Pacers fan: 'Ainge is God Mode'

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Only if some of these picks convert.

Of course. But now the celtics have more options and more ways and more flexibility going forward. The build by Danny is going through stages. He has a plan.

Stage 1 is jettison current players who won't contribute. Kg, pierce, crawford, green gone

Stage 2 turn these vets into assets that are fungible. Players can be hard to move. Draft picks are valued and easy to move. But also pick up players who can be flipped. Again, Crawford and later wright. The point is to accumulate assets for further moves. Danny has done this a number of ways.

Also, if talent comes along get it and keep it. Smart and one of sully and olly will probably be kept. They are cheap talent that can be a supporting or valuable part of a new, better team. As we see with Cleveland, stars require good teammates.

Stage 3 is acquire talent over the next 3-4 years using the assets. As was discussed in another thread. Ainge can draft players, trade for players, leap frog in the draft, gamble in the draft. Without all the assets these multiple tactics would not be possible. Now the celtics are MUCH better positioned to rebuild than 2 years a go.

This is year 2 of a 5 year rebuild. Of course we need to wait and see what happens. But at the same time I am happy to see Danny making progress in the rebuild process.

Patience is required here folks.

yep. Would you rather a plan that resulted in a 5 year rebuild or being lost in the wilderness for 21 years like we were? exactly. some here are either too young or do not understand what is going on here. Everybody wants immediate results! it doesn't always work like that.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Ainge did do a great job collecting bricks, but until he turns that to a house that we can all be proud off, I won't call him God just yet.

Collecting pieces is one thing , turning them into a real basketball team will be another.

I kinda wish the days of buying your players was still around .  Now it's based too much on luck .

Agreed. I now have (hardly) accepted the fact that Danny's plan for the future is pretty much riding on luck.

He blew the team apart and now we're riding on hope that not only do we get a good pick, but whoever we pick would be the guy to build around, and/or we get lucky and end in a James Harden sort of situation.

He's really putting the future of the franchise on luck. We better be lucky.

luck? So him acquiring all these picks was luck? they fell in our lap? PUHLEEEEZE!

he can use them to trade up in the draft or for proven players. As far as the luck of the lottery let me tell you something. If DA really wanted too he could remove alot of that as well. You go into full bore tank mode and finish with the worst record which then GUARANTEES a top 3 pick.

[timpiker]

Found it interesting other fans are talking about Ainge a bit...found this on another board:

__

Genuinely one of the greatest rebuilds in history, and they've barely begun rebuilding.

They got TWO UNPROTECTED 1sts and a PICK SWAP for the aged KG & Pierce.

They got Zeller AND A 1st (did they get that Philly "1st" too? it'll be two high 2nds) for taking on some salary (was it Thornton?)

They got a 1st round pick FOR THEIR COACH!!!!!! FOR THEIR COACH!!!! WHEN DOES THAT EVEN HAPPEN??

They got a 1st for Jeff Green.

They got, essentially two 1sts for Rondo - the DAL 1st and then that MIN "1st" (again, probably two high 2nds) by reshuffling Brandan Wright.

All in the span of a year and a half.

In a year and a half, they grabbed basically 6 1sts, a theoretical pick swap, and 4 2nds for the remnants of their team.

This doesn't even include the Smart/Sullinger/Olynyk core that they drafted themselves.

Danny Ainge honestly, GM of the decade, I don't even know how anyone else can compare. This team will be loaded with the most flexible cheap contracts and even if they make a mistake or lose a guy in a trade, they can just draft 5 more guys the next year.

This is hardly even fair, the rest of the league is playing checkers and Danny Ainge is playing 12-dimensional chess.

Sam Hinkie is the JV team. Danny Ainge is GOD MODE.

Thank you for this.  C's fan mostly hate on Ainge but this puts it into more perspective.  I mean, its not like Danny can prevent PP and KG from getting old or just waive his magic wand and make players come to the C's.  He is doing the best that's possible with what he has to work with.

[aingeforthree]

Found it interesting other fans are talking about Ainge a bit...found this on another board:

__

Genuinely one of the greatest rebuilds in history, and they've barely begun rebuilding.

They got TWO UNPROTECTED 1sts and a PICK SWAP for the aged KG & Pierce.

They got Zeller AND A 1st (did they get that Philly "1st" too? it'll be two high 2nds) for taking on some salary (was it Thornton?)

They got a 1st round pick FOR THEIR COACH!!!!!! FOR THEIR COACH!!!! WHEN DOES THAT EVEN HAPPEN??

They got a 1st for Jeff Green.

They got, essentially two 1sts for Rondo - the DAL 1st and then that MIN "1st" (again, probably two high 2nds) by reshuffling Brandan Wright.

All in the span of a year and a half.

In a year and a half, they grabbed basically 6 1sts, a theoretical pick swap, and 4 2nds for the remnants of their team.

This doesn't even include the Smart/Sullinger/Olynyk core that they drafted themselves.

Danny Ainge honestly, GM of the decade, I don't even know how anyone else can compare. This team will be loaded with the most flexible cheap contracts and even if they make a mistake or lose a guy in a trade, they can just draft 5 more guys the next year.

This is hardly even fair, the rest of the league is playing checkers and Danny Ainge is playing 12-dimensional chess.

Sam Hinkie is the JV team. Danny Ainge is GOD MODE.

Thank you for this.  C's fan mostly hate on Ainge but this puts it into more perspective.  I mean, its not like Danny can prevent PP and KG from getting old or just waive his magic wand and make players come to the C's.  He is doing the best that's possible with what he has to work with.

I've never seen a rebuilding team with this many assets going forward.

If people are frustrated with him, they don't understand the process going into it. Everybody wants to win now, but that's not realistic if you want to rebuild the correct way.

He's torn it down. Now the fun begins. I've never seen a rebuilding team with this:

*Young core to develop or use in trade

Smart
Young
Crowder
Bradley
Olynyk
Sullinger
Zeller

*11 first round picks in the next 4 years

*Cap space

If Ainge lands any tier 1 or tier 2 free agent, that just speeds up the process considering the amount of trade & draft ammo he has. It's ridiculous. General Managing 101. Rebuilding class 101. Tear it completely down, and start over again. Usually when that approach is taken, you have your roster and your own picks. Ainge has his roster, his own picks, and EVERYBODY else's picks ! Let Ainge teach these frustrated fools a lesson.

[vinnie]

Of your "young core," I say there are two, maybe three keepers there at most. I think it will take 4-5 years at the least to become a legit contender again, and that is if Ainge is actually able to get "impact" players in the draft.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Ainge did do a great job collecting bricks, but until he turns that to a house that we can all be proud off, I won't call him God just yet.

Collecting pieces is one thing , turning them into a real basketball team will be another.

I kinda wish the days of buying your players was still around .  Now it's based too much on luck .

Agreed. I now have (hardly) accepted the fact that Danny's plan for the future is pretty much riding on luck.

He blew the team apart and now we're riding on hope that not only do we get a good pick, but whoever we pick would be the guy to build around, and/or we get lucky and end in a James Harden sort of situation.

He's really putting the future of the franchise on luck. We better be lucky.

luck? So him acquiring all these picks was luck? they fell in our lap? PUHLEEEEZE!

he can use them to trade up in the draft or for proven players. As far as the luck of the lottery let me tell you something. If DA really wanted too he could remove alot of that as well. You go into full bore tank mode and finish with the worst record which then GUARANTEES a top 3 pick.

No, acquiring the picks was brilliant.

Turning the picks into something significant would require luck. You'd still need a trade partner that would be willing to move their earlier picks or players for our late firsts. We still need luck to get a top three pick, its not a guarantee (we had one of the highest chance to land a top 3 pick in 07 and we ended 5th, Charlotte has screwed over too).. And not to mention, were not even sure if that top 3 pick would be a good player we can build around.

I get the plan though. Drag the franchise into years of suckingness and HOPE we get a good player in the draft.

[aingeforthree]

Of your "young core," I say there are two, maybe three keepers there at most. I think it will take 4-5 years at the least to become a legit contender again, and that is if Ainge is actually able to get "impact" players in the draft.

Could definitely be true.  You have to find out who the young core will be, what they will or won't develop into, etc.  Regardless, the next step of the rebuild is wide open.

What could some of your firsts added with Young net you ? 2016 Brooklyn first + James Young ? How about a first & Sullinger ? Olynyk + your own first ? etc.

Determine the value in the market, see if it's worth giving up, or not.  That core is so young that it's way to early to put a final grade on each talent.  Some GM's might value them more than others, & that's where a GM has to put in his work.  Determine that value.

You have options.  You can keep who fits your system and send out others with Picks to up their current value.  You could also develop some of these youngsters and turn them into an all star yourself.  It's too early to tell with some of them.

[hwangjini_1]

Ainge did do a great job collecting bricks, but until he turns that to a house that we can all be proud off, I won't call him God just yet.

Collecting pieces is one thing , turning them into a real basketball team will be another.

I kinda wish the days of buying your players was still around .  Now it's based too much on luck .

Agreed. I now have (hardly) accepted the fact that Danny's plan for the future is pretty much riding on luck.

He blew the team apart and now we're riding on hope that not only do we get a good pick, but whoever we pick would be the guy to build around, and/or we get lucky and end in a James Harden sort of situation.

He's really putting the future of the franchise on luck. We better be lucky.

luck? So him acquiring all these picks was luck? they fell in our lap? PUHLEEEEZE!

he can use them to trade up in the draft or for proven players. As far as the luck of the lottery let me tell you something. If DA really wanted too he could remove alot of that as well. You go into full bore tank mode and finish with the worst record which then GUARANTEES a top 3 pick.

No, acquiring the picks was brilliant.

Turning the picks into something significant would require luck. You'd still need a trade partner that would be willing to move their earlier picks or players for our late firsts. We still need luck to get a top three pick, its not a guarantee (we had one of the highest chance to land a top 3 pick in 07 and we ended 5th, Charlotte has screwed over too).. And not to mention, were not even sure if that top 3 pick would be a good player we can build around.

I get the plan though. Drag the franchise into years of suckingness and HOPE we get a good player in the draft.

help me out here. are you saying the celtics are better served if ainge's plan was more "make the team great immediately"? hard to argue with the desirability of such a plan, but i am flummoxed over how ainge was to make this plan an actual reality.

p.s. i believe the word you are looking for is "suck-ocity." 

[pearljammer10]

This is hardly even fair, the rest of the league is playing checkers and Danny Ainge is playing 12-dimensional chess.

this quote is god

ditto

[Eja117]

This is hardly even fair, the rest of the league is playing checkers and Danny Ainge is playing 12-dimensional chess.

this quote is god

Yeah I don't know. I went to a checkers tournament once and brought a Star Trek Chess board. It didn't go well.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Ainge did do a great job collecting bricks, but until he turns that to a house that we can all be proud off, I won't call him God just yet.

Collecting pieces is one thing , turning them into a real basketball team will be another.

I kinda wish the days of buying your players was still around .  Now it's based too much on luck .

Agreed. I now have (hardly) accepted the fact that Danny's plan for the future is pretty much riding on luck.

He blew the team apart and now we're riding on hope that not only do we get a good pick, but whoever we pick would be the guy to build around, and/or we get lucky and end in a James Harden sort of situation.

He's really putting the future of the franchise on luck. We better be lucky.

luck? So him acquiring all these picks was luck? they fell in our lap? PUHLEEEEZE!

he can use them to trade up in the draft or for proven players. As far as the luck of the lottery let me tell you something. If DA really wanted too he could remove alot of that as well. You go into full bore tank mode and finish with the worst record which then GUARANTEES a top 3 pick.

No, acquiring the picks was brilliant.

Turning the picks into something significant would require luck. You'd still need a trade partner that would be willing to move their earlier picks or players for our late firsts. We still need luck to get a top three pick, its not a guarantee (we had one of the highest chance to land a top 3 pick in 07 and we ended 5th, Charlotte has screwed over too).. And not to mention, were not even sure if that top 3 pick would be a good player we can build around.

I get the plan though. Drag the franchise into years of suckingness and HOPE we get a good player in the draft.

help me out here. are you saying the celtics are better served if ainge's plan was more "make the team great immediately"? hard to argue with the desirability of such a plan, but i am flummoxed over how ainge was to make this plan an actual reality.

p.s. i believe the word you are looking for is "suck-ocity." 

I believe we already have enough assets, along with good players (before the trades) to turn this team around. Instead the plan seems to be to start from scratch by trying to luck out on the draft. I think thats a very dangerous game to play. Granted we could be indeed lucky and get the cornerstone in that draft, but what if we dont?

English is my second language, so I would defer to you. Suck-ocity it is...

[MBunge]

Ainge did do a great job collecting bricks, but until he turns that to a house that we can all be proud off, I won't call him God just yet.

Collecting pieces is one thing , turning them into a real basketball team will be another.

I kinda wish the days of buying your players was still around .  Now it's based too much on luck .

Agreed. I now have (hardly) accepted the fact that Danny's plan for the future is pretty much riding on luck.

He blew the team apart and now we're riding on hope that not only do we get a good pick, but whoever we pick would be the guy to build around, and/or we get lucky and end in a James Harden sort of situation.

He's really putting the future of the franchise on luck. We better be lucky.

luck? So him acquiring all these picks was luck? they fell in our lap? PUHLEEEEZE!

he can use them to trade up in the draft or for proven players. As far as the luck of the lottery let me tell you something. If DA really wanted too he could remove alot of that as well. You go into full bore tank mode and finish with the worst record which then GUARANTEES a top 3 pick.

No, acquiring the picks was brilliant.

Turning the picks into something significant would require luck. You'd still need a trade partner that would be willing to move their earlier picks or players for our late firsts. We still need luck to get a top three pick, its not a guarantee (we had one of the highest chance to land a top 3 pick in 07 and we ended 5th, Charlotte has screwed over too).. And not to mention, were not even sure if that top 3 pick would be a good player we can build around.

I get the plan though. Drag the franchise into years of suckingness and HOPE we get a good player in the draft.

help me out here. are you saying the celtics are better served if ainge's plan was more "make the team great immediately"? hard to argue with the desirability of such a plan, but i am flummoxed over how ainge was to make this plan an actual reality.

p.s. i believe the word you are looking for is "suck-ocity." 

I believe we already have enough assets, along with good players (before the trades) to turn this team around.

And that belief is based on what?  We were 9-14 WITH Rondo and Green.  That projects out to about 32 wins, which probably wouldn't make the playoffs in the sucky East but would likely knock us into the 8-14 range in the draft instead of 1-8.  And then when Green opted out, we would have either had to spend about half our salary cap to resign him and Rondo or let them walk.  We wouldn't have the money to go after a top free agent until after next season, when I think both Rondo and Green would be around 30.

Why is that better?

Mike

[greg683x]

Ainge did do a great job collecting bricks, but until he turns that to a house that we can all be proud off, I won't call him God just yet.

Collecting pieces is one thing , turning them into a real basketball team will be another.

I kinda wish the days of buying your players was still around .  Now it's based too much on luck .

Agreed. I now have (hardly) accepted the fact that Danny's plan for the future is pretty much riding on luck.

He blew the team apart and now we're riding on hope that not only do we get a good pick, but whoever we pick would be the guy to build around, and/or we get lucky and end in a James Harden sort of situation.

He's really putting the future of the franchise on luck. We better be lucky.

luck? So him acquiring all these picks was luck? they fell in our lap? PUHLEEEEZE!

he can use them to trade up in the draft or for proven players. As far as the luck of the lottery let me tell you something. If DA really wanted too he could remove alot of that as well. You go into full bore tank mode and finish with the worst record which then GUARANTEES a top 3 pick.

No, acquiring the picks was brilliant.

Turning the picks into something significant would require luck. You'd still need a trade partner that would be willing to move their earlier picks or players for our late firsts. We still need luck to get a top three pick, its not a guarantee (we had one of the highest chance to land a top 3 pick in 07 and we ended 5th, Charlotte has screwed over too).. And not to mention, were not even sure if that top 3 pick would be a good player we can build around.

I get the plan though. Drag the franchise into years of suckingness and HOPE we get a good player in the draft.

help me out here. are you saying the celtics are better served if ainge's plan was more "make the team great immediately"? hard to argue with the desirability of such a plan, but i am flummoxed over how ainge was to make this plan an actual reality.

p.s. i believe the word you are looking for is "suck-ocity." 

I believe we already have enough assets, along with good players (before the trades) to turn this team around. Instead the plan seems to be to start from scratch by trying to luck out on the draft. I think thats a very dangerous game to play. Granted we could be indeed lucky and get the cornerstone in that draft, but what if we dont?

English is my second language, so I would defer to you. Suck-ocity it is...

so what would have been the safe choice?  Keep Rondo?  Keep Green?  It wasnt enough, we still would have needed luck like you put it, and we would have had to overpay to keep them here, so we actually would have been handicapping ourselves if something did come alone

Any team that is not contending right now needs luck to become a contender, we're not any different.

All Ainge is doing is increasing our chances of lucking out into a franchise player by taking care of the things that HE can control in the rebuilding process, which is picks and capspace.

[hwangjini_1]

The jury is still out on Ainge. He hasn't done anything as of yet but acquire picks and win a championship. Until he does something with them who knows how this will turn out. I'd really like to see him package a few of them and move up in this upcoming draft.

[SHAQATTACK]

Well we'll see how smart he is soon enough or if he Is unemployed