Danny Ainge on WEEI (Sounds like he likes sullinger a lot)

[rondohondo]

Saw this posted on realgm

update:

Is there a guy who can help you right away?
- We need to get players who can step in and play right now.

Sullinger? Back problems? Kyle O’Quinn?
- Sullinger is a terrific player. Dominant in high school and Big 10. I don’t know about medical stuff. We’re meeting with our doctors regarding all medical reports. Let’s assume he’s healthy – he is a terrific player.
- O’Quinn – not as special as Sullinger. Smart, big, experienced. He could be in the NBA next year.

Trading up?
- not likely. Maybe 5 spots, and even that's not certain. Draft Day contingincies that you gotta be prepared for.

Here are some very rough notes. I'm typing this as the interview goes along. Sorry for the messy punctuation:

Texting Rondo about the Finals – Rondo said “We could have beat those guys”
- don’t get over the loss, but very excited and proud of our team and what they accomplished
- felt that they overachieved.
-Miami got Bosh back and started to play well
-Lebron made crazy shots in game 6
- Game 7 was close, but they turned it up another level
-wasn’t about what we didn’t do, but more about what Lebron did
-Really thought our team would be good with Bradley, Bass, Wilcox and Green coming off the bench
- Paul and Ray weren’t 100%, but gutted it out. In the end, it wasn’t enough

What about Next year?
- dedicated 100% of the time to the Draft and Free Agency
- Dont have A through Z yet, but A through J, becoming a little more clear. More key decisions need to be made.

KG? – option A
- KG talked about how he needs more time to make a decision. Will talk to him sometime this week. He still may wait to see what team we’ll have.
- Loves Boston, loves Doc. I think his decision will be “Do I want to play, or not want to play?”
- it is complicated, trying to juggle all these scenarios
- KG is on the books for $21 million until we sign him or renounce him.

What about the Big 4 returning?
- I don’t know the answer. It’s possible. Brandon, Jeff, the whole group could come back. Jeff would have made a big difference, because he could have provided depth.

Do you want to bring these guys back? You said you didn’t want this team to get old? Are you opposed to bringing back a veteran team?
- We want to get younger, add younger pieces. But with these guys not being healthy – and Ray and Paul were healthier than these young guys. This team is not old. Our guys are still performing. But if our young guys were healthy, we could have been in the Finals.
- I don’t think people realize how gruelling it is for KG to play. 2-3 hours of treatment before the game. It is exhausting at that age.

KG – 3 options - Celtics? Another team? Retire?
- I don’t think he wants to play for another team, but it’s still a possibility. He still has that option. I hope he comes back.

Paul Pierce/Rondo/Bradley/JJJ under contract, and a QO for Steamer - $31 million tied up. Common misconceptions about the capspace you'll have
- We still have all of our FAs on the books for cap holds. Still have Bird rights for Jeff Green and Krstic. We’d have to renounce all of our rights to use that cap space.

Say the cap is $58 million - how much space is left?
- We’re over the cap with the cap holds. We don’t have that much money under any circumstance. We still need to have 13 players under contract (8 players with cap holds)

What’s the likelihood of renouncing all of those player?
- Unlikely, because they’re all good players and are better than what's out there. The FA market isn’t that great.

Brandon Bass? Can we sign him and still go over the cap?
– yes, we can go over the cap without penalties. I figured he would opt out, looking for a long term deal. Him opting out is not a surprise.

How do you get good players if KG comes back and occupies a big chunk of cap?
- You don’t. The players we have Bird rights to are better than the free agents out there.
- Players sign extensions, not opting out, etc – the year before for Free agents always looks better. If you’re always waiting for next year, then you’re left with slim pickings by the time free agency rolls around
- Only team that’s ever done it is Miami. 5-6 teams suffered for 2 years to try and sign these guys, but in the end, there was only one winner

What happens if KG doesn’t come back? What are the options?
- Sign and trades and cap space you could trade into. You have a big advantage of making trades if you have cap space. Numbers don’t have to match

[rondohondo]

sounds like Danny wants to bring everyone back except maybe Bass because " our fa's are better than whats out there"

if this is the case I would definitely try to trade up and grab a big like sullinger to replace Bass

PG: Rondo     / Vet min
SG: Bradley   / Ray
sf: PP        / Green
PF: Sullinger / Wilcox
 C: KG        / Steamer or cheaper FA Camby ?

[Kane3387]

Sounds like everyone is coming back. Maybe not Ray depending on what he can command and whether he really wants too.

[rondohondo]

here's some more sounds like Danny really likes Sullinger

Is there a guy who can help you right away?
- We need to get players who can step in and play right now.

Sullinger? Back problems? Kyle O’Quinn?
- Sullinger is a terrific player. Dominant in high school and Big 10. I don’t know about medical stuff. We’re meeting with our doctors regarding all medical reports. Let’s assume he’s healthy – he is a terrific player.
- O’Quinn – not as special as Sullinger. Smart, big, experienced. He could be in the NBA next year.

Doc's son? Austin? Beal? Waiters?
- Yes, he could play for his old man. He'll be a top 10 pick, very bright future, as do those other 2 players.

Trading up?
- not likely. Maybe 5 spots, and even that's not certain. Draft Day contingincies that you gotta be prepared for.

Free agency? is it worth making an offer to Roy Hibbert, or just unrestricted Free agents? Will KG take a hometown discount?
- money is only tied up for 3 days. I would try to sign one if he fit in.

We'd love to have Bass back, but at the right price. How much? Is he starting?
- Good question. Don't have the answer to that yet.
- his shooting helped open up the court, but size was a factor
- we could use a center, but Brandon is a solid player. Compliments Rondo with his shooting.

does danny want to trade up 5 spots for sullinger?

[clover]

sounds like Danny wants to bring everyone back except maybe Bass because " our fa's are better than whats out there"

if this is the case I would definitely try to trade up and grab a big like sullinger to replace Bass

PG: Rondo     / Vet min
SG: Bradley   / Ray
sf: PP        / Green
PF: Sullinger / Wilcox
 C: KG        / Steamer or cheaper FA Camby ?

Yes, Danny mentioned how Brandon's lack of size hurt him.

Other notes:
Danny's one word answer on whether he might possibly amnesty Pierce: "No".

Danny volunteered Nenad Krstic as one of their players who was a possibility, among the whole gang, to bring back.

Sounds like he expects to speak to KG again before the draft, but doesn't want to rush him and may not have an answer by then.  Thinks he will have an answer by July 1st, given that KG doesn't want to make things difficult for the team.

Doesn't sound like he's a believer in maintaining cap space for next year or the year after.  Pointed out how only Miami has succeeded in the big splash with that and a half dozen teams had contorted themselves for two years to be in that position, but went home with nothing.  Also, last year it looked like this would be a good FA class and that dwindled to a weak class.

Doesn't think this is a particularly deep draft class and he's listening to offers, though they've obviously still got their picks at this point.

Yes, he was complimentary of Sullinger.

[clover]

One more note: I didn't hear it particularly as Danny having said anything about trading up being unlikely. 

He was asked about the possibility of combining both 1st rounders to move up, and there he said that'd only get them up to 15, 16 or 17, something like that, so that particular route sounded unlikely.

[SHAQATTACK]

boy DA is the utlimate gambler ,  I hear him , but I don't hardly believe a word.

He is a sly ol fox.

[Neurotic Guy]

Having lived through the Auerbach era and having heard Danny's craftiness through the years, I am always suspect of the veracity of pre-draft statements by our GM.

Using superlatives to describe Sullinger, Danny offers subtle encouragement for other GMs to take him despite the 'red flag' (perhaps causing another player to drop a peg).  Or, maybe Danny thinks praising him will make other GMs think that DA really doesn't want him, thus making them think twice about taking him.
 
OK -- time again for the inconceivable article. 

[Yogi]

Danny is smart doesn't mean he lies.  If GMs come off as dishonest agents/gms won't deal with them.  He plays his hand close to his vest but I don't think he ever lies outright.  That would be foolhardy. 

[j804]

Does anybody know if the full interview is posted up yet?

I heard some of it and on another note Danny sounded extremely pleased with our guys why shouldn't he....but he kind of hinted at wanting to bring every back didn't he?

[Neurotic Guy]

Danny is smart doesn't mean he lies.  If GMs come off as dishonest agents/gms won't deal with them.  He plays his hand close to his vest but I don't think he ever lies outright.  That would be foolhardy. 

I don't think he lies.  I do think he chooses his words strategically.

[Jack_Frost]

Ok... We are not going after sullinger, now we know for sure. Danny can't be so stupid... He knows sullinger will not reach #21...

Why am i sure the is plan is take Austin?

[Yogi]

Rajon Rondo   - E'twaun Moore  - Draft pick
Avery Bradley - Ray Allen      - Mikael Pietrus
Paul Pierce   - Jeff Green     - JaJuan Johnson
Brandon Bass  - Chris Wilcox   - Sean Williams
Kevin Garnett - Greg Stiemsma  - Draft pick

Danny might be thinking... This team would be around the same payroll as last year.  Last year we were the 3rd best team in the league.  This team would be deeper.  More talented. Have more chemistry.  More continuity.  Training camp.  Practices.  Why not 18?

[snively]

The problem with bringing all our own free agents back is it does so little to address our rebounding.

Bass, Green and Krstic are so weak on the boards.  I guess that could be the appeal of guy like Sullinger, someone who could step in and bring a new dimension right away.

Rondo/Dooling (vet min)
Bradley/Ray ($7 mil)
Pierce/Green ($5 mil)
Bass ($5 mil per)/Sullinger (@ #15, both picks traded to get him)
KG ($10 mil)/Krstic ($4 mil)/Wilcox (min)

Not my favorite offseason scenario, but there's some interesting depth there. 

I hope we can sign and trade Krstic into a better rebounder - maybe Omer Asik, Dalembert or Amir Johnson.

[colincb]

http://audio.weei.com/a/57943726/celtics-president-danny-ainge-with-the-big-show.htm