The Sportsguy repeatedly beats on Doc Rivers so do the papers, and believe me I have my problems with Rivers as well, but I'm hear to knock Danny Ainge. I'm done with laying everything on Doc and Danny going scot free and I am petitioning anyone reading this to go to the Can Danny site to voice their opinion as to why Danny is blowing it. Let's take a look at some of Danny's moves...Antoine Walker Tony Delk for Raef Lafrentz, Jiri Welsch, Chris Mills and 2004 1st Round Pick (Delone West)- Danny came in and immediately said that he didn't want to trade Antoine Walker, and Walker came into camp not fat for the first time in the new millennium, playing great in the preseason and Danny decided to split up Walker and Pierce for really no good reason at all and gained one overpayed stiff, Lafrenz, and a guy in Welsh that they could never figure out what to do with in Mills. To his credit this trade isn't completely horrible as Delonte appears to be a promising role player in the future, but at the time it significantly worsened the team. Jiri Welsch was later dumped to the Cavs for a future fist rounder (2007), destined to be in the 20s. Honestly, at the time Delk was a key contributor to the Celtics as well, but his career tanked once he left so who knows what would have happened with another two years in a Cs jersey. I advocated dumping Walker after his terrible postseason in 2003 but not for friggin Raef Lafrentz
Re-Acquiring Walker - Walker was reacquired in 2005 and seemed to be playing inspired basketball helping lead the Celtics to the division crown, and fans really liked him again, including me who wanted him gone after 03. You remember the ridiculous #88 he sported for a few weeks Then he was unceremoniously dumped in the offseason for nothing absolutely nothing.Ricky Davis, Mark Blount & Marcus Banks for Wally, Kandi Man - This hasn't worked at all, Ricky Davis was playing his best ball of his career at the time and in turn the C's got Wally who is perennially hurt. (To give some credit the trade to get Ricky Davis was a steal although Eric Williams was a key contributor to the Celtics toughness in 2003, the talent exchange was well worth it). This deal on the other hand saddled them with the useless Kandi Man and while I hated Mark Blount but he was atleast more serviceable than Kandi. The only possible saving grace of this trade is that they did receive a 1st round Draft pick in the deal
Draft Picks - This has been Danny's strong suit, well up until last years draft, as the Celtics have never had a top pick yet Danny has taken some gambles and gotten some people with talent in later positions. Al Jefferson just recently turned 21 and is averaging a double double in his third season and from the 15th selection it certainly was a very good pick. Ryan Gomes was very good value in the 2nd round. Delonte was a very good pick at 24, Tony Allen if he was given a brain might be a value pick at 25. But here's the problem, he's infused the team with so many High School kids and so little experienced college kids that the team has just tanked since the Pierce injury, mostly due to complete inexperience and Danny's reliance on a team which came into the season with Pierce Wally's World and a bunch of 24 and unders. One other negative is that he traded for Marcus Banks who was a massive bust, and only started playing mildly well, right before being dealt to the T-Wolves.
Rondo Draft Pick - The Celtics were blatantly in need of a pure point guard and when buying the Suns 21st pick one sat there undrafted, that player was not Rondo, it was Marcus Williams. But the Celtics went with the player who had all the physical traits but no ability to shoot and less passing skills. Super. By the way Marcus Williams has 4 consecutive double digit scoring games for a better team with many more offensive options.Blazers Off-Season Deal -This deal was inexcusable. He dumped Lafrentz, yes we all know he sucked, for Ratliff who had one less year on the contract, yippy, and then he pardoned with the #7 pick, the highest pick in his tenure, for Sebastian Telfair, a bum, who isn't even playing right now on an injury riddled roster. The #7 pick was moved with cash for Brandon Roy by the Blazers. SO instead of having Brandon Roy the front runner for rookie of the year we have Bassy who's scored 12 points in the last 6 games cause he doesn't play anymore. Smart.
I hated both those decisions on draft day and I still hate them now.
Theme to Danny's Reign
His value on draft picks is the major theme to Danny's time as GM as the Celtic, with each trade he has made he has attempted to accumulate draft picks and provide Pierce with some useful talent around him. While he has found some solid players in no traditional spots in the draft he has yet to hit a superstar. He also has spent way too much time shuffling the Celtics roster with the many trades and not allowed any cohesiveness which is not helped by him continuing to employ Doc Rivers who is hands down the worst coach in the NBA with substitutions. I understand the injury to Pierce has tanked this team, but I am unsure if Danny Ainge or Doc Rivers should be the beneficiaries of the possible drafting of Oden or Durant. It just might be time to clean the executive house.
P.S. Atleast if you're in Boston you get to look forward for the remainder of watching the youthful Celtics play at the TD Bank Garden., where they are a phenomenal 4-17 this season. Ugh.
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