Danny Ainge Is A Game Changer
by Jeff Clark on Feb 21, 2012 5:00 PM EST
in Boston Celtics Articles
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I was tasked with writing a sponsored post about a "game changer" and I honestly couldn't think of a player that fit that description at this very moment. Rondo is probably our best player but he's not playing at the moment and is still struggling with consistency anyway. The 3 Amigos are what they are at this point and the whole team seems to be listing to the side.
So in my view, the only true game changer at this very moment is Danny Ainge. He has in his hands the ability to alter the face of this team. He has the power to impact this season and he is tasked with blazing a trail for the organization in the years ahead.
Change is coming, make no mistake. For as much as I want to see the Big 3 retire as Celtics, I want even more to see the Celtics quickly return to the land of contenders. If Ray and KG want to come back on deeply discounted deals, that's fine with me. But not at the expense of younger players that fit into the long term. So things will look different in Boston sooner or later.
The big question is how soon? Does Danny make a move next month? The trade deadline is March 15 and things sort of kick off on March 1st when many players that were signed in the offseason are eligible to be traded. So that's going to be a very interesting 2 weeks.
Get ready for the Celtics to be discussed in half of all the league rumors. I don't see Ainge deciding to "blow it up" for pennies on the dollar, but I am sure he'll work the phone lines to see what he could get if he decided to hit that flashing red button. If a sweetheart deal comes along, he won't hesitate. That alone makes him a game changer.
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I was one of the few who didn't mind the Perk trade.....
so I have confidence in Danny. He’s made the C’s relevant again and love his efforts. Not saying he’s always right. The fact that the C’s have been in contention for the last 5 years is enough for me. Just hoping we an build a quality team will take less than 21 years to make a run at a another title. I try no to get to attached to players, they will come and go. I’ve always loved PP, but banners are more important than players.
In Danny I Trust.
I agree
Celtic fans tend to follow the pattern of “absence makes the heart grow fonder”. We always complained about Perkins’ poor hands, turnovers, missed FTs etc, and now he is the sole reason we could compete. Tony Allen was confoundingly dumb on the court, but defended well and flashed signs of brilliance, only to be wiped away by poor shooting and worse ball-handling. But many want him back. He is still the same old Tony. (Against GS)— played good D— took only two shots. Did tip in game winner—- but this after bricking two FTs, committing a lane violation (no call) then fouled ( with his team up by 1 with 30 sec to go)- allowing GS to take lead with two FTs. Danny’s job is to make the franchise better, whether it takes 2 months or 2 years— and i think he will.. if he can get guys to come here.
I wouldn't call him a "game changer" but maybe something else with three syllables
hehehehe….yeah I mean “awesome man”
Is it Soup Yet?
you sound like a "snake charmer"
Faith and Sports - an essay by Jeff Clark
by Jeff Clark on Feb 21, 2012 5:55 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
ha
sausage is made but it isn’t a pretty process
obviously I changed my mind and didn’t update the post properly
Faith and Sports - an essay by Jeff Clark
It's an uncertain time for the Celtics
I’m sure Danny and Doc already have plans A-Z established as far as to how to handle this transition. I’m also sure no one knows exactly what will be possible in the next few weeks as far as what trades will be available out there.
How this transition period is handled will be huge in defining Danny Ainge’s legacy as a GM. It’s already cemented in history for assembling the big 3, winning a championship and returning the Celtics to relevancy in the NBA. If the same kind of prolonged, painful rebuilding process of the era that preceded this one can be avoided and the team is put back on the path to a championship then he’ll have to be regarded as one of the great GMs in the history of the organization.
If the Celtics do end up floundering for years hoping to be just bad enough to get the No 1 draft pick in the following season then his legacy will have to contend with this as well. Thankfully, it seems that Ainge has been planning for this moment for years. It’s hard to not have at least some faith that he will understand what the right moves are for the future of the team.
Danny ALREADY blew the Celtics up on Feb. 24, 2011
When you trade 1/3 of your entire team’s roster with the second-best record in the league, ONLY ONE GAME away from the best record, and virtually every analyst’s pick as the champion, you have effectively blown your team up. That he didn’t move the rest of his players of consequence at that time shows that Danny has ZERO idea what direction this team is going. You’re either getting better or getting younger. And with the trades he made last year, he didn’t definitively do EITHER of those things.
1/3rd?
Really? are you arguing the loss of Luke harangody and semih erden are the reason for losing? interesting theory.
by C'sFan on Feb 22, 2012 12:57 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
Sure, maybe not Luke, but Semih didn't help
The point is that’s the only time in the history of the NBA where a move like that has happened for the 2nd best (record-wise) team in the league. And there’s a reason it never happened before that. The idiocy of trading Semih was WE NEEDED BIGS DESPERATELY! He looked good too! He had a promising NBA career ahead of him. I believe there was even an article I read that made a good point that he was already one of the best 60th picks in the history of the league. And then Danny goes and trades TWO recent 2nd rounders for what? A 2nd rounder? Yeah, that makes sense. He did it to clear out roster spots for the likes of…Troy Murphy and…Carlos Arroyo! WHOOPEE!!! Glad we had those guys. They really contributed down the stretch. But no, if you’ll read my comment CORRECTLY, I said 1/3 of the team. THE ENTIRE 1/3 of the team. If you don’t think that trading 1/3 of your roster in sports can have an adverse psychological effect and throw off the chemistry of ANY team, even one as veteran as the 2010-11 Celtics, then I’m sorry to say you are misinformed.
by chicagomaroon on Feb 22, 2012 12:34 PM EST up reply actions
What Will Danny Do
1. If he feels we are no longer contenders this season, he would lean toward bringing in new players, if for nothing else, to try out. This would probably not include major players. The players we would move would probably be the ones not producing. These would include Sasha, Daniels, maybe Wilcox (because of constant injury problems), and JO if he could get value. If he thinks he thinks we can still contend, he may do the same, maybe except for JO and Wilcox. Regardless, nothing major will happen. We don’t have the chips or the money now.
2. After the season I think KG (if he decides to play), Ray and Paul will be here. Wyc said we have the money for two max salary players, so something might happen there if there is value for the money. If not he may go back to the original plan of building up a surplus of draft choices and start the rebuilding from there. Don’t know what will happen with Rondo. We can’t build around him. When Danny came on board he was looking for speed. It is probably more urgent now to look for size. If we want to run, which is where Rondo could help, we can’t do it if we don’t have the ball. If we don’t get size Rondo becomes irrelevant in a new era.
"I don't come to play, I come to WIN"--Larry Bird
"Criminally Negligent Officiating"--Tommy Heinsohn
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