Fire Ainge: Thanks Danny, but it's time to go

[FakeScreenName123]

They have been so far up their own butts every trade deadline now they are having a reckoning. They blew it last year at the deadline when they had a shot to get a few decent players for a playoff run for a future first. Now we have to give up two future (protected?) firsts for Aaron Gordon. That's bad management. That's delusion. You can't run an organization just magicially believing in guys that you like. If you like players around the league you have to be prepared to give up things to get them. And you can't just sit there and say "we like our guys" while at hte same time letting guys go in free agency! It's absurd!

[FakeScreenName123]

I swear this whole organization gets off on maximizing and squeezing talent out of lower level players and showing off their profit. They can turn dirt into a brick but if they get a diamond they drop it. and they've deluded themselves into thinking this 'asset management' approach is something that they are masters at.

The organizations they idolize have engrained culture (spurs, heat). The steven's celtics era isnt anything set in stone at all... its dominated by flexibility and pragamitism. His culture is adapting to the players he has. They've tried to say stevens creates this defensive culture but really that hasn't been the case since the IT celtics if we're honest -- and it was like that because they had to be because they didnt have talent.

[SmartWentCrazy]

I swear this whole organization gets off on maximizing and squeezing talent out of lower level players and showing off their profit. They can turn dirt into a brick but if they get a diamond they drop it. and they've deluded themselves into thinking this 'asset management' approach is something you can just magically create.

The organizations they idolize still have engrained culture (spurs, heat). The steven's celtics era isnt anything set in stone at all... its dominated by flexibility and pragamitism. They've tried to say stevens creates this defensive culture but really that hasn't been the case since the isiah celtics if we're honest.

We all bought in, lol. The 15 year window was straight PR from ownership on maximizing profit over actually trying to go all out to win a title.

The Warriors did everything right and had the best fortune in league history with the cap spike occurring right at this time. They had a 5 year window.

A 15 year window is just clever branding for doing what the Pacers do every year— have a fun playoff team thats never actual a threat but allows ownership to maximize profits.

[FakeScreenName123]

I swear this whole organization gets off on maximizing and squeezing talent out of lower level players and showing off their profit. They can turn dirt into a brick but if they get a diamond they drop it. and they've deluded themselves into thinking this 'asset management' approach is something you can just magically create.

The organizations they idolize still have engrained culture (spurs, heat). The steven's celtics era isnt anything set in stone at all... its dominated by flexibility and pragamitism. They've tried to say stevens creates this defensive culture but really that hasn't been the case since the isiah celtics if we're honest.

We all bought in, lol. The 15 year window was straight PR from ownership on maximizing profit over actually trying to go all out to win a title.

The Warriors did everything right and had the best fortune in league history with the cap spike occurring right at this time. They had a 5 year window.

A 15 year window is just clever branding for doing what the Pacers do every year— have a fun playoff team thats never actual a threat but allows ownership to maximize profits.

this is actually a really good point and something i totally forgot about. Provides a good insight into how our organization thought/may think. That's insane on their part and at teh time it came across amateurish and now it comes across as arrogant and gross.

[Squigglepuffin]

I think Danny did a great rebuild up until the 2018-19 season.

That is when he started making major mistakes.

The biggest set of mistakes were the 2019 and 2020 drafts; and not reading the writing on the wall with how much of a train wreck the team was during the 2018-19 season and not making moves that trade deadline.

That 2018-19 team was going no where and no moves were made.

Horford was getting old and seeking another big contract which he wouldn't be worth, Kyrie being a drama queen also with the smoke of him possibly changing teams in the off-season, and at least imo that season's Celtics team not being a serious threat to win the NBA title that season.

Signing Kemba was a panic move imo.

The Gordon Hayward failed trade with Indiana was another mistake but in retrospect I somewhat see the logic in holding out.

Danny did a great job post Pierce & KG up until the 2018-19 season trade deadline. Once that door shut everything started going downhill.

Since then he has performed poorly overall in multiple areas of his job.

Three seasons in a row.

[grantlongforpresident]

I broadly agree Squiggles that he has had some off years. The kyrie experiment was a dud and he made a bad signing with Kemba. He’s mismanaged some assets and his recent drafting and FA moves have been mediocre. He also appears to have overplayed his hand with Haywood. Now we have a roster with poor chemistry that he built. Not his best stretch. However, I still wouldn’t fire him. He’s done more good than harm over time.

[Ernest]

Has Ainge ever made a trade that in retrospect everyone across the league sees as a huge mistake (like Philly trading up in the draft to take Fultz)?

[Bleeding Green]

Just the Perk/Green trade, but of course those people are wrong and they didn't watch Perk in OKC.

[Bleeding Green]

I swear this whole organization gets off on maximizing and squeezing talent out of lower level players and showing off their profit. They can turn dirt into a brick but if they get a diamond they drop it. and they've deluded themselves into thinking this 'asset management' approach is something that they are masters at.

The organizations they idolize have engrained culture (spurs, heat). The steven's celtics era isnt anything set in stone at all... its dominated by flexibility and pragamitism. His culture is adapting to the players he has. They've tried to say stevens creates this defensive culture but really that hasn't been the case since the IT celtics if we're honest -- and it was like that because they had to be because they didnt have talent.

What diamonds have they dropped?

I agree they aim for flexibility. It's like all Ainge does. Be flexible, see what happens. This league is insane. you have LeBron or Kawhi for a year somehow draft Curry/Thompson/Green in a few years and then also sign Kevin Durant. No other way to win the last decade. Kawhi/LeBron/GOATed drafted trio, everyone else can go **** off. Be flexible until you can't. They chose this path of building through the draft and maintaining roster flexibility. Now it's maybe coming to an end a little because Brown and Tatum are making 45 million next year and Smart is due for a raise after next year. So sometime between now and that Smart FA decision, they have to decide on the next path. Trade one of Smart/Brown? Extend Smart and go all-in salarycap wise with Tatum/Brown/Smart? I dunno what to do honestly.

They have two of the best under-25 players in the NBA on the roster. Seems fine to me. They could have chosen a different path for sure; would it be better? Maybe trade for Kawhi, maybe he hits that shot like he did against Philly. Maybe Golden State crumbles to injury in the Finals like they did against Toronto. Maybe Boston wins the Title with Kawhi. Or maybe they go all in, Kawhi's shot rims out, and now they don't have Smart, Brown and Langford on the roster (or whatever the equivalent of DeRozan/Poeltl/2019 FRP is. And now they tank for Cunnginham like Toronto probably is. Honestly, maybe that's better overall, but it depends on your view. I'd rather have a flexible roster that is going to compete every year instead of a "1-2 year window and then reset" kind of roster. But I guess since they suck this year, that flexibility isn't doing much. They don't have much to show for the last few years unless you value getting to the ECF. I'm personally good with that if the roster is churning and improving year-over-year, but not if it stagnates and all the young players turn out to be **** like how this year is turning out. But this is also a bizarre year with no summer league, training camp, or normal practice, so I don't really care too much. Especially when the best player got covid and the starting PG is going to play about half the season, the backup PG about the same.

****, maybe the Nets had the right idea. Trade all your picks and then suck for a few years and then sign Durant and Kyrie, trade for Harden. Maybe that's better than having all those picks that turn into all-star young players. If the Nets win a title with these guys, their down years from that Pierce/KG trade will have been worth it for sure. But also, KD and Kyrie probably aren't signing in Boston like they would Brooklyn so good luck with that strategy.

[Ernest]

I swear this whole organization gets off on maximizing and squeezing talent out of lower level players and showing off their profit. They can turn dirt into a brick but if they get a diamond they drop it. and they've deluded themselves into thinking this 'asset management' approach is something that they are masters at.

The organizations they idolize have engrained culture (spurs, heat). The steven's celtics era isnt anything set in stone at all... its dominated by flexibility and pragamitism. His culture is adapting to the players he has. They've tried to say stevens creates this defensive culture but really that hasn't been the case since the IT celtics if we're honest -- and it was like that because they had to be because they didnt have talent.

What diamonds have they dropped?

I agree they aim for flexibility. It's like all Ainge does. Be flexible, see what happens. This league is insane. you have LeBron or Kawhi for a year somehow draft Curry/Thompson/Green in a few years and then also sign Kevin Durant. No other way to win the last decade. Kawhi/LeBron/GOATed drafted trio, everyone else can go **** off. Be flexible until you can't. They chose this path of building through the draft and maintaining roster flexibility. Now it's maybe coming to an end a little because Brown and Tatum are making 45 million next year and Smart is due for a raise after next year. So sometime between now and that Smart FA decision, they have to decide on the next path. Trade one of Smart/Brown? Extend Smart and go all-in salarycap wise with Tatum/Brown/Smart? I dunno what to do honestly.

They have two of the best under-25 players in the NBA on the roster. Seems fine to me. They could have chosen a different path for sure; would it be better? Maybe trade for Kawhi, maybe he hits that shot like he did against Philly. Maybe Golden State crumbles to injury in the Finals like they did against Toronto. Maybe Boston wins the Title with Kawhi. Or maybe they go all in, Kawhi's shot rims out, and now they don't have Smart, Brown and Langford on the roster (or whatever the equivalent of DeRozan/Poeltl/2019 FRP is. And now they tank for Cunnginham like Toronto probably is. Honestly, maybe that's better overall, but it depends on your view. I'd rather have a flexible roster that is going to compete every year instead of a "1-2 year window and then reset" kind of roster. But I guess since they suck this year, that flexibility isn't doing much. They don't have much to show for the last few years unless you value getting to the ECF. I'm personally good with that if the roster is churning and improving year-over-year, but not if it stagnates and all the young players turn out to be **** like how this year is turning out. But this is also a bizarre year with no summer league, training camp, or normal practice, so I don't really care too much. Especially when the best player got covid and the starting PG is going to play about half the season, the backup PG about the same.

****, maybe the Nets had the right idea. Trade all your picks and then suck for a few years and then sign Durant and Kyrie, trade for Harden. Maybe that's better than having all those picks that turn into all-star young players. If the Nets win a title with these guys, their down years from that Pierce/KG trade will have been worth it for sure. But also, KD and Kyrie probably aren't signing in Boston like they would Brooklyn so good luck with that strategy.

That's a really good post. It's really hard to win a title, you need a lot of talent and a lot of luck. It's really hard to say what the best moves are. Ainge at least makes steady moves. Times have changed 80s and 90s ball seemed to be you just have your star or two and ride with them forever. Ainge has made steady moves.

I think the Nets model is probably better than ours but only because NYC is such a destination. They can bank on players just wanting to go there. Even with all the Harden drama, I bet it comes out later that he was only going to go to the nets and would have caused so many problems to nay team standing in his way.

An interesting one is Cuban's Mavs. kind of a similar situation as the Celtics with Ainge. Both come in around the same time to a team that has been bad for a long time. Ainge starts off by trading Walker and blowing up a team that got to a weak ECF. He has a long term plan about wating out the contracts of Raef and Theo. Cuban just goes for everyone. We traded him Walker and Rondo. He runs the team like he is a poster on a internet trade forum. And yet they both have one title.

[FakeScreenName123]

im sure it had really good points

but this team is e-m-b-a-r-r-a-s-s-i-n-g. This team doesn't fall on your logical mind's scale. This is something to burn with fire.

[Bleeding Green]

im sure it had really good points

but this team is e-m-b-a-r-r-a-s-s-i-n-g. This team doesn't fall on your logical mind's scale. This is something to burn with fire.

Yeah I can't make it through a full game anymore. There are also circumstances like a global pandemic and the best player on the team having covid to consider, the team being really young overall. They chose this path of young players and they can't practice and all the young players haven't developed at all besides Rob Williams. Sports are **** weird the last year.

[LoquaciousLarry]

Great job Danny, enjoy retirement.

[Topbins]

Just the Perk/Green trade, but of course those people are wrong and they didn't watch Perk in OKC.

This trade was ****. I still to this day cannot stand Jeff Green. The biggest waste of talent and lazy talent I've ever seen. We traded away an unbeaten starting 5. Which should of won a chip in 2010. To then relying on a 39 year old Shaq. A 36 year old Jermaine O'Neal with sore knees and Kristic. And lost in 5 to the heat. In the semis. I would of fired Ainge for that alone. Back in 2011.

[BostonCouchGM]

If this is his big move, Danny needs to go the day after we're bounced from the playoffs. He's going to cost us Tatum who will not stick around and waste his career playing for this inept buffoon

[GoGreen]

I am sick of Danny and I am sick of his sycophants that defend and enable his crap moves

[Spin Move]

I disagree that either the Kyrie trade or Kemba moves were bad decisions at the time. Kyrie's grandpa died, and GH got hurt and Kyrie didn't deal and through a hissyfit none of that was Ainges fault, Talent wise this was a no brainer deal. Kyrie is putting up 28 5 and 6 basically right now, he is all star talent. WE had bad luck on his moods/mental health. You have to make the trade. Kyries' PER this season is 24.9 Colin Sexton is 17.2 One is near superstar the other is good player but not an all star. If we could get good mood Kyrie back right now we could be a real championship contender, he is borderline superstar good when he is not sulking.

Kemba was also not a bad signing he just got hurt. Before his injury last year Kemba was playing great and worth what his contract was paying him. He put up an effecient 22 4 and 5 before he got hurt sharing the ball with alot of other players.Unfortuanly he has not gotten totally right since his injury, in a non covid world he would have had a much longer offseason to recover.

Both of those moves were no brainers at the time, Kemba was coming of a 25 point season and Kyrie was 1 season away from winning a championship. Danny put us in a position to succeed with those deal. Losing Horford for nothing (fair) failing to trade Morris (Fair) Drafting Yabusele (Fair) but thinking that any of the PG moves were bad is revisionist history both were coups at the time.

[BigTrade92]

I am sick of Danny and I am sick of his sycophants that defend and enable his crap moves

It's sickening to watch half of this fanbase blindly defend a has-been just because it's the comfortable thing to do.

This guy needs to go.

[amory87]

Danny on T&R tomorrow: "we were close on a few deals, had a lot of conversations, but just didn't find anything we liked"

[JediMasterRevan]

Cross post


Coming into deadline 2 team had 2 directions.

Try and Win now, or do a soft rebuild for the future.

What does Danny do?

1)Break up the TPE on an EXPIRING DEAL for a player who is doesnt play defense and probably wont resign next year ruining the TPE

2) In the process of doing that, brings in a player who will not propell the team into the upper eschelon of the NBA

3) also that same player will slow the growth of our 2 recent lotto picks

4) has to salary dump a player for a worse player because he needs to get under tax.


Danny **** this team big time.