Shams: Brad to replace Ainge

[Raps in 4]

For some reason people don't seem to get how its possible Ainge could get fired.

I'll put it this way. You get four or five kicks at the can and no matter how good you are, you can't get over the hump. At some point it's the coach or GM that needs to go. Brad Stevens is too good, you want to keep him. Basically, Ainge is Dwayne Casey in his coach of the year season, he has to go for the team to try to get over the hump. Ainge had countless opportunities to try and do that and didn't do it. Just as Casey did without any effort at change.

So he's toast.

You cannot keep a GM that obviously has such a low risk tolerance, when you're close.

Can't get over the hump? He brought them a title.

Then he rebuilt the team, and got them back to the ECF multiple times.

He was easily a top-5 executive in the league.

As in had a " war chest" and the last 5-6 years did nothing wit hit and can't get over the hump. You know exactly what I meant. If you think you GM gets 15 years between titles while screwing up like the last few years, that you opinion.

And he's not a top five executive in the league because he's not an executive in the league, and they just moved on from him. You can pretend I didn't predict this would happen, but if I could see it coming, well there far more reasons that what you assumed, which is no reason.

They went the the ECF because of their seeding purely. That's all. Play James in early rounds and you're bitching at Ainge like you bitch at Derozan.

How is reaching the ECF 3 out of the last 5 years "screwing up"? Winning a title is hard. If KD didn't get injured in 2019, we probably wouldn't have a title either and Masai would be on the hot seat right now too.

Ainge won a title, then he traded all his declining vets for picks. He then turned those picks into one of the league's best young cores. He's made mistakes, but no GM is perfect. He's right up there with Masai, Riley, Buford, and Connelly for best GM in the game.

And what seeding advantage did Boston have?

2017: Beat Washington (who swept us)
2018: Beat the Bucks and Sixers
2020: Beat us

[Morris_Shatford]

Let Stevens coach too!

Pat Quinn did it for years!

[OAKLEY_2]

If Masai leaves then I'd want Ainge as our next President without question. He was a victim of his own success. Not many have done what he built in Boston over these years. Flame away lol.

I agree. He is sort aggressive like Pritchard signing and trading and signing...finding his way towards stars without major tanking. He did a lot of work to get Smart and Rozier and then he switched gears taking a flyer on Me Myself and Kyrie and then when that flamed he went for Kemba freezing out Smart and Rozier. He passed a bunch of cars in reckless fashion as opportunist. Pressure from ownership?

[OAKLEY_2]

Kyrie signing was his downfall.

[Raps in 4]

Let Stevens coach too!

Pat Quinn did it for years!

Pop did it in the NBA.

[Johnny Bball]

Can't get over the hump? He brought them a title.

Then he rebuilt the team, and got them back to the ECF multiple times.

He was easily a top-5 executive in the league.

As in had a " war chest" and the last 5-6 years did nothing wit hit and can't get over the hump. You know exactly what I meant. If you think you GM gets 15 years between titles while screwing up like the last few years, that you opinion.

And he's not a top five executive in the league because he's not an executive in the league, and they just moved on from him. You can pretend I didn't predict this would happen, but if I could see it coming, well there far more reasons that what you assumed, which is no reason.

They went the the ECF because of their seeding purely. That's all. Play James in early rounds and you're bitching at Ainge like you bitch at Derozan.

How is reaching the ECF 3 out of the last 5 years "screwing up"? Winning a title is hard. If KD didn't get injured in 2019, we probably wouldn't have a title either and Masai would be on the hot seat right now too.

Ainge won a title, then he traded all his declining vets for picks. He then turned those picks into one of the league's best young cores. He's made mistakes, but no GM is perfect. He's right up there with Masai, Buford, and Connelly for best GM in the game.

And what seeding advantage did Boston have?

2017: Beat Washington (who swept us)
2018: Beat the Bucks and Sixers
2020: Beat us

What part of my post was hard to understand. You can pretend it wasn't when they faced James and that facing James in a different round made them better, but it didn't.

Ainge also won a title 15 years ago and hasn't come close since. None of those Earlier ECF teams were close to good enough to win it all. He had the picks and players to take a run and it and he did not. He had no risk tolerance to take any chance at it when he should have. And we won a title partly because of his inability to get over the hump. Or to even try. He had all the picks/young players to build a winner, or contender, at his disposal.

I do love the hypocrisy of cutting Danny Ainge all the slack in the world while you were moaning about DeRozan and Casey, when during that era the raptors were the better team and it was nothing but when they faced James. It's not as simple as derp, they went another round and ignoring the worse teams they played.

Last year they should have had a real shot, and he screwed that up too.

And if I can predict his firing/quitting, there were obviously signs and reasons for it.

[Bankai]

Masai to Boston as their Head Coach.
Nurse to Raptors President Role.
Ainge as Raptors Head Coach.

[Raps in 4]

As in had a " war chest" and the last 5-6 years did nothing wit hit and can't get over the hump. You know exactly what I meant. If you think you GM gets 15 years between titles while screwing up like the last few years, that you opinion.

And he's not a top five executive in the league because he's not an executive in the league, and they just moved on from him. You can pretend I didn't predict this would happen, but if I could see it coming, well there far more reasons that what you assumed, which is no reason.

They went the the ECF because of their seeding purely. That's all. Play James in early rounds and you're bitching at Ainge like you bitch at Derozan.

How is reaching the ECF 3 out of the last 5 years "screwing up"? Winning a title is hard. If KD didn't get injured in 2019, we probably wouldn't have a title either and Masai would be on the hot seat right now too.

Ainge won a title, then he traded all his declining vets for picks. He then turned those picks into one of the league's best young cores. He's made mistakes, but no GM is perfect. He's right up there with Masai, Buford, and Connelly for best GM in the game.

And what seeding advantage did Boston have?

2017: Beat Washington (who swept us)
2018: Beat the Bucks and Sixers
2020: Beat us

What part of my post was hard to understand. You can pretend it wasn't when they faced James and that facing James in a different round made them better, but it didn't.

Ainge also won a title 15 years ago and hasn't come close since. None of those teams were close to good enough to win it all. He had the picks and players to take a run and it and he did not. He had no risk tolerance to take any chance at it when he should have. And we a title because of his inability to get over the hump. Or to even try.

I do love the hypocrisy of cutting Danny Ainge all the slack in the world while you were moaning about DeRozan and Casey, when during that era the raptors were the better team and it was nothing but when they faced James. It's not as simple as derp, they went another round and ignoring the worse teams they played.

Last year they should have had a shot, and he screwed that up too.

Their core pieces are 23 and 25. The 23 year-old is a top-10 player. The 25 year-old is a top-20 player. Comparing that to our Derozan + Casey years is comical.

Should he have traded Brown for Harden? Yes. Does it mean he did a poor job because he didn't? No. That core has plenty of years left and there will be more trades available in the future.

Do you think the Raptors should have fired Masai before the Kawhi trade, because they were in a worse position than the Celtics are in right now? If KD didn't get injured in 2019, would you have fired Masai because he traded half of our core for a rental?

Ainge has done far more good than bad as GM in Boston. If you can't see it, you're a homer.

Since 2008 (Ainge's last title), 7 teams have won a title, out of 30. Once again, winning a title is hard. I don't think you realize that.

[Johnny Bball]

How is reaching the ECF 3 out of the last 5 years "screwing up"? Winning a title is hard. If KD didn't get injured in 2019, we probably wouldn't have a title either and Masai would be on the hot seat right now too.

Ainge won a title, then he traded all his declining vets for picks. He then turned those picks into one of the league's best young cores. He's made mistakes, but no GM is perfect. He's right up there with Masai, Buford, and Connelly for best GM in the game.

And what seeding advantage did Boston have?

2017: Beat Washington (who swept us)
2018: Beat the Bucks and Sixers
2020: Beat us

What part of my post was hard to understand. You can pretend it wasn't when they faced James and that facing James in a different round made them better, but it didn't.

Ainge also won a title 15 years ago and hasn't come close since. None of those teams were close to good enough to win it all. He had the picks and players to take a run and it and he did not. He had no risk tolerance to take any chance at it when he should have. And we a title because of his inability to get over the hump. Or to even try.

I do love the hypocrisy of cutting Danny Ainge all the slack in the world while you were moaning about DeRozan and Casey, when during that era the raptors were the better team and it was nothing but when they faced James. It's not as simple as derp, they went another round and ignoring the worse teams they played.

Last year they should have had a shot, and he screwed that up too.

Their core pieces are 23 and 25. The 23 year-old is a top-10 player. The 25 year-old is a top-20 player. Comparing that to our Derozan + Casey years is comical.

Should he have traded Brown for Harden? Yes. Does it mean he did a poor job because he didn't? No. That core has plenty of years left and there will be more trades available in the future.

Do you think the Raptors should have fired Masai before the Kawhi trade, because they were in a worse position than the Celtics are right now? If KD didn't get injured in 2019, would you have fired Masai?

But Masai DID make that trade and he DID try to build a true competitor? If the title never happened and we we in the spot we are in now, and derozan was still here and we never improved....are you seriously saying you wouldn't be all over firing Ujiri? Lmao., no, you would be, I can't even begin to imagine.

The Raptors were not in a worse position than the Celtics are right now under Ainge, and that is proven by the reality of what happened. Neither teams were true competitors for the title in those earlier years and you would think winning the title would have shown you what it takes.

It doesn't start and stop at Harden. He made a long list of what were bad decisions and there's a long list of missed opportunities.
I have no idea how you can think the guy that just got fired /replaced gave no reason for it, and you are arguing these reasons didn't exist, when to some of us these reasons have been readily apparent for a long time. And when "some of us", obviously includes Celtics ownership.

[Raps in 4]

The Raptors we not in a worse position than the Celtics are right now under Ainge. Neither we true competitors for the title and you would think winning the title would have shown you what it takes.

Are you seriously arguing that a core of 29 year-old Derozan and 32 year-old Lowry with Dwane Casey coaching was not a worse core than 25 year-old Jaylen Brown and 23 year-old Jayson Tatum with Brad Stevens coaching?

That can't possibly be a serious post.

It doesn't start and stop at Harden. He made a long list of what were bad decisions and there's a long list of missed opportunities. I have no idea how you can think the guy that just got fired /replaced gave no reason for it, and you are arguing these reasons didn't exist, when to some of us these reasons have been readily apparent for a long time. And when "some of us", obviously includes Celtics ownership.

What are those reasons? Appealing to authority is a weak argument.

[Cael]

So that's what happens when you draft too many point guards but then backtrack to Kyrie and Kemba... Wooosh. I think Ainge is a great Exec. to be honest. So if Masai bolts MLSE step up to the plate! Sixers bombed last year and got Morey and Doc. I guess that is their take on accountability in a bubble and Covid Olympics. Thank gawd we didn't do 7-11 like the Celts. Maybe Brown and Tatum are the new Marner and Matthews. Crowned stars far too early.

I think the racism thing got Danny in the end. Not saying he's racist, but he's not exactly "woke" either. So he needs to spend some time in the wilderness. Raps have a reputation of being a woke franchise, so Ainge wouldn't be a good fit.

Celtics seem to have been ordered (by the league?) to bring in a black coach. Since the Hawks haven't extended Nate McMillan yet, Celtics should jump in with a pot of money. Why hire the guy who was fired before Nate came in and did a great job?

It was Raps and Celtics who partnered on BLM before Milwaukee pulled the plug on their game causing a reset in the bubble. I just would be careful of assuming Ainge is quasi racist if we do not have hard evidence. Otherwise that is just a hardcore assertion.

I don't subscribe to ainge being racist but the teams meeting up to discuss the blm movement and things going on at the time had nothing to do with either front office or coaching staff. The players took it upon themselves to meet up and discuss it.

Let's not retcon the events.

[Raps in 4]

I think the racism thing got Danny in the end. Not saying he's racist, but he's not exactly "woke" either. So he needs to spend some time in the wilderness. Raps have a reputation of being a woke franchise, so Ainge wouldn't be a good fit.

Celtics seem to have been ordered (by the league?) to bring in a black coach. Since the Hawks haven't extended Nate McMillan yet, Celtics should jump in with a pot of money. Why hire the guy who was fired before Nate came in and did a great job?

It was Raps and Celtics who partnered on BLM before Milwaukee pulled the plug on their game causing a reset in the bubble. I just would be careful of assuming Ainge is quasi racist if we do not have hard evidence. Otherwise that is just a hardcore assertion.

I don't subscribe to ainge being racist but the teams meeting up to discuss the blm movement and things going on at the time had nothing to do with either front office or coaching staff. The players took it upon themselves to meet up and discuss it.

Let's not retcon the events.

I think Ainge is an ignorant old white guy, but I don't think he's racist.

[Johnny Bball]

The Raptors we not in a worse position than the Celtics are right now under Ainge. Neither we true competitors for the title and you would think winning the title would have shown you what it takes.

Are you seriously arguing that a core of 29 year-old Derozan and 32 year-old Lowry with Dwane Casey coaching was not a worse core than 25 year-old Jaylen Brown and 23 year-old Jayson Tatum with Brad Stevens coaching?

That can't possibly be a serious post.

It doesn't start and stop at Harden. He made a long list of what were bad decisions and there's a long list of missed opportunities. I have no idea how you can think the guy that just got fired /replaced gave no reason for it, and you are arguing these reasons didn't exist, when to some of us these reasons have been readily apparent for a long time. And when "some of us", obviously includes Celtics ownership.

What are those reasons? Appealing to authority is a weak argument.

I'm talking about pre-2019 and you know it. And yes it was. Both years the Celtics got there those teams were not better and saying otherwise is just trying to re-write history,. Neither team was a real competitor. And both were a long way away that required sacrifice, a sacrifice a guy with a low risk tolerance can't make.

What are those reasons? Dude, you obviously are not paying attention at all and now want it re-hashed? Lets just go with wasting a war chest and wasting endless talent and picks while never truly competing. They just got tossed in the first round by a true competitor, and there is still no difference in how close the Celtics really are with Ainge at the helm. And yet... you think he's a star executive when he's not even an executive at the moment.

I'm done explaining this when it was easy enough to predict and now your argument is that was a wrong decision apparently.

[Raps in 4]

I'm talking about pre-2019 and you know it. And yes it was. Both years the Celtics got there those teams were not better and saying otherwise is just trying to re-write history,. Neither team was a real competitor. And both were a long way away that required sacrifice, a sacrifice a guy with a low risk tolerance can't make.

Boston's core is younger and better than our core was. Yes, sacrifice is needed to win a title. But Ainge had plenty of years left before he had to sacrifice anything. Lowry was in his twilight years when we traded for Kawhi. Tatum and Brown aren't even 25 yet.

What are those reasons? Dude, you obviously are not paying attention at all and now want it re-hashed? Lets just go with wasting a war chest and wasting endless talent and picks while never truly competing.

He drafted one of the best young players in the game as well as another all-star.

They just got tossed in the first round by a true competitor, and there is still no difference in how close the Celtics really are with Ainge at the helm. And yet... you think he's a star executive when he's not even an executive at the moment.

They matched up against that team because Tatum caught COVID this year. It took him months to recover (he would use an inhaler on the bench). They then got tossed in the first round because their second best player didn't play due to a freak injury. And this "true contender" you speak of is a collection of 2 MVPs and an all-star who decided they wanted to form a new super friends. That isn't a replicable model of success unless your team is located in New York or Los Angeles.

I'm done explaining this when it was easy enough to predict and now your argument is that was a wrong decision apparently.

You didn't explain anything. These are just the rantings of a homer who can't acknowledge that a divisional rival has done something well.

Ainge has left the Celtics with that elusive superstar that so many teams spend decades searching for. If that was his only accomplishment since 2008, it would be considered a success. But he's done more than that (he drafted another all-star and hired an elite coach).

[Johnny Bball]

You didn't explain anything. These are just the rantings of a homer who can't acknowledge that a divisional rival has done something well.

That's delusional. My entire point is exactly about a division rival doing something well, firing Ainge.

[WuTang_OG]

Recent history shows a coach in charge of basketball ops doesnt work. See stan and thibs.

I love the move for us. Stevens was a top 3 coach with Nurse. Ainge was a top 5 GM, didnt manage his picks well but overall did a good job there.

I think Boston gets worse. Dont see stevens being successfuk in this role.

[Los_29]

Can't get over the hump? He brought them a title.

Then he rebuilt the team, and got them back to the ECF multiple times.

He was easily a top-5 executive in the league.

As in had a " war chest" and the last 5-6 years did nothing wit hit and can't get over the hump. You know exactly what I meant. If you think you GM gets 15 years between titles while screwing up like the last few years, that you opinion.

And he's not a top five executive in the league because he's not an executive in the league, and they just moved on from him. You can pretend I didn't predict this would happen, but if I could see it coming, well there far more reasons that what you assumed, which is no reason.

They went the the ECF because of their seeding purely. That's all. Play James in early rounds and you're bitching at Ainge like you bitch at Derozan.

How is reaching the ECF 3 out of the last 5 years "screwing up"? Winning a title is hard. If KD didn't get injured in 2019, we probably wouldn't have a title either and Masai would be on the hot seat right now too.

Ainge won a title, then he traded all his declining vets for picks. He then turned those picks into one of the league's best young cores. He's made mistakes, but no GM is perfect. He's right up there with Masai, Riley, Buford, and Connelly for best GM in the game.

And what seeding advantage did Boston have?

2017: Beat Washington (who swept us)
2018: Beat the Bucks and Sixers
2020: Beat us

Ainge to his credit was able to capitalize on the stupidity of the Brooklyn Nets who gave them a plethora of FRP's for players in their late 30's. Those picks ended up turning into lottery picks, two of them being in the top 3.

Ainge did a good job with Boston but the problem is he could've done a lot better. Good isn't good enough when you have an embarrassment of riches like they had. Ainge should've had another title given the assets he was working with. You can't blame him for losing to Lebron. But Lebron has been out of the east for three years now. Kawhi would've given them along with the Sixers a championship. But they got cold feet. Raptors didn't.

In many ways, Ainge is like Sam Presti. Presti had a ridiculous young core of Harden, KD, Westbrook and Ibaka. The best core in league history. And he never won a championship. Presti and Ainge should've done more with what they had.

Regardless, Ainge will find a place to go. He's a good GM and will be a significant upgrade over the majority of GM's in this league.

[Kevin Willis]

This is less about Brad's "promotion" than it is about Ainge being fired.

Danny had like 10 draft picks at one point. His team should be even better than this by now.

Of all the draft picks he has made in the last 7 years...Tatum, Brown, Rozier, Rob Williams and Smart are the only guys that have ended up being decent players. The rest are wasted picks. What is Ainge's percentage for draft hits? How does that compare with Masai's percentage of hits?

Masai has drafted same amount of decent players with less picks.

Siakam, FVV, Norm, OG, Delon, Jacob. Give Masai those picks and we would probably have another superstar in a trade or two.

[Raps in 4]

As in had a " war chest" and the last 5-6 years did nothing wit hit and can't get over the hump. You know exactly what I meant. If you think you GM gets 15 years between titles while screwing up like the last few years, that you opinion.

And he's not a top five executive in the league because he's not an executive in the league, and they just moved on from him. You can pretend I didn't predict this would happen, but if I could see it coming, well there far more reasons that what you assumed, which is no reason.

They went the the ECF because of their seeding purely. That's all. Play James in early rounds and you're bitching at Ainge like you bitch at Derozan.

How is reaching the ECF 3 out of the last 5 years "screwing up"? Winning a title is hard. If KD didn't get injured in 2019, we probably wouldn't have a title either and Masai would be on the hot seat right now too.

Ainge won a title, then he traded all his declining vets for picks. He then turned those picks into one of the league's best young cores. He's made mistakes, but no GM is perfect. He's right up there with Masai, Riley, Buford, and Connelly for best GM in the game.

And what seeding advantage did Boston have?

2017: Beat Washington (who swept us)
2018: Beat the Bucks and Sixers
2020: Beat us

Ainge to his credit was able to capitalize on the stupidity of the Brooklyn Nets who gave them a plethora of FRP's for players in their late 30's. Those picks ended up turning into lottery picks, two of them being in the top 3.

Ainge did a good job with Boston but the problem is he could've done a lot better. Good isn't good enough when you have an embarrassment of riches like they had. Ainge should've had another title given the assets he was working with. You can't blame him for losing to Lebron. But Lebron has been out of the east for three years now. Kawhi would've given them along with the Sixers a championship. But they got cold feet. Raptors didn't.

It's a lot easier to trade a 29 year-old Derozan for an injury-prone rental than it is to trade a 23 year-old Brown or a 23 year-old Simmons. It's hard to fault either team for not making those trades. Derozan was a low-impact player nearing the end of his physical prime. Simmons and Brown were top picks who were showing tons of promise. If they traded for Kawhi and didn't win the title, they would have been significantly worse off. If the Raptors didn't win the title, all they would be out is a good (but not elite) prospect in Purtle, while losing Derozan would be inconsequential.

[Los_29]

How is reaching the ECF 3 out of the last 5 years "screwing up"? Winning a title is hard. If KD didn't get injured in 2019, we probably wouldn't have a title either and Masai would be on the hot seat right now too.

Ainge won a title, then he traded all his declining vets for picks. He then turned those picks into one of the league's best young cores. He's made mistakes, but no GM is perfect. He's right up there with Masai, Riley, Buford, and Connelly for best GM in the game.

And what seeding advantage did Boston have?

2017: Beat Washington (who swept us)
2018: Beat the Bucks and Sixers
2020: Beat us

Ainge to his credit was able to capitalize on the stupidity of the Brooklyn Nets who gave them a plethora of FRP's for players in their late 30's. Those picks ended up turning into lottery picks, two of them being in the top 3.

Ainge did a good job with Boston but the problem is he could've done a lot better. Good isn't good enough when you have an embarrassment of riches like they had. Ainge should've had another title given the assets he was working with. You can't blame him for losing to Lebron. But Lebron has been out of the east for three years now. Kawhi would've given them along with the Sixers a championship. But they got cold feet. Raptors didn't.

It's a lot easier to trade a 29 year-old Derozan for an injury-prone rental than it is to trade a 23 year-old Brown or a 23 year-old Simmons. It's hard to fault either team for not making those trades. Derozan was a low-impact player nearing the end of his physical prime. Simmons and Brown were top picks who were showing tons of promise. If they traded for Kawhi and didn't win the title, they would have been significantly worse off. If the Raptors didn't win the title, all they would be out is a good (but not elite) prospect in Purtle, while losing Derozan would be inconsequential.

Brown is not a franchise player. He's a good #2 and a great #3 but he's never going to be the #1 guy on a championship squad. You trade guys like that any day of the week if it means getting a guy of Kawhi's calibre. I don't see a team featuring Tatum, Irving, Kawhi, Horford, Smart, Hayward, Rozier and Morris coming up short in the East.

Ainge was way too cautious and it cost him a championship.