Ainge draft press conference

[Forza Juventus]

Btw, Ainge looks spent.  You can tell he's disappointed.  I feel for the guy... but you can't give up assets just to give them up.  If the price was something like Sully + #16 + #28 for #9?... would it have been worth it?  I mean... Winslow might haunt us, but trading Sully might haunt us as well.  You never know.   If there was a good deal available, Ainge would have taken it.  He knows what he's doing.

If that was the price I definitely would have done it.

[wiley]

I somewhat feel bad for Danny.  I think he's an amazing GM.  One of the best in the league.  And he's had some dumb luck.  Nobody would have predicted that removing Jeff Green and Rajon Rondo from a 26 win team would somehow result in 40 wins and an accidental playoff berth.    Missing out on the Wiggins/Parker/Embiid draft was a bad beat.   There have been a few years of blown opportunities... him trying to trade Ray only to have the deal fall apart last minute.  David West agreeing to sign here only to bail last second.   Our futile attempts to move middling assets for Kevin Love.  Our futile attempt to move up in the draft last year to select Embiid.  Our futile attempts to move up in the draft this year.   It's been rough and probably very frustrating.  Despite this, he's pulled off some great moves... getting good value out of KG and Paul's in their final days.  Getting some meh assets out of impending free agents Rondo and Green.    He typically drafts guys who outperform their draft slot.   But now he's sitting on a hill of beans and he's not surprisingly having trouble selling the beans for a golden goose.   

I still have faith that we'll be a player in free agency.  I think our front office, org, city, history, coach, etc will make us a real player.  I'm glad he's in charge.  Maybe I'm still in denial, but I'm glad Danny is running this team.   Moving into the Top 10 never seemed feasible... if it was going to take a major overpay, he was probably smart to pass on it.  Keep collecting those middling assets and hopefully he'll eventually be able to move some for an impact player.

On the other hand, he lucked into Allen/Garnett/Pierce. If we're going to excuse him for bad luck, we shouldn't then praise him for good luck.

So, take away the fortune of Garnett/Allen, and what's Ainge then?  Whatever your answer might be, that's how he needs to be evaluated, IMO.

TPs for days. I'll go back on the soapbox I was on that he was handed KG and the rest fell into place. I got on board with the rebuild and believed he did a nice job collecting very solid role players (Crowder and IT). But he has a lot to prove, and draft-wise, he hasn't done it. Point to anyone drafting during the Big 3 era (Rondo, Perk) and I'll just argue they were a product of the environment (they're also my 2 favorite Cs during our run). I would give him one more year, 2 max, to figure things out. Nothing else he has done is worth crap imo.

Does it count as good luck when most of the fan base and media ripped him for adding ankle-challenged Ray Allen and giving up on everyone's beloved Al Jefferson?

No. That's a silly comment re: Allen (who literally won Miami as chip), and Jefferson is... what? A good 1-way player that we have 6 of at 1 position, now? Crazy we could part ways with him in hindsight, right?

I wasn't commenting on Ray and Jefferson.  I was saying that it's hindsight to call getting Garnett "lucky" when it took some trades that were not at all popular at the time.  A lot of fans complained and people in the Boston media criticized the Ray Allen trade (go back and read the threads and the sports news).  And many people didn't like giving up Jefferson either, though most came around pretty quickly. 

So my point was that at the time the two trades that allowed us to have a big 3 of Pierce Allen and Garnett should not really be seen as lucky imo.  In fact it took some cahones on Ainge's part. 

In fact, it's only now that the Celtics pulled that whole thing off and had great success that the Celtics fan base (as a whole) knows the true difference between young players with potential and real stars.  Only now do armchair GM bloggers spend all their time plotting how to turn our young players into the next Big 3.  Ainge showed us all how it's done...

I think fans get caught up in it a little too much though (wanting Carmelo and such).  There are very few Keving Garnett's who can completely change the culture of a team, anchor the defense and hit outside shots.

[Scintan]

I wasn't commenting on Ray and Jefferson.  I was saying that it's hindsight to call getting Garnett "lucky" when it took some trades that were not at all popular at the time.  A lot of fans complained and people in the Boston media criticized the Ray Allen trade (go back and read the threads and the sports news).  And many people didn't like giving up Jefferson either, though most came around pretty quickly. 

So my point was that at the time the two trades that allowed us to have a big 3 of Pierce Allen and Garnett should not really be seen as lucky imo.  In fact it took some cahones on Ainge's part. 

In fact, it's only now that the Celtics pulled that whole thing off and had great success that the Celtics fan base (as a whole) knows the true difference between young players with potential and real stars.  Only now do armchair GM bloggers spend all their time plotting how to turn our young players into the next Big 3.  Ainge showed us all how it's done...

I think fans get caught up in it a little too much though (wanting Carmelo and such).  There are very few Keving Garnett's who can completely change the culture of a team, anchor the defense and hit outside shots.

Ainge was lucky.  Some people not liking the moves doesn't change that any more than some people liking the idea of tanking means that they weren't unlucky when they got the short end of the lottery stick.

With almost any move, there are going to be some people who agree with it and some who disagree with it.  If you can find a move that's got 100% approval, you haven't found a unicorn, but you've found a very endangered species.

[wayupnorth]

I wasn't commenting on Ray and Jefferson.  I was saying that it's hindsight to call getting Garnett "lucky" when it took some trades that were not at all popular at the time.  A lot of fans complained and people in the Boston media criticized the Ray Allen trade (go back and read the threads and the sports news).  And many people didn't like giving up Jefferson either, though most came around pretty quickly. 

So my point was that at the time the two trades that allowed us to have a big 3 of Pierce Allen and Garnett should not really be seen as lucky imo.  In fact it took some cahones on Ainge's part. 

In fact, it's only now that the Celtics pulled that whole thing off and had great success that the Celtics fan base (as a whole) knows the true difference between young players with potential and real stars.  Only now do armchair GM bloggers spend all their time plotting how to turn our young players into the next Big 3.  Ainge showed us all how it's done...

I think fans get caught up in it a little too much though (wanting Carmelo and such).  There are very few Keving Garnett's who can completely change the culture of a team, anchor the defense and hit outside shots.

Ainge was lucky.  Some people not liking the moves doesn't change that any more than some people liking the idea of tanking means that they weren't unlucky when they got the short end of the lottery stick.

With almost any move, there are going to be some people who agree with it and some who disagree with it.  If you can find a move that's got 100% approval, you haven't found a unicorn, but you've found a very endangered species.

Show me a quality GM who isn't lucky...

[get_banners]

i want to know what was demanded for #9. my guess is an absurd amount. freaking sucks, we had plenty of ammunition to make that move, but i wouldn't be shocked if we didn't have a reasonable party on the other side of the phone.

[Scintan]

Show me a quality GM who isn't lucky...

Your post is completely irrelevant to everything I've posted about luck in this thread.

[LGC88]

I somewhat feel bad for Danny.  I think he's an amazing GM.  One of the best in the league.  And he's had some dumb luck.  Nobody would have predicted that removing Jeff Green and Rajon Rondo from a 26 win team would somehow result in 40 wins and an accidental playoff berth.    Missing out on the Wiggins/Parker/Embiid draft was a bad beat.   There have been a few years of blown opportunities... him trying to trade Ray only to have the deal fall apart last minute.  David West agreeing to sign here only to bail last second.   Our futile attempts to move middling assets for Kevin Love.  Our futile attempt to move up in the draft last year to select Embiid.  Our futile attempts to move up in the draft this year.   It's been rough and probably very frustrating.  Despite this, he's pulled off some great moves... getting good value out of KG and Paul's in their final days.  Getting some meh assets out of impending free agents Rondo and Green.    He typically drafts guys who outperform their draft slot.   But now he's sitting on a hill of beans and he's not surprisingly having trouble selling the beans for a golden goose.   

I still have faith that we'll be a player in free agency.  I think our front office, org, city, history, coach, etc will make us a real player.  I'm glad he's in charge.  Maybe I'm still in denial, but I'm glad Danny is running this team.   Moving into the Top 10 never seemed feasible... if it was going to take a major overpay, he was probably smart to pass on it.  Keep collecting those middling assets and hopefully he'll eventually be able to move some for an impact player.

I'm happy to give your 1000th TP

[RockinRyA]

i want to know what was demanded for #9. my guess is an absurd amount. freaking sucks, we had plenty of ammunition to make that move, but i wouldn't be shocked if we didn't have a reasonable party on the other side of the phone.

Mustve been too much, esp since Pho didnt get the trade down as well.

[MBunge]

1.  I don't think Ainge looked spent.  He looked like a 56-year-old guy at the end of a long day.  Wait until you hit that age and look in the mirror.

2.  I don't think it would make a bit of difference if Ainge downplayed anything or tried to spin some line about how he's perfectly happy with everything exactly the way it is.  If he started talking up the D League team he'd just have people ripping him for being complacent and out of touch and not willing to do what needs to be done.  Honesty is probably the best policy.

3.  Everybody needs to accept that Ainge doesn't believe in tanking, at least not the way people think of it now.  If he did, he wouldn't have traded for IT and he surely would have unloaded Bass instead of letting him be a starter during our playoff run.

4.  I would like all the complainers to ask themselves a question.  Do you like basketball?  Because it sure seems like a lot of you don't.  You don't even really like winning.  It appears you only care about winning it all.  Well, if that's all you care about, there's a 99% chance you are going to spend your lives as fans in painful, bitter misery.  If you guys were Knick fans, you would have committed suicide a long time ago or gone on a killing spree in Madison Square Garden.

Did the draft work out the way I hoped?  No, and neither might free agency.  But I got a lot of fun out of this Celtics team playing their butts off to make the playoffs when some other teams with supposedly better players stunk the joint out.  And I'm going to enjoy them playing their butts off next season and probably again win more games than some supposedly better teams.  If the thought of that leaves you angry or disappointed, you honestly ought to find something else to do with your time.

Mike

[Forza Juventus]

1.  I don't think Ainge looked spent.  He looked like a 56-year-old guy at the end of a long day.  Wait until you hit that age and look in the mirror.

2.  I don't think it would make a bit of difference if Ainge downplayed anything or tried to spin some line about how he's perfectly happy with everything exactly the way it is.  If he started talking up the D League team he'd just have people ripping him for being complacent and out of touch and not willing to do what needs to be done.  Honesty is probably the best policy.

3.  Everybody needs to accept that Ainge doesn't believe in tanking, at least not the way people think of it now.  If he did, he wouldn't have traded for IT and he surely would have unloaded Bass instead of letting him be a starter during our playoff run.

4. I would like all the complainers to ask themselves a question.  Do you like basketball?  Because it sure seems like a lot of you don't.  You don't even really like winning.  It appears you only care about winning it all.  Well, if that's all you care about, there's a 99% chance you are going to spend your lives as fans in painful, bitter misery.  If you guys were Knick fans, you would have committed suicide a long time ago or gone on a killing spree in Madison Square Garden.

Did the draft work out the way I hoped?  No, and neither might free agency.  But I got a lot of fun out of this Celtics team playing their butts off to make the playoffs when some other teams with supposedly better players stunk the joint out.  And I'm going to enjoy them playing their butts off next season and probably again win more games than some supposedly better teams.  If the thought of that leaves you angry or disappointed, you honestly ought to find something else to do with your time.

Mike

What?? I disagree with our draft so I don't like watching basketball and want them to lose? Where did you come up with that?

[RockinRyA]

1.  I don't think Ainge looked spent.  He looked like a 56-year-old guy at the end of a long day.  Wait until you hit that age and look in the mirror.

2.  I don't think it would make a bit of difference if Ainge downplayed anything or tried to spin some line about how he's perfectly happy with everything exactly the way it is.  If he started talking up the D League team he'd just have people ripping him for being complacent and out of touch and not willing to do what needs to be done.  Honesty is probably the best policy.

3.  Everybody needs to accept that Ainge doesn't believe in tanking, at least not the way people think of it now.  If he did, he wouldn't have traded for IT and he surely would have unloaded Bass instead of letting him be a starter during our playoff run.

4.  I would like all the complainers to ask themselves a question.  Do you like basketball?  Because it sure seems like a lot of you don't.  You don't even really like winning.  It appears you only care about winning it all.  Well, if that's all you care about, there's a 99% chance you are going to spend your lives as fans in painful, bitter misery.  If you guys were Knick fans, you would have committed suicide a long time ago or gone on a killing spree in Madison Square Garden.

Did the draft work out the way I hoped?  No, and neither might free agency.  But I got a lot of fun out of this Celtics team playing their butts off to make the playoffs when some other teams with supposedly better players stunk the joint out.  And I'm going to enjoy them playing their butts off next season and probably again win more games than some supposedly better teams.  If the thought of that leaves you angry or disappointed, you honestly ought to find something else to do with your time.

Mike

Yeah I was wondering the same thing. I think Boston fans have been really spoiled by being around champion teams that they forget that winning isnt all that counts. Sometimes I have more fun watching crappy teams than decent teams (last years team vs 2011-2012 team). Its really becoming disturbing that fans are cheering for losses than wins