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“That doesn’t make a lot of sense to radically change the team when you’re trying to compete to win it all,” Ainge told Dickerson. “We have been and will continue to look to upgrade our team, but I think it’s always more unlikely that that happens than likely.”
But what if the C’s hadn’t gone on this winning streak? What if they continued to lose in the fashion they were? Would Ainge feel as good about the team’s future?
“No, absolutely not,” he said. “You have to produce. It’s my job to look at the bigger picture. We have to live in the moment and try to win and help our team have success, but at the same time if it;s not happening on the court than there has to be changes made, absolutely.”
CSNNE: Preview of CSNNE’s exclusive interview with Danny Ainge
The proof is in the pudding right there in that quote. Danny Ainge is a very reactionary GM. The Celtics fanbase have long been frustrated with some of the moves that Ainge has made. Since the Garnett/Allen deals, many have questioned the moves that Ainge has made since, and questioned just how good of a GM he really is. Mikki Moore, Nate Robinson, Stephon Marbury, Patrick O’Bryant, Rasheed Wallace were all guys that were sold to us that would play an important role on the team. Each vastly underachieved. Jeff Green right now is a “To Be Determined” but he needs a good season to wash himself of that image by next season. But whats more frustrating is taking a look back to see what the Celtics gave up to bring these guys in, further solidifying how reactionary Ainge truly is.
Exhibit A: Nate Robinson. For the majority of the 2009-2010 season, the fan base had been clamoring that the Celtics needed a “true” backup point guard to give Rondo a break. At the time, the Celtics really only had Eddie House (who had been coming off the best season of his career) as their only backup guard for a young guard in his early 20’s. Take a look around the league at Rose, Westbrook, Jennings, and Irving. Do they have starting quality backups to give them rest? No! They are young and able to take bigger minutes. Ainge went ahead and made the deal landing Robinson and sending House as well as the Celtics best prospect at the time Bill Walker and JR Giddens to the Knicks. Losing Giddens was no big deal but Walker was projected to be a key role player in the future. For a team that was looking to rebuild in the near future, getting rid of young talent for a rent-a-player that fans were begging for….reactionary?
Exhibit B: Jeff Green. Anyone that knows me knows that I am a supporter of the deal that landed the Celtics Jeff Green, though I am NOT a fan of when it happened. Had this deal been done in the offseason prior, that is a whole different ballgame but the fact that it was done mid-season on a team that had been up and down all season is a dagger. There was a wide belief that when Marquis Daniels went down with his spine injury that the Celtics now needed to land a backup 3 to give Pierce a blow once in a while, many just assumed the Celtics would land a scrub that would eat minutes but nobody expected Ainge to shake up the entire roster and their playoff chances to get a backup 3.
Exhibit C: Tony Allen. This may have been the move that Ainge dropped the ball the most on. Ainge, troubled by Allens knees refused to pony up to keep Tony Allen in the 2010 offseason. Instead, Ainge opted to bring in Jermaine O’Neal, Shaquille O’Neal and Delonte West all of whom missed a significant if not majority of the season due to injury whereas Tony Allen had a career year landing himself on the All Defensive Second Team. Allen had played a major role as a “Lebron / Kobe stopper in the playoffs for the Celtics and losing him was a major blow in the long run. Allen has since thrived in Memphis improving drastically in his level of play, all while remaining healthy…..
Does this interview with Ainge spark any confidence in you that the GM of the Boston Celtics will make a move that has been well thought out, analyzed, and talked about in depth? Does the answer that Ainge gave to those two specific questions lead you to believe that Ainge handles this team at times like we do when we play NBA 2k13? Let us not forget the mess that Ainge created of this team prior to landing KG and Ray Allen. If not for Garnett landing on his lap, Ainge would have been a soup kitchen clerk by now. Many of the moves that screwed this team up initially were reactionary and poorly thought out.
With a nice bundle of young talent at their disposal lets just hope that the Celtics stay true to a rebuild on the fly philosophy rather than to throw away all their young talent in yet another reactionary move. Just remember early in the season when fans wanted a backup center here, fans were ready to give up Jared Sullinger and Avery Bradley for Marcin Gortat….be careful what you wish for.
The Rest
ESPN Boston: Practice Notes: C’s find their rhythm- Greg Payne , ESPN Boston: Playbook: Terry dishes on teammates , CSNNE: Wilcox (Thumb) could return Wednesday vs. Hornets – A. Sherrod Blakely , CSNNE: Family affair: Rivers clan to clash
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