the future.

If Danny didn't plan for 2012, we would sink into 6-8 years of garbage. The Celtics are in prime position to rebuild a roster for contention on the fly this summer.

I have faith in Danny and I've loved almost everything he has done. Of course in retrospect some things didn't work out, but you don't make moves "in retrospect."

im not so sure how the Celtics are supposed to rebuild on the fly this summer.  have you looked at the list of free agents for this summer?  very unlikely any of the big names (D-Will, Howard) will be on the table for the Celtics.  otherwise, there's not much.

i agree that Danny has done all that can be expected so far to put the Celtics in the position to rebuild as quickly as possible, but I'm not so sure we won't get 6-8 years of garbage anyway.  at best, i think we're talking about 2-4 years of garbage at least.

The Celtics have an excellent chance to sign Dwight or Love. The Celtics are the best team in the NBA with massive cap space next summer. All other contenders can't sign them without a trade that depletes the team.

The Celtics have a lot going for them in the future that can entice one of these two players:

Celtics are a winning organization with a good management/coach. Rondo, Bass, Green. Pierce and Ray have a couple years in them. Add in 2 mid-late first rounders and the outside chance Bradley or JJJ can become a good role player.

I don't see how this doesn't attract Love or Howard. Both have shown the longing for winning.

To call the Celtics a contender next summer is a huge stretch.  From a basketball standpoint, Indiana has cap space and is a much better position.  So is New Orleans, so is New Jersey (if Williams stays).  Heck even teams like Sacramento have a better shot at being a contender than the Celtics do going forward.  

Boston will not sign a premier free agent.  It just isn't going to happen.

Yet New Orleans, New Jersey, Sacramento, and Minnesota will? Huh?

Boston won't sign a premier free agent because there's only one on the market: Dwight.  And he isn't coming here.

Not what I said at all.  Just pointing out that if it was really about winning, all of those teams have cap space and are more likely to be "winners" than Boston.

Boston needs to be bad, get lucky with some high lottery picks, and start over.

[birdbrady]

Not what I said at all.  Just pointing out that if it was really about winning, all of those teams have cap space and are more likely to be "winners" than Boston.

Boston needs to be bad, get lucky with some high lottery picks, and start over.

That's not exactly the winning formula.  Wasn't the formula we used to build The Big 3.  Highest pick Ainge actually used for the Celtics was Jefferson at 14.  That was coming off a playoff season.

Only team I've seen use that formula and have success with it is OKC.  And they haven't won a title yet.

[PosImpos]

I disagree. Danny has done a spectacular job contending every year for a championship while balancing salaries for the future.

If Danny didn't plan for 2012, we would sink into 6-8 years of garbage. The Celtics are in prime position to rebuild a roster for contention on the fly this summer.

I have faith in Danny and I've loved almost everything he has done. Of course in retrospect some things didn't work out, but you don't make moves "in retrospect."

im not so sure how the Celtics are supposed to rebuild on the fly this summer.  have you looked at the list of free agents for this summer?  very unlikely any of the big names (D-Will, Howard) will be on the table for the Celtics.  otherwise, there's not much.

i agree that Danny has done all that can be expected so far to put the Celtics in the position to rebuild as quickly as possible, but I'm not so sure we won't get 6-8 years of garbage anyway.  at best, i think we're talking about 2-4 years of garbage at least.

  The free agent class is pretty bad. I'd think it's probably just as likely that Danny would try and make a trade, using the cap space to absorb salaries.

Perhaps.  I think it's just as likely he uses our assets to try and trade up in the draft.

It would be great if Danny could secure a legitimate piece that would extend our window.  I can't for the life of me imagine how that would happen, though.

[CoachBo]

What's the last champion built through a draft rebuild?

[Who]

What's the last champion built through a draft rebuild?

San Antonio Spurs

[KCattheStripe]

What's the last champion built through a draft rebuild?

San Antonio Spurs

Could be the Thunder soon enough.

[BballTim]

I disagree. Danny has done a spectacular job contending every year for a championship while balancing salaries for the future.

If Danny didn't plan for 2012, we would sink into 6-8 years of garbage. The Celtics are in prime position to rebuild a roster for contention on the fly this summer.

I have faith in Danny and I've loved almost everything he has done. Of course in retrospect some things didn't work out, but you don't make moves "in retrospect."

im not so sure how the Celtics are supposed to rebuild on the fly this summer.  have you looked at the list of free agents for this summer?  very unlikely any of the big names (D-Will, Howard) will be on the table for the Celtics.  otherwise, there's not much.

i agree that Danny has done all that can be expected so far to put the Celtics in the position to rebuild as quickly as possible, but I'm not so sure we won't get 6-8 years of garbage anyway.  at best, i think we're talking about 2-4 years of garbage at least.

  The free agent class is pretty bad. I'd think it's probably just as likely that Danny would try and make a trade, using the cap space to absorb salaries.

Perhaps.  I think it's just as likely he uses our assets to try and trade up in the draft.

It would be great if Danny could secure a legitimate piece that would extend our window.  I can't for the life of me imagine how that would happen, though.

  In the mega luxury tax era, taking on unwanted salaries could be one of our biggest assets.

[BballTim]

What's the last champion built through a draft rebuild?

San Antonio Spurs

  Love that. Win the lottery when there's a franchise center, have that center wait 2 years to play for you to get *more* high picks, then tank when there's an even better franchise player and win that lottery as well. Seems like an easily repeatable formula.