Danny fires back at GM's that say he is overvaluing his players

[Celtics17]

Ainge has the rare combination of gifts that makes him special as a GM. One, he knows the game since he played it at the pro level.Two, he is a tremendous all around athlete. He played both pro basketball and pro baseball and is also a fabulous golfer (eat you heart out MJ on this one) and he is able to use this athletic ability to spot talent where other GM's may not. Third, the man is intelligent and business savvy. That is also a very rare combination.

[hwangjini_1]

What he wanted to say: "I'm the guy who turned a perennial first-round playoff out into a championship team in four years, then sold away three aging stars and a coach from that team to assemble the most coveted stash of first round picks in the league. Go ahead, keep telling me how I should be valuing players."

Phoenix has 4 in the deepest draft since LeBron came out. So there's that...

Danny needs to fully blow it up. Right now the process of blowing it up is around 70% done. Green Rondo Bass Hump all need to go ASAP for the best package available. The top 5 pick in this years draft is too important.

i am not disagreeing here at all, simply adding some info. phoenix's 3 first round picks are, at the moment, numbers 17, 23, and 30.

so it is great to have picks, but they are not picks that are great.

[cman88]

good for ainge....people want to give us scraps and mediocre players for guys like Rondo and he wont have it.

Ainge isnt going to Pitino us and trade guys like Billups/Joe johnson for scraps...

[ssspence]

I believe in Ainge as much if not more than any member of this board, but he's also a notorious operator looking for steals. That's part of what makes him great -- he's shameless, and he leaves no stone unturned.

With that said, were those responsible for such comments doing so regarding players they were trying to get away from Boston? It's far more likely he / they were commenting on the offers Danny makes to them. That is: opposing GMs get a little tired of hearing: "I'll give you Gerald Wallace for Richard Jefferson," or "I'll give you Jeff Green for Harrison Barnes and a 1st." I don't blame Ainge for stabbing around to see what he can pry loose -- in fact, I admire him for it -- but I also don't buy the one-sided quotes noted in this thread.

Ainge never talks about the deals he proposes of course -- he only discusses other GMs calling him. In other words, it's a little rich to basically say: "Can I be blamed for everyone wanting my guys and me not being willing to give them up?" Riiiiiiight. 

[GreenWarrior]

Ainge has been alternately amused and angered by some of the reports that are making their way through the mill.

“Another thing that comes out at this time of year that I find sort of comical is the talk that I’m asking too much for my players or being unrealistic with my players,” he said. “Well, you know, when someone calls you and says, ‘We’d like to have this guy,’ and I say, ‘OK, well, what do you want to give?’ and they say, ‘We’ll give you this or this’ — and I say, ‘Well, will you give me that?’ and they say no, then I tell them, ‘Then I won’t give my guy up’ — who in that is valuing their guys too much, me or them?

“I mean, we all have a choice to make deals or not, and I don’t blame somebody for how they value their players. That’s their decision.

“Usually it’s not anybody overvaluing their players; there’s just not a fit. You’re not a fit as a trade partner because you don’t have anything I want, and I like my player better than that player you just offered me. And what’s funny is that so do they because that’s why they just offered it. So the fact that we both like the guy that they’re trying to get, how does that make one side value him more than another?”

this whole part right here just screams "knicks".

[manl_lui]

Sources around the league have confirmed that calls have been made to the Celtics regarding Rondo, Avery Bradley, Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk, Jeff Green and Kris Humphries. But as of last night, there were no ongoing talks regarding any of them.

There is no question the C’s would like to get something done this week, even if it is merely scrubbing their salary list a little further and getting in better position for this summer and beyond.

But Ainge told the Herald Friday he is also open to selling off some of his assets (picks, veterans, young players) if he can acquire a top of the rotation player now.

Ainge has been alternately amused and angered by some of the reports that are making their way through the mill.

“Another thing that comes out at this time of year that I find sort of comical is the talk that I’m asking too much for my players or being unrealistic with my players,” he said. “Well, you know, when someone calls you and says, ‘We’d like to have this guy,’ and I say, ‘OK, well, what do you want to give?’ and they say, ‘We’ll give you this or this’ — and I say, ‘Well, will you give me that?’ and they say no, then I tell them, ‘Then I won’t give my guy up’ — who in that is valuing their guys too much, me or them?

“I mean, we all have a choice to make deals or not, and I don’t blame somebody for how they value their players. That’s their decision.

“Usually it’s not anybody overvaluing their players; there’s just not a fit. You’re not a fit as a trade partner because you don’t have anything I want, and I like my player better than that player you just offered me. And what’s funny is that so do they because that’s why they just offered it. So the fact that we both like the guy that they’re trying to get, how does that make one side value him more than another?”

http://bostonherald.com/sports/celtics_nba/boston_celtics/2014/02/celtics_beat_danny_ainge_willing_to_deal_if_cs_can_land

not sure when this was written , but thought it was interesting .

wonder what gm's are offering for sully and ko ?

that's a good GM right there, he wants what is best for the team and also sticking up for his players (even if they aren't worth it).

[CelticG1]

Ainge is always talked about in this light about being stingy in trade talks. Dont blame him for firing back.

Hes made a bunch of trades in ghe last several years and i dont think many of them were absurdly one sided for him. Hes finding trading partners one way or another for who and what he wants so it sounds a little bit like sour grapes for these other gms

[acieEarl]

Danny put himself in a good position where he doesn't need to do anything as far as trading his guys. He's not going to make a panic move, but if the right trade comes along he'll do it.

Not going to take a bag of balls from the Knicks for Rondo. Knicks are just embarrassing themselves with the idea Danny's just going to give them Rondo.

[manl_lui]

Danny put himself in a good position where he doesn't need to do anything as far as trading his guys. He's not going to make a panic move, but if the right trade comes along he'll do it.

Not going to take a bag of balls from the Knicks for Rondo. Knicks are just embarrassing themselves with the idea Danny's just going to give them Rondo.

the panic scenario has me wondering. Perk for Green trade, was that a panic move, or did that set us up for better assets down the road as Green has more upside than Perk at this point

Or do I look at it this way - trading Perk did kill our chances to getting back to the finals? Big what if. How many times did Danny push the panic button

But I gotta say, he is getting better with experience and getting more cold blooded as a GM and I absolutely love it. He is more patient now and definitely weights his option a lot better.

[saltlover]

What he wanted to say: "I'm the guy who turned a perennial first-round playoff out into a championship team in four years, then sold away three aging stars and a coach from that team to assemble the most coveted stash of first round picks in the league. Go ahead, keep telling me how I should be valuing players."

Phoenix has 4 in the deepest draft since LeBron came out. So there's that...

Danny needs to fully blow it up. Right now the process of blowing it up is around 70% done. Green Rondo Bass Hump all need to go ASAP for the best package available. The top 5 pick in this years draft is too important.

i am not disagreeing here at all, simply adding some info. phoenix's 3 first round picks are, at the moment, numbers 17, 23, and 30.

so it is great to have picks, but they are not picks that are great.

Correct.  When people say they have four, they're including the Minny pick which is top 13 protected, and so is very unlikely at this point to convey.  Also, all the picks Phoenix acquired were either lottery protected (Indiana and Washington), or virtually lottery protected (Minny).  It's not like Phoenix ever had the chance to have 3-4 top 10 picks or anything.  Good for them in getting picks, and very good for them in doing so while fielding a competitive team, but it's not like they're going to dominate on draft day.  Danny got 3 completely unprotected picks (2015 Clippers, 2016, and 2018 Brooklyn), one mostly unprotected pick (lesser of Atlanta and Brooklyn's pick this year), an unprotected swap (2017 Brooklyn), and a lottery protected pick with a short duration (2014-2015 Philly).

I'd be willing to concede that Phoenix is in a better position (competitive team, young core, all its draft picks plus some bonus ones, and cap space this summer), but the Celtics have the better draft pick stock.

[Q_FBE]

Danny has implied all along that the draft period at the end of the year is where you will see movement. Maybe Rondo gets traded here and maybe not.

[cman88]

what is the obsession with trading Rondo on this board? I understand he might be our most valuable chip.

but if you can pair a superstar with Rondo...isnt that better than trading rondo in search of a superstar?

[Mr October]

what is the obsession with trading Rondo on this board? I understand he might be our most valuable chip.

but if you can pair a superstar with Rondo...isnt that better than trading rondo in search of a superstar?

The only reason that makes sense to me would be if you believed rondo would never regain his top form again, and never be able to penetrate and defend like he used to.

I think he will. And i want to keep him at the right price. The goal is to win championships. And you need at least a couple all stars to get there.

[LooseCannon]

what is the obsession with trading Rondo on this board? I understand he might be our most valuable chip.

Some people (who are completely wrong) think that Rondo is not good enough to be part of a multi-star core and think that his presence (and likely sizable next contract) make it harder to put together that core.