Ainge On Everything

Sky is falling on his Tenure for sure..

I dont care what anyone says.. we dont score big here .. we will be mediocre for years as Ainge couldnt trade for good players if his life depended on it.

The sky is going to fall 62% of the time, so deal with it.

This draft is so strong that pick #32 could produce an all star. Ainge is right on this one.

Good article. And (for once) I agree with Brick. ;D

I can’t agree that the sky will fall should the Celts not secure positions 1 or 2. Life (and basketball) will go on, and the good news is that the team is bound to show some improvement next year with or without a top pick.

The sky will get a little lower, however, if they can’t upgrade the point guard position, either by improvement from the returning players or a deal. Rajon Rondo might be the answer at some time but it will take him a couple of years to become the steady leader any good team requires.

Of course, a fine point guard isn’t the only reason teams go deep into the playoffs, but it’s a given that you don’t get there without one. Of the eight teams still playing, they are being led respectively by: Tony Parker, Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, LeBron James, Chauncey Billups, Baron Davis, Deron Williams and Kirk Hinrich. And more than one team that had an early exit blamed unsatisfactory point guard play (Dallas, Miami, Orlando, Lakers).

Yes, drafting Oden or Durant will be a wonderful thing should it happen. The Celtics will not be contenders, though, until they can count on a high level of play at the point.

The reality is you need high draft picks on your team to succeed, and the Celtics have Wally World as the top(#6) pick on the team with Pierce as #10. They are the only top 10 picks on the team, not counting the Kandi Man. Even detroit , which has accumulated its players outside the draft have Wallace as a #4, Dice and Webber as a #2, Billups as a #3, and Hamilton as a #7. Thats a lot of star power. Wherever we pick, it’ll be our highest pick in years, in a star studded draft.

I’m with Brick.

Souza did a good job on that artile. The part about Telfair was interesting too.

I never understood the feeling of entitlement that people seemed to have with Duncan 10 years ago, and the same thing is happening now. It is far more likely that we don’t get a top 2 pick than that we do, and Oden and Durant have some questions, too. There are certainly other potentially great players in the draft, it’s just more of a dice-roll after the first two and a team might need to wait longer for them to develop. The good news is that this — making a good pick at whatever number — seems to be a (the) strength of Ainge.

I think that if they get #3 lower they will take Yi Jianlian because he will sell alot of shirts and other trademarked items in China. He’ll be the Celtics’ very own Daisuke Matsuzaka. I think this is just as important to Grousbeck as basketball skill.

I just hope that the guy can play.

if they do not get pick #’s 1-2, i still favor brewer because he can play defense. then they need to trade.

At the time, what was most disappointing about 1997 was not that the Celtics didn’t get the opportunity to draft Duncan, but that the C’s were out of the running for either of the two franchise players available in that draft. Much like this year, draft experts and obsessive fans believed there existed a clear drop-off after the top rated duo. Sitting at the apex of draft boards with the franchise big-man was a lanky 6’9" consensus first team All-American scoring machine, a certain future all-star. Remember Keith Van Horne?

I could not possibly disagree more with the idea we need #1 or #2. To say the “sky is falling” is absurd and is exactly the type of mentality that Danny Ainge is saying will sink the Celtics. Next years team is looking really good without the pick (no matter who it is) or any trade made by Danny and co. Anything that is added is only helps what should be a solidly strong team. I think we’ll be excited no matter what number we pick at as Danny has a pretty solid track record of making great picks regardless of position.

He’s not watching film on Oden or Durant because they won’t be available in the 5th spot.

The sky started falling when Rivers was resigned. Sets the youth of this team back for the length they / we are subjected to his “coaching”

What in the world is wrong with realizing that we may not get Oden or Durant and we have to be prepared for the scenario where we don’t get a top 2 pick? That’s just responsible management. We DO have to be prepared for that scenario.

Well, what is Danny going to say? “If we don’t get Oden or Durant, and they don’t contribute right away, we’re in trouble because anyone else we draft will take quite a while to contribute – so I’ll have to make some trades and we all know that could leave a mark!”

Danny and Doc are painted into a corner together now. They must show results next year. How can they afford a (highly speculative) project like Jianlian? Or even B. Wright? They are forced now to think short-term – and that is likely to hurt the franchise in the long run. Ownership is unlikley to reign them in.

If you think the team they put on the floor this year is going to win 45 games next year with Doc on the bench, good luck to you! (And that is even if Tony Allen comes back 90%, Wally can still walk, and Pierce’s elbow isn’t oozing by January!)

Scenario #1 = draft Oden and trade for a quality veteran point guard.

Scenario #2 = draft Durant and trade for a veteran big and if possible a serviceable point guard.

Scenario #3 = anything besides above, which requires way too much of Danny, Doc and company in order to produce positive results in order to save their collective rear end.

I agree that the world will not end if we don’t get a top two pick. If we had done anything with those other two picks we’d probably have been a lot better in the past 7 or 8 years. The fact that we basically wasted two top 6 picks kind of hurt the franchise as much, if not more, than losing out on Tim Duncan.

 A few things:

Not from the DA interview but is the sheer number of comments from Celtics either openly admitting to tanking or nearly doing so, incredible or what? These guys are all fools. If you are going to tank, can you at least have the sense to not talk to EVERYONE about it???? This reminds me of the idiotic interviews by Jeff the host of survivor at the end of each weeks show when they are holding the elimination vote. Why do the dummies say anything and reveal their thoughts? Why not, " Uh, Jeff, I am playing for real money here so go bite yourself; I don’t have to answer you question: duh"

The mock draft posted really opens ones eyes about how deep this draft is. I think if there were 3 rounds, there would be some late 3rd round picks who made a team. I want Durant or Oden, but the odds are there will be at least 3 VERY VERY good players after them. If DA comes through, we are already way better

When you toss around the various infinite scenarios, we should not be eliminating any possibility of Telfair coming back. If for some reason, and there can be many reasons, West and Rondo don’t use 48 minutes at point, we will need Telfair to put in some time. Here is where having a coach who isn’t AWFUL would help. Telfair probably plays well enough under a non idiot. He played well enough for Nate in Portland to be a decent back up for 12-16 minutes. Now he has slipped from that. We may need those minutes if we can’t move him and if you guys are playing with the roster as much as I, its easy to see why.

I am dedicating next season to my good friend whom just passed away last week. He was a die hard Celtics fan and bled the color green. His favorite player was Antoine Walker and had Text messaged me his first name with Rando attached as his last name. You will be missed my friend you will be missed.

Oh cmon people, what do you expect Danny to say? “If we don’t get Oden or Durant there’s no hope”? Cut the man some slack here and deal with it. I still believe there is hope if we don’t end up getting the 1 or 2. You can still package the 3-5 with GG, Delonte, Gomes, Theo’s contract etc. and get a nice player. Everyone needs to cool their collective jets

And please NO Yi Jianlian. There’s nothing spectacular about any of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRaXgRlEJkU

(ps – turn off your speakers)

From what I’ve seen,Yi looks at least as good as Bargnani…of course we all want Oden or Durant-but Ainge and Wallace have made multiple trips to China to see this kid…If he wasn’t any good,I’m sure one trip would have been enough.

I’m just so tired, I can’t even get myself to this site as much anymore….

Watching the playoffs is so painful.

We have been down before and came back to the top. We will do it again and its because Danny is right on this Yea too Brick and VT Bill you both are right on. All this worry stuff is for chumps. we will be alright regardless of the draft order and whomever we pick in both rounds.
This is our year!

Ancient Red, what are you talking about. The playoffs are awesome. More Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, Lebron etc. We’ll get there. It is truly international sport. Was watching in Chile this week and spanish name for “Big Shot Bob” is “Big Shot Bob”. If Danny says Yi is next best after #1 & #1a I’m Ok with it.

Just hope its top 2 is all im saying..

I’ve said it before, there is a Dwayne Wade in this draft. Do I know who it is? No. But does Danny? I really hope so – lousy trader, lousy evaluator of NBA talent – but fanstastic at making draft picks, right? If that’s really true, then we should be able to get someone who can turn this franchise around, even if we don’t get a top 2 pick.

Though i would be a lot more confident with Durant or Oden