Ainge misses out on another superstar, overrated GM

[BostonCouchGM]

wait till you go through his draft record. It's abysmal. Before the league caught on, he was very adept at making quality trades and earned the "Trader Danny" moniker. Now? Not so hot. I know it sounds absurd given the success, but he's really botched the rebuild after the Big Three moved on.

First move, first building block of the rebuild was to draft Olynyk, an older high floor low ceiling prospect, over Giannis or Gobert
He followed that up by taking James Young over several much better players with the first of the Nets picks (Jokic, Capela, Grant, Dinwiddie, Bogdanovic)
In 2016 he drafted Yabusele and Zizic over Dejounte Murray, LeVert, Siakam, and Brogdon
He traded the #8 pick in 2018 for two year retail of disgruntled head case Kyrie. Players available with the #8 pick (MPJ, SGA, Bridges, Sexton)

Yes the Celtics have had some success in a weak conference but as we sit now, the Nets have a better chance at making the Finals. It matters not. I've never seen a more stubborn apologist fanbase than my fellow Celtics fans when it comes to Ainge.

[meekrab]

Ainge saw how Ujiri was able to fleece the Knicks so thoroughly and decided he'd never make another trade unless it competed with that.

[benson13]

Congrats to Celts fans, yall just got the Pharm bump. Multiple titles on their way!

Spoiler:

kidding of course, just razzing bc of the Steph thread

Dude is strange. Every time there's a shooting he immediately starts a thread on it in current affairs, and just says "thoughts and prayers".

I think a career sticking pills in bottles can make you wierd.

Ainge made a mistake not trading for Kawhi or AD. He didn't get anything for Irving and gave Al Horford a lot of money.

I think Ainge's "brilliance" as GM is rooted in two trades.

[IgorK]

Tatum + Brown is a better bet for the next 10 years than Harden for the next 3.

As much as I despise Ainge, passing on old superstars in favor of continuing to develop terrific young core is not a fault but a strength.

[_qubik]

Maybe Ainge will make Tatum and Brown all time greats, because they ain't getting help anytime soon

So, they will need to be enought to win. Don't even start typing that Kemba is a great third star and all. Ainge has missed a lot of opportunities to build a freaking super team in the molds of the KD version of GSW, they had young guys on rookie deals with a lot of talent and even playoff experience, assets and salaries to make big trades. They are good, I dont like the Celtics, dont want them to suceed, but I give them credit, they are good now, but if they had a better GM they could even better now, and for the future too.

[Raps in 4]

Still a top-5 executive. He's assembled his second contender in 15 years and the guys he gets grilled for holding onto have turned into excellent players.

[Dan Z]

This thread is ridiculous. Does this mean every GM, except Marks, sucks because they missed out on Harden? haha.

Harden never said he wanted to go to Boston and would cost too many assets. They're a good team as is.

As for AD Ainge couldn't get him at that time because of the "Rose Rule":
https://www.si.com/nba/2019/01/28/anthony-davis-trade-rumors-pelicans-derrick-rose-rule-explained-designated-player

You could argue that he should've traded Kyrie for him, but how do we know that New Orleans would want him? Also, AD said he wanted to go to LA.

Bashing Ainge for rumors, and what he didn't do, is getting old. We don't really know what was offered, or talked about, because none of us where there in the room or on the phone.

[GYK]

Brad and Ainge do avoid expectations somehow. No one ever tries to blow them up for just being a contender like team.

[DroseReturnChi]

Tatum + Brown is a better bet for the next 10 years than Harden for the next 3.

As much as I despise Ainge, passing on old superstars in favor of continuing to develop terrific young core is not a fault but a strength.

So what? they arent winning anything for the next 3yr~~5yrs. The east is stacked and celtics are not even contenders anymore.
you had unlimited frps and wasted it all on useless prospects. could have gotten at least 2 of those superstars and won it all without sacrificing the core.

[ocelot17]

Celtics are just another good team. Not great, just good. It’s clear that they’re not serious about winning a championship.

Now you got another contender in the nets that just passed them by.

[MagicBagley18]

“Ainge is cold blooded traded IT and has no loyalty he’s a snake who will trade anybody”

“Ainge literally gets too attached to assets and once again misses out on a trade”

Which is it

[SMTBSI]

Bottom line: if we made all the moves RealGM has critiqued us for not making over the years, we'd be deep in a rebuild right now.

[itrsteve]

Celtics are just another good team. Not great, just good. It’s clear that they’re not serious about winning a championship.

Now you got another contender in the nets that just passed them by.

3 trips to the ECF in the last 4 seasons - hell, would have been 4 if Irving didn’t shoot them out of the building.

Not saying that CF appearances are the end-all - but to be one of the last four teams standing on a routine basis lends way to the idea that maybe you don’t have to go nuclear on your roster.

Every last damn trade that people think should have happened would have been at the cost of Jaylen, Tatum or both... They wouldn’t even have a functioning team right now if they cleared the farm for Leonard.

Ainge is fine. Some of you have to get over the obsession.

[JediMasterRevan]

I feel like there is a fair bit of misinformation here.

1) kd chose warriors
2) irving was traded for but decided to leave because
3) davis wanted la
4) cost for george was too high
5) kawhi didnt want to be here and it would have been 1 year only, was not worth mortgaging future for

Team has one of the best duos in the league, both are very young, future looks bright.

[reload141]

Tatum + Brown is a better bet for the next 10 years than Harden for the next 3.

As much as I despise Ainge, passing on old superstars in favor of continuing to develop terrific young core is not a fault but a strength.

So what? they arent winning anything for the next 3yr~~5yrs. The east is stacked and celtics are not even contenders anymore.
you had unlimited frps and wasted it all on useless prospects. could have gotten at least 2 of those superstars and won it all without sacrificing the core.

Man... this gets said every year and then you look back at the facts and see the Celtics have gone to the ECF 3 out of last 4 years with Tatum and Brown who are 22 and 24.

[FNQ]

Congrats to Celts fans, yall just got the Pharm bump. Multiple titles on their way!

Spoiler:

kidding of course, just razzing bc of the Steph thread

Dude is strange. Every time there's a shooting he immediately starts a thread on it in current affairs, and just says "thoughts and prayers".

I think a career sticking pills in bottles can make you wierd.

Ainge made a mistake not trading for Kawhi or AD. He didn't get anything for Irving and gave Al Horford a lot of money.

I think Ainge's "brilliance" as GM is rooted in two trades.

I dunno about all that, I was just ribbing the guy a little, he's a good sport about it

[Pablo Escobar]

Ainge sucks that treasure trove though!

[FNQ]

Bottom line: if we made all the moves RealGM has critiqued us for not making over the years, we'd be deep in a rebuild right now.

exactly

GB is just a place to have hot takes, and only remember the times you were right.. 99% of the time if you aren't a fan of the team and you're trying to make some in-depth critique, you've got no idea whats going on

Like I dont think the Nets are favorites or even that strong of contenders right now.. but if a Nets fan breaks down why they think the Nets are, and its not just some homer hogwash, probably oughta give that person a listen. But the C's fans have had it so bad because of Ainge and very few of the proposed deals would have worked out.. all because Ainge gave himself a ton of picks and ammo to work with, which is what every fan here seems to want - to tinker with a franchise like its NBA2K, and have an elite 99 rated team of all players under 25

[reload141]

Bottom line: if we made all the moves RealGM has critiqued us for not making over the years, we'd be deep in a rebuild right now.

exactly

GB is just a place to have hot takes, and only remember the times you were right.. 99% of the time if you aren't a fan of the team and you're trying to make some in-depth critique, you've got no idea whats going on

Like I dont think the Nets are favorites or even that strong of contenders right now.. but if a Nets fan breaks down why they think the Nets are, and its not just some homer hogwash, probably oughta give that person a listen. But the C's fans have had it so bad because of Ainge and very few of the proposed deals would have worked out.. all because Ainge gave himself a ton of picks and ammo to work with, which is what every fan here seems to want - to tinker with a franchise like its NBA2K, and have an elite 99 rated team of all players under 25

[Fencer reregistered]

As I posted in another thread, almost no championship in recent decades has been won by trading away an established young star. Draft picks/draft rights? Sure. Marc Gasol before anybody knew what he would be? Sure.

In fact, the closest thing there was to an exception is when Al Jefferson was traded away by ... wait for it ... Danny Ainge.

At least, that's one of the top two. Some people might cite Monta Ellis instead.

Edit: Well, I guess there's also Brandon Ingram ...