Friday, June 29, 2007
What Does Danny Ainge Have To Do To Get Fired?
Seriously, this is becoming quite absurd. After all the abysmal decisions Danny Ainge has already made in his now notorious tenure as GM of the Celtics, his actions from last evening baffle me even more than his questionable actions from the past.
Boston sends Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, and the #5 pick to Seattle. Boston receives Ray Allen and the #35 pick from Seattle.
The biggest problem I have with Ainge and the Celtics is their failure to commit to a team philosophy. Do you want to win now or rebuild? You can't have it both ways, Daniel. It seemed like Ainge had answered the latter to that question beginning in 2004 by drafting Al Jefferson followed a year later by selecting high schooler Gerald Green. This was again emphasized just a year ago when they thought they had traded for a franchise PG in Sebastian Telfair (sure that ended up being an awful move but at least Ainge was committed to the re-building concept, rather than trading the pick for a veteran). A seemingly solid core of Jefferson, Green and Telfair was established in Boston. Ainge was dead wrong about Telfair, as Starbury's cousin wasn't what Boston thought he could be and that core quickly turned into two cornerstones in Jefferson and Green...Still, promising cornerstones nonetheless. This past season rumors of Pau Gasol to Boston persisted throught the year yet Ainge resisted trading either Green or Jefferson, manifesting that he was indeed serious about rebuilding the Boston Celtics.
Then last night happened. The Boston Celtics were cruising along the road when Ainge suddenly pulled a u-turn so abruptly that the car flipped over, crashing on its side. With that 5th pick Ainge could have bolstered the young Celtic nucleus with the likes of Jeff Green, Yi Jianlin, Corey Brewer or Brandon Wright. This would have been consistent with the rebuilding plan Ainge implemented in 2004. This would have brought the Celtics one considerable step closer to being a "young and talented team heading in the right direction".
But alas, Ainge traded the pick for Ray Allen, a 31-year old veteran, and in the process mortgaged the rebuilding of a team that was one or two quality draft picks away from legitimately being a mere few years away from being a good team. Yet, did Ainge even abandon the revamping of the Celtics for a win-now mentality? Unfortunately no. This entire ordeal is best manifested by Mike Tirico's post-draft interview with Doc Rivers, in which Tirico candidly asked if Allen and Pierce were enough to get the Celts into the Eastern Conference playoffs. Sadly enough I don't think even with the addition of Allen is Boston a guaranteed playoff team, even in the Easy East. If this really is the case, why settle for mediocrity? If Ainge really wants to try to win now, why wouldn't he have flipped Green or Jefferson for a veteran such as Gasol or O'Neal? At least that way Boston would have an increased chance of competing now. Why hinder the rebuilding of your team just so you can elevate your team from bad to average?
Danny Ainge needs to decide what he wants to do with this team and do it. Rebuild or win now, but stop flip-floping between the two.
19 Comments:
I'm ok with the deal from Boston's perspective. There comes a point where the youngsters have to grow up and contribute. With Allen & Pierce they have two legitimate scorers. They weren't going to get a guy who could put up 20/night this season with the 5 pick. They also get rid of Wally which is addition by subtraction in my book.
The nucleus of next year's team will be Allen, Pierce, Jefferson, Rondo, Green and Gomes. They then add Pruitt and Big Baby in the draft. There are a lot of interesting pieces on that team. If anything can come of Telfair, in whom I still have some faith (though that's probably from seeing the ESPN documentary 4 times), this team is a playoff lock. Even without, I think they've made a big stride.
I didn't think it was an awful deal for Boston talent-wise, but I agree with you... this just seems to be a franchise with no real direction. But again, it's Danny Ainge, we can't expect much more.
Plus potential for the greatest backcourt ever!!
Allen Ray - Ray Allen
I agree.
He need's to steal some boxe's or something.
Danny Ainge will never be fired. He's the Matt Millen of the NBA. And like the Detroit Lions fans, Celtic fan's will just have to suffer year after year.
I've said it before and I'll say it again---this trade just reminds me so much of the Chris Webber for Mitch Richmond deal in 1998 that completely sunk the Wizards for the next four years. Where's Prada---does he agree?
I don't understand why Bostonians are happy with this deal.
Yes, Wally was a waste of space and West was going no where but still, to give up the number five for Ray Allen who is on the wrong side of thirty and has had knee surgery.
I really like Jeff Green, he is a jack of all trades type of player and someone a team can build around.
Boston may win now but they lose bad in the long run.
If I'm wrong, I'll eat crow but I think Green would have been great in Celtic green.
- Zach
I think it's ok for the Celtics to have 2 veterans . It takes pressure off Jefferson and the others to score. Telfair may be traded. I don't think Ainge is done making moves yet. He did a real good thing getting rid of Szerbiak and his super sized contract. Delonte West and Green still have to prove themselves while Ray Allen has already been there done that. The Celtics definately have improved themselves.
Mikey,
Wow Allan Ray and Ray Allen on the same team? Wow. Talk about a broadcasters' nightmare.
I don't agree with the Webber/Richmond deal, because the Celtics really didn't give up too much. If it was Al Jefferson for Allen, then yes, it would be a good comparison.
I don't think this is an awful move. You give up Wally, Delonte, and Jeff Green for a legit star 2. That seems fairly reasonable.
And I don't buy Simmons' argument that shooting guards always decline. As long as you can shoot, you'll have a place in this league. Guys like Dell Curry, Ricky Pierce, and Dale Ellis were effective well into their late 30s.
Overall, not a great trade, but hardly a catastrophe
The bottom line is that adding Ray Allen doesn't help the Celtics when you really think about it. Sure he is a star but who cares because his addition to the Celtics' roster doesn't make them a legit contender. They Celtics plan all along was to rebuild. They had the fifth pick in the draft, a great oppurtunity to take a big step in the rebuilding process but instead they threw it away to add Allen. Sure Allen will make the Celtics lose less, but they still won't win anything.
Terrible trade by the Celtics. Ray Allen has 2-3 years left tops, and they aint winning a title in 2-3 years. They should have traded away pierce and started over with Green, Jefferson...
Evil.
Allen will still be a good player, like Curry and Pierce--but he wont be the superstar the Celtics need him to be. Trading West also means they'll head into the season with the worst shooting point guard tandem in the history of organized basketball.
Mini Me you are wrong. You cant rebuild forever you will never get anywhere. I believe the Celtics have the young talent to be a good team, and with the big time talent of Ray Allen and Paul Peirce have a legitimate chance at being a contender.
Tabru,
You are right. It usually takes about 3 or 4 years for a team to rebuild, that is of course assuming the team's general manager is competent at his job...Honestly though, the Boston Celtics will not be a legitimite contender this year and I am willing to put more than monopoly money on that.
East and Dr. Evil,
I agree with you 100%. I am glad to see that I am in agreement with such wise men.
I don't think this was such a bad trade. Boston was able to appease Pierce without mortgaging their future. That said, this is a move Ainge is making to keep his job. The best thing for the Celtics would have been to keep the #5 and trade Pierce for young talent and develop it, similar to what Portland and Seattle now have going. Maybe get a couple cheap veterans to help guide the young players. Of course, if Ainge does that and the Celtics are bad again next year, than he's probably getting fired.
With Allen, Pierce, and Jefferson, the Celtics have a nice group of scorers and Allen and Jefferson should really compliment one another. Even if Allen doesn't have the mobility that he used to, his jumpshot should still be there and Pierce and Jefferson should get him some open looks. The Celtics should be a playoff team with this move, even if they're no where near title contention.
That's progress...sorta.
People are eating their words about Ainge today. Look at this love letter to danny ainge!
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