Danny Ainge: "Making the playoffs is not a goal" (12/13)

[Smokeeye123]

We are going to be massive sellers at the deadline. I'd be shocked if Bass remained on the team. I also wouldnt be shocked to see Lee traded possibly with Wallace. (Once Rondo gets back Lee is expendable, as Crawford will probably move over to the 2)

[nickagneta]

We are going to be massive sellers at the deadline. I'd be shocked if Bass remained on the team. I also wouldnt be shocked to see Lee traded possibly with Wallace. (Once Rondo gets back Lee is expendable, as Crawford will probably move over to the 2)

Wouldn't surprise mein the least if absolutely nothing happens at the trade deadline this year and Danny is just content with letting his expiring contracts expire and going on from there in the summer.

[chambers]

I've said this all along and to read this is vindication for me. Gives me re -assurance in the notion that Ainge is a championship or bust k8nda guy. He looks at the numbers with EVERYTHING he does. All the best GM'S in the NBA like OKC, Houston, Phoenix, Uriji in Toronto have talked about their admiration for Ainge's methods and mentorship.
He's the kind of GM that will keep as many options available that potentially create a championship team.
Ainge is 100% right- there is zero point in making the first round of the playoffs for the sake of it. It doesn't speak to anything when the East is so terrible. Potentially losing a shot at a franchise level player because we wanted to lose get spanked 4 -0 by Indiana on national TV doesn't put any better players next to Rondo-it just hurts our chances of trading for a star because we lose the lottery pick asset.

  Danny didn't say he wanted to miss the playoffs this year.

Actually, he said that if we stay on the current path of 36 wins (5 games below .500%), then 'that might not be such a great thing' and get into the playoffs with our sub-par team, essentially over-achieving because of injuries and other tanking squads.

Why wouldn't that be such a great thing to make the playoffs?
Could it have anything to do with missing out on a solid top 10 pick in a loaded draft- missing out on that vital asset for our 'development' as Danny calls it.

Full Quote

If there’s a bunch of teams that are just injured and playing and you finish five, six, or seven games under .500 and you made the playoffs just because of that, that might not be such a great thing. I’m only concerned about how our players are playing, and if it so happens we make the playoffs and we earn our way and our guys are getting better, then I’m thrilled.[/b]

We are currently on track for EXACTLY what he said he didn't want. A 36 win team that stumbles into the playoffs because the Nets, Knicks,Bucks are/were almost decimated by injuries and Magic, 76ers, Raptors are on a professional tank mission.

He also notes that it's too early to look at win/loss records +day to day standings.

My opinion/summary:

* Danny doesn't want this team continuing on this path of mediocrity. He's stated that in this quote. What the hell does winning a game like last nights against a depleted Knicks team achieve other than a happy home court? They are just TERRIBLE and we still almost managed to give the game away.
* Because of the above notion that our current path 'might not be such a good thing', we are quite possibly going to have a fire sale at the deadline.... because in order to really 'develop' our young guys and watch them get better- our veterans must go.
Wallace, Hump, Lee, Bass, Bogans- all gone bar Rondo.
*Ainge has already recently stated that Rondo is 'a long way away' and Rondo has said the same thing.
* He's stated that this is not a championship caliber team but the players on this team and all play in the NBA at some level...lol.
*It's not a championship caliber team yet we are sitting 4th in the standings and will make the playoffs with 6 or 7 wins under 500. Which again, he doesn't want.

I've said all along that Ainge constructed this roster with a lack of size and shooting for a purpose- to develop the young guys and the certain benefits that usually come with developing/young teams (nice picks, nice trade assets).

This is all a recipe (to me) that smells of some re-adjustments being made. He notes our rebounding and our lack of height- we are still somehow beating these pathetic teams. Losing Bass and Humphries will help that to an extent- because Sully and Olynyk will have to sit for rest at some stage. Some D-Leaguers would be nice behind them- or Terrence Ross from Houston for Bass, or Thomas Robinson from Portland for Bass etc..

Just my opinion- but this current 'win one is every 2.5 games and make the playoffs' crap is just sinking us deeper and deeper into no man's land with too much opportunity in this upcoming draft to miss out on a top 10 pick.

[chambers]

We are going to be massive sellers at the deadline. I'd be shocked if Bass remained on the team. I also wouldnt be shocked to see Lee traded possibly with Wallace. (Once Rondo gets back Lee is expendable, as Crawford will probably move over to the 2)

Wouldn't surprise mein the least if absolutely nothing happens at the trade deadline this year and Danny is just content with letting his expiring contracts expire and going on from there in the summer.

Given these statements I think something is much more likely to occur. We are currently on path to end up '5 or 6 or 7 wins below 500' which is what he doesn't want.
Rondo's looking like he could be out for a fair while longer, so something has to give. Danny states the obvious: No man's land is exactly that.

Crawford, Avery, Bass, Lee, Wallace, Hump- they'll all be on the block and if Danny is worried that we can't find a trade for another star then the only way we get closer to a championship is dumping these guys to go after that draft pick asset while our young guys 'develop'.

*Bass+Lee for Perkins and Lamb from OKC anyone?
*Bass for Thomas Robinson?
*Lee and Bogans for Jason Thompson, Aaron Gray and Fredette?
*Lee and Bogans for Childress, Gerald Green and one of the Suns picks?
*Humphries for Perkins, Lamb and Perry Jones?

Who knows, but there will be dozens of deals floating around- plenty for Danny to bite on and get this team on the right track.

[BudweiserCeltic]

We are going to be massive sellers at the deadline. I'd be shocked if Bass remained on the team. I also wouldnt be shocked to see Lee traded possibly with Wallace. (Once Rondo gets back Lee is expendable, as Crawford will probably move over to the 2)

Wouldn't surprise mein the least if absolutely nothing happens at the trade deadline this year and Danny is just content with letting his expiring contracts expire and going on from there in the summer.

Given these statements I think something is much more likely to occur. We are currently on path to end up '5 or 6 or 7 wins below 500' which is what he doesn't want.
Rondo's looking like he could be out for a fair while longer, so something has to give. Danny states the obvious: No man's land is exactly that.

Crawford, Avery, Bass, Lee, Wallace, Hump- they'll all be on the block and if Danny is worried that we can't find a trade for another star then the only way we get closer to a championship is dumping these guys to go after that draft pick asset while our young guys 'develop'.

*Bass+Lee for Perkins and Lamb from OKC anyone?
*Bass for Thomas Robinson?
*Lee and Bogans for Jason Thompson, Aaron Gray and Fredette?
*Lee and Bogans for Childress, Gerald Green and one of the Suns picks?
*Humphries for Perkins, Lamb and Perry Jones?

Who knows, but there will be dozens of deals floating around- plenty for Danny to bite on and get this team on the right track.

Yeah, but pretty much all those guys are on the trade block regardless, so what Danny decides to do with these guys is pretty much irrelevant.

[thirstyboots18]

After trading PP and KG, winning a championship better be the goal, or the trade was in vain.  And THAT is MY opinion!  It doesn't have to be this year, but your history should not be bartered for mediocrity.

[BballTim]

We are going to be massive sellers at the deadline. I'd be shocked if Bass remained on the team. I also wouldnt be shocked to see Lee traded possibly with Wallace. (Once Rondo gets back Lee is expendable, as Crawford will probably move over to the 2)

Wouldn't surprise mein the least if absolutely nothing happens at the trade deadline this year and Danny is just content with letting his expiring contracts expire and going on from there in the summer.

Given these statements I think something is much more likely to occur. We are currently on path to end up '5 or 6 or 7 wins below 500' which is what he doesn't want.
Rondo's looking like he could be out for a fair while longer, so something has to give. Danny states the obvious: No man's land is exactly that.

Crawford, Avery, Bass, Lee, Wallace, Hump- they'll all be on the block and if Danny is worried that we can't find a trade for another star then the only way we get closer to a championship is dumping these guys to go after that draft pick asset while our young guys 'develop'.

  Most of those guys are on the block anyways, possibly other than Bradley. If Danny's plan is to find another star it's pretty unlikely that he'll throw in the towel on the idea if it doesn't happen before this trade deadline.

[celtics2]

he's just setting the bar low so he can gloat if we do make P.O. He accidentally threw a Team together along with the Coach who have been playing entertaining Round Ball. I give this Coach A++.

[chambers]

We are going to be massive sellers at the deadline. I'd be shocked if Bass remained on the team. I also wouldnt be shocked to see Lee traded possibly with Wallace. (Once Rondo gets back Lee is expendable, as Crawford will probably move over to the 2)

Wouldn't surprise mein the least if absolutely nothing happens at the trade deadline this year and Danny is just content with letting his expiring contracts expire and going on from there in the summer.

Given these statements I think something is much more likely to occur. We are currently on path to end up '5 or 6 or 7 wins below 500' which is what he doesn't want.
Rondo's looking like he could be out for a fair while longer, so something has to give. Danny states the obvious: No man's land is exactly that.

Crawford, Avery, Bass, Lee, Wallace, Hump- they'll all be on the block and if Danny is worried that we can't find a trade for another star then the only way we get closer to a championship is dumping these guys to go after that draft pick asset while our young guys 'develop'.

*Bass+Lee for Perkins and Lamb from OKC anyone?
*Bass for Thomas Robinson?
*Lee and Bogans for Jason Thompson, Aaron Gray and Fredette?
*Lee and Bogans for Childress, Gerald Green and one of the Suns picks?
*Humphries for Perkins, Lamb and Perry Jones?

Who knows, but there will be dozens of deals floating around- plenty for Danny to bite on and get this team on the right track.

Yeah, but pretty much all those guys are on the trade block regardless, so what Danny decides to do with these guys is pretty much irrelevant.

Huh?
Nickagenta says it wouldn't surprise him if nothing happened. I said it would actually surprise me if nothing happened.
Hearing Danny's statements confirms that our current situation is not what he wants.
It will change. How do you suppose it changes so we are a lottery team?
We've talked about the value we could get for Bass. Is that value greater than the value in a top 8-10 draft pick?
Obviously the draft pick is more valuable.
How much does Danny 'burn' Crawford, Bass, Lee, Humphries given he wants to get off this path and he can't tell Stevens to tank?

Something's gotta give. What gives?

[chambers]

We are going to be massive sellers at the deadline. I'd be shocked if Bass remained on the team. I also wouldnt be shocked to see Lee traded possibly with Wallace. (Once Rondo gets back Lee is expendable, as Crawford will probably move over to the 2)

Wouldn't surprise mein the least if absolutely nothing happens at the trade deadline this year and Danny is just content with letting his expiring contracts expire and going on from there in the summer.

Given these statements I think something is much more likely to occur. We are currently on path to end up '5 or 6 or 7 wins below 500' which is what he doesn't want.
Rondo's looking like he could be out for a fair while longer, so something has to give. Danny states the obvious: No man's land is exactly that.

Crawford, Avery, Bass, Lee, Wallace, Hump- they'll all be on the block and if Danny is worried that we can't find a trade for another star then the only way we get closer to a championship is dumping these guys to go after that draft pick asset while our young guys 'develop'.

  Most of those guys are on the block anyways, possibly other than Bradley. If Danny's plan is to find another star it's pretty unlikely that he'll throw in the towel on the idea if it doesn't happen before this trade deadline.

Then how do we avoid the 6 or 7 wins below 500 scenario aka no mans land?
(no, 2012 playoff Rondo is not walking through that door for at least 3 months).
Easy to say those guys are on the block- but from these statements I'd say Danny didn't expect to be fourth in the East and on top of the Atlantic- he's pointed out what our record is- fools gold.
What's the solution to avoid the 36 win season and a pick at number 16-20?

[BudweiserCeltic]

We are going to be massive sellers at the deadline. I'd be shocked if Bass remained on the team. I also wouldnt be shocked to see Lee traded possibly with Wallace. (Once Rondo gets back Lee is expendable, as Crawford will probably move over to the 2)

Wouldn't surprise mein the least if absolutely nothing happens at the trade deadline this year and Danny is just content with letting his expiring contracts expire and going on from there in the summer.

Given these statements I think something is much more likely to occur. We are currently on path to end up '5 or 6 or 7 wins below 500' which is what he doesn't want.
Rondo's looking like he could be out for a fair while longer, so something has to give. Danny states the obvious: No man's land is exactly that.

Crawford, Avery, Bass, Lee, Wallace, Hump- they'll all be on the block and if Danny is worried that we can't find a trade for another star then the only way we get closer to a championship is dumping these guys to go after that draft pick asset while our young guys 'develop'.

  Most of those guys are on the block anyways, possibly other than Bradley. If Danny's plan is to find another star it's pretty unlikely that he'll throw in the towel on the idea if it doesn't happen before this trade deadline.

Then how do we avoid the 6 or 7 wins below 500 scenario aka no mans land?
(no, 2012 playoff Rondo is not walking through that door for at least 3 months).
Easy to say those guys are on the block- but from these statements I'd say Danny didn't expect to be fourth in the East and on top of the Atlantic- he's pointed out what our record is- fools gold.
What's the solution to avoid the 36 win season and a pick at number 16-20?

There's a difference between believing that entering the playoffs with a losing record is not ideal and actively making the team worse to avoid it, in trades that are of poor value for your players.

Regardless, the type of depth we have in the positions of those players in the trade block will make the impact quite marginal one way or another. Also, we're on this track without Rondo.

The point of this whole quote from Danny was not to emphasize how he wants do avoid getting the playoffs, but that making the playoffs is not a priority but that improving as a team, develop players, improve CHEMISTRY is more important.

In fact, he goes on to say "I’m only concerned about how our players are playing, and if it so happens we make the playoffs and we earn our way and our guys are getting better, then I’m thrilled." Something that for some reason or another people seem to not give much importance to.

[jc3celticsphan]

We are going to be massive sellers at the deadline. I'd be shocked if Bass remained on the team. I also wouldnt be shocked to see Lee traded possibly with Wallace. (Once Rondo gets back Lee is expendable, as Crawford will probably move over to the 2)

Wouldn't surprise mein the least if absolutely nothing happens at the trade deadline this year and Danny is just content with letting his expiring contracts expire and going on from there in the summer.

agreed if he cant move wallace i think he might just wait it out till the offseason and see what he has all together and let the trades come to him. this team should have alot more value by then especially if we make the playoffs

[obnoxiousmime]

I thought this was a perfectly timed statement. The positivity around the team is so high right now that Ainge needed to dampen down expectations and prepare the fanbase for trades he might make later this season. At the same time, he never said he didn't want to make the playoffs or was supporting tanking.

Deep down, I think the players know what the deal is too. No veteran is going to be surprised if they get the call from Ainge sometime in the next two months.

Anti-tankers should remember it was the accumulation of low picks and young talent over the lean years that made the Garnett and Allen trades possible. Even though we didn't win the lottery in 07, our low record still granted us a 5th overall pick. The lottery only affects the first three picks which some people seem to forget.

Ainge will follow the same blueprint the next few seasons. Preferably you want to acquire your superstar in the draft, but if it doesn't happen like in '07 use your flexibility and assets to acquire a star in a trade instead. The Rivers and Pierce and Garnett trades may have sped up the process but I don't think anyone believes we are at the point where we should make such a move. Making that big trade before the team is ready can put your team in a bind as we've seen with the NY teams mortgaging their future on "stars" who are more posers than champions. Now those teams have desperate little flexibility to improve the team in a significant fashion.

[nickagneta]

Chambers, where exactly are you getting that Danny said that the situation we are currently in is not a situation Danny wants. His quote was that he didn't want to back into the playoffs because the playoffs were not the goal.

That does not mean he would be unhappy making the playoffs or that he does not want to make the playoffs. It simply means that when goals were set for this season, like reducing salary to avoid the luxury tax, developing Sully into a starting caliber PF, attaining consistency out of Jeff Green, getting Rondo 100% healthy, developing the youth to become rotational worthy players, establishing a winning locker room environment, getting experience for Stevens, etc. thatmaking the playoffs were not one of those goals.

Just because one of the goals was not to make the playoffs does not mean that if the other goals are fulfilled and this team makes the playoffs because the other goals were reached, that Danny won't be thrilled to be in the playoffs. Assuming Danny does not want to make the playoffs is completely different than him not setting a goal to make the playoffs. They are just two different things.

[hwangjini_1]

I've said this all along and to read this is vindication for me. Gives me re -assurance in the notion that Ainge is a championship or bust k8nda guy. He looks at the numbers with EVERYTHING he does. All the best GM'S in the NBA like OKC, Houston, Phoenix, Uriji in Toronto have talked about their admiration for Ainge's methods and mentorship.
He's the kind of GM that will keep as many options available that potentially create a championship team.
Ainge is 100% right- there is zero point in making the first round of the playoffs for the sake of it. It doesn't speak to anything when the East is so terrible. Potentially losing a shot at a franchise level player because we wanted to lose get spanked 4 -0 by Indiana on national TV doesn't put any better players next to Rondo-it just hurts our chances of trading for a star because we lose the lottery pick asset.

  Danny didn't say he wanted to miss the playoffs this year.

Actually, he said that if we stay on the current path of 36 wins (5 games below .500%), then 'that might not be such a great thing' and get into the playoffs with our sub-par team, essentially over-achieving because of injuries and other tanking squads.

Why wouldn't that be such a great thing to make the playoffs?
Could it have anything to do with missing out on a solid top 10 pick in a loaded draft- missing out on that vital asset for our 'development' as Danny calls it.

Full Quote

If there’s a bunch of teams that are just injured and playing and you finish five, six, or seven games under .500 and you made the playoffs just because of that, that might not be such a great thing. I’m only concerned about how our players are playing, and if it so happens we make the playoffs and we earn our way and our guys are getting better, then I’m thrilled.[/b]

We are currently on track for EXACTLY what he said he didn't want. A 36 win team that stumbles into the playoffs because the Nets, Knicks,Bucks are/were almost decimated by injuries and Magic, 76ers, Raptors are on a professional tank mission.

He also notes that it's too early to look at win/loss records +day to day standings.

My opinion/summary:

* Danny doesn't want this team continuing on this path of mediocrity. He's stated that in this quote. What the hell does winning a game like last nights against a depleted Knicks team achieve other than a happy home court? They are just TERRIBLE and we still almost managed to give the game away.
* Because of the above notion that our current path 'might not be such a good thing', we are quite possibly going to have a fire sale at the deadline.... because in order to really 'develop' our young guys and watch them get better- our veterans must go.
Wallace, Hump, Lee, Bass, Bogans- all gone bar Rondo.
*Ainge has already recently stated that Rondo is 'a long way away' and Rondo has said the same thing.
* He's stated that this is not a championship caliber team but the players on this team and all play in the NBA at some level...lol.
*It's not a championship caliber team yet we are sitting 4th in the standings and will make the playoffs with 6 or 7 wins under 500. Which again, he doesn't want.

I've said all along that Ainge constructed this roster with a lack of size and shooting for a purpose- to develop the young guys and the certain benefits that usually come with developing/young teams (nice picks, nice trade assets).

This is all a recipe (to me) that smells of some re-adjustments being made. He notes our rebounding and our lack of height- we are still somehow beating these pathetic teams. Losing Bass and Humphries will help that to an extent- because Sully and Olynyk will have to sit for rest at some stage. Some D-Leaguers would be nice behind them- or Terrence Ross from Houston for Bass, or Thomas Robinson from Portland for Bass etc..

Just my opinion- but this current 'win one is every 2.5 games and make the playoffs' crap is just sinking us deeper and deeper into no man's land with too much opportunity in this upcoming draft to miss out on a top 10 pick.

very good points. thanks and a tp for posting it.