Smith: Ainge wanting to pull trigger

February 29, 2012

Sam Smith of Bulls.com says Rajon Rondo is Danny Ainge's big chip, and he's close to wanting to pull the trigger

A new voice has joined in on the “do you trade Rajon Rondo” debate.

Appearing on the Dan Patrick Show Sam Smith, writer for Bulls.com, was asked who was more likely to be dealt, Steve Nash or Rajon Rondo.

“I think Ainge is pretty close to wanting to pull the trigger,” said Smith. Everything changed for Rondo a lot when they dealt Perkins; it really bothered him and he and Doc do not get along well.

“I think if he can, Ainge is going to try and make a big splash with Rondo.”

Rondo is the most attractive chip the Celtics have. He's a young skilled point guard, with a low cost contract for an All-Star that doesn't expire until 2014.

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Ainge should be trying to build around Rondo and his atleticism. If Ainge pulls the trigger and ships Rajon off to God knows where someone should hold a 357 magnum up to Ainge's head, pull THAT trigger and make my day. Letting Rondo go would show Ainge to be a bigger A$$ HOLE than even I thought he was & is. Rondo has spilled blood & broken bones for this franchise. All Ainge has done is reaped the fruits of Larry Bird's labor!

MD!

All Ainge has done is reaped the fruits of Larry Bird's labor!

Huh???

beat

Beat

Don't Forget it was Henderson who stole the ball against the Lakers in '84, not Ainge!

MD!

SO

And Henderson later became the pick that became Lenny Bias 2 years later. That worked out well didn't it?

Blame that on Ainge to I suppose.

Wish you'd drop the hate on him.

Just fail to see your point on dwelling on Ainge.
None of it makes any since to me at all.

beat

Again show me just one current GM that walks on water and has made moves that have ALL worked out just one is all I ask, one.

I'll be waiting

ESPN NBA Insider Chris Broussard, who reported Wednesday that the Celtics were aggressively shopping Rajon Rondo, talked to "SportsCenter" this morning about the team's motivation behind it.

"With Rajon, it's a lot of personality conflict," Broussard says in the video above. "He's kind of introverted. He's stubborn, which can be a strength but can also be a weakness. He has trouble taking constructive criticism and he does clash a lot with Doc Rivers. They know he's a great player. They're not going to just give him away. But they feel like they probably can't rebuild around him because of the problems they do have with clashing with his personality."

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4690356/broussard-why-cs-are-shopping-rondo
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Beat:

I'd rather have Bubbles, the late Michael Jackson's Chimp than Ainge making decisions!

MD!

Ainge sucks

Beat,

You're absolutely right. Danny inherited an incredible amount of dead wood and nearly dead wood when he came on the executive scene. He spent four years developing trading chips that produced a championship (as he had promised) in the fifth year . Since that time, he has come within a hair of winning two more championships by going the veteran route, while also drafting as well as could be expected given the success of the team that led to a succession of low draft picks.

Even the one move on which he'd be most roundly criticized by many people (the trade of Perk and his potentially chronic shoulder), Danny got blindsided by the injury to the guy he targeted in that trade. So, with relatively few available resources, he went out and got Bass, Wilcox and Pietrus (among others). Even now, although at least much of the nucleus of the team will soon evaporate, the team will be left with considerable resources with which to build for the future.

Just like every other general manager who ever lived, Danny has made some mistakes because he's a human being and dung happens. But his ratio of successes to failures is very high.

Consider this. During the Celtics' greatest heyday, Red Auerbach had two or three higher draft picks every season than Danny Ainge has had in most of his tenure as a Celtics executive. Between 1961 and 1968, Red had 66 draft picks and was competing with only 9 to 13 other teams for draft position. During that period, Red drafted only two players who made any reasonable NBA impact: Havlicek and Chaney. Danny, with vastly less advantageous draft position, has fared far better than a ratio of 1 success in 33 tries.

Criticizing Danny Ainge for the totality of his body of work with this team is not really consistent with the facts.

And I hope no one even considers responding with any of the trite crap about Kevin McHale handing KG to the Celtics. Without Danny's prerequisite maneuvering to acquire Ray Allen (whom many described as old baggage with ankle problems), KG would never have agreed to come—McHale or no McHale.

Sam

Mchale loves danny lol

sam wrote:Beat,

You're absolutely right. Danny inherited an incredible amount of dead wood and nearly dead wood when he came on the executive scene. He spent four years developing trading chips that produced a championship (as he had promised) in the fifth year . Since that time, he has come within a hair of winning two more championships by going the veteran route, while also drafting as well as could be expected given the success of the team that led to a succession of low draft picks.

Even the one move on which he'd be most roundly criticized by many people (the trade of Perk and his potentially chronic shoulder), Danny got blindsided by the injury to the guy he targeted in that trade. So, with relatively few available resources, he went out and got Bass, Wilcox and Pietrus (among others). Even now, although at least much of the nucleus of the team will soon evaporate, the team will be left with considerable resources with which to build for the future.

Just like every other general manager who ever lived, Danny has made some mistakes because he's a human being and dung happens. But his ratio of successes to failures is very high.

Consider this. During the Celtics' greatest heyday, Red Auerbach had two or three higher draft picks every season than Danny Ainge has had in most of his tenure as a Celtics executive. Between 1961 and 1968, Red had 66 draft picks and was competing with only 9 to 13 other teams for draft position. During that period, Red drafted only two players who made any reasonable NBA impact: Havlicek and Chaney. Danny, with vastly less advantageous draft position, has fared far better than a ratio of 1 success in 33 tries.

Criticizing Danny Ainge for the totality of his body of work with this team is not really consistent with the facts.

And I hope no one even considers responding with any of the trite crap about Kevin McHale handing KG to the Celtics. Without Danny's prerequisite maneuvering to acquire Ray Allen (whom many described as old baggage with ankle problems), KG would never have agreed to come—McHale or no McHale.

Sam

sam,

Amen.

Let's also remember the old adage "good things come to those who wait".

How many people were rolling their eyes at his drafting of Bradley. Well, it's taken a couple of years, but the kid is finally starting to round into a valuable player who competes with a veteran point guard, Keyon Dooling, for impactful minutes.

It will take at least another year before JJJ's body starts to fill out and he can play low post defense. Moore, also, will need another year with Doc's playbook before I'd be comfortable making him a regular rotation player.

Remember Leon Powe? The 2nd round pick by Denver that Danny spotted and traded for?
Seattle drafted Big Baby Davis with the 35th pick and traded him to Boston. Davis has now become Brandon Bass. Would anybody doubt that Bass would be worth a 35th pick? In fact, the entire deal was the #35 pick (Davis, now replace by Bass) and Ray Allen for Delonte West (whom we got back), Wally (good riddance) and the #5 pick (who turned out to be Jeff Green, whom we got back). So, in the final analysis, we gave up Wally for Brandon Bass, Ray Allen and Jeff Green. But wait, you say, you can't give Danny credit for getting West and Green. Ok, fine, we'll just say he gave up West, Wally and Green for Bass and Ray. I still say that's damn good (quite frankly, I couldn't wait to get rid of Wally).

My point, in the above paragraphs, is to point out that many of the players that so many people on this board are high on, were chosen by Danny.

I've gone over this numerous times. Every time I do, I don't get a direct response from the critics. I will not, if I can restrain myself, go through this recitation again. Barring the provisal of evidence an/or argument to the contrary, I feel this nail has been driven home. "Qui tacet consentit" - Silence implies Consent.

bob

.

When Ainge can pull off trades like Howie Komives & Walt Bellamy for Dave Debusscherre or Mike Riordan & Dave Stallworth for "Black Jesus" Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, I might begin to give hime some props!

MD!

MDCelticFan wrote:When Ainge can pull off trades like Howie Komives & Walt Bellamy for Dave Debusscherre or Mike Riordan & Dave Stallworth for "Black Jesus" Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, I might begin to give hime some props!

MD!

Times have changed trades are not that simple anymore
Go on hatin all you want your choice.

beat

And your responce about bubbles was really smart.

Beat:

Yeah, it was smart just not Keith Smart!

MD!

I too am nearing the end of my rope with Rondo.

Last night is a perfect example. He basically took control of the game for a stretch - and then, soon after - disappeared for a stretch...and STILL ended up with a triple double. The kid is a walking stats machine, but his head is simply not always in the game.

He is every bit as talented as Derek Rose or Deron Williams.....yet his motor only ticks for a limited amount of time, and not every night. The night before, with a rookie who is not a very good defender on him, he could have had a field day. Instead he scored zero points...and allowed Irving to walk all over him.

At the same time, Avery Bradley has made major strides this season and while he is no Rondo, is a very good back up and could develop into a top 10 PG in the NBA.

All of this add up to time not being on Rondo's side. If the Celtics can get a good young player, or even a serviceable player and a high draft pick...I am ready to move on. Love Rondo when he choses to show up, just dont see that happening on a regular basis.

mrkleen

really seems he has never gotten over the Perk trade. without going back and checking but seems the iratic games have been much more abuntand since then. Maybe not but we all know Perk was a good friend.

Regardless it has been plenty of time to move beyond that. Whatever is going on ( or isn't ) going on in Rondo's mind only he know's. A true Jeckyll-Hyde situation.

Seems Doc can get thru to anyone but not him. Least not completely thru to him.
If we can get a decent return for him I see no reason to continue to ride this horse. We shall see.

beat(

I hate it when I actually have to work in the middle of a post)

Agree Beat.....and I really feel conflicted.

I like Rajon's toughness. I know he has the heart of a champion and could be an all time great Celtic. I just dont see him doing it on a consistent basis.

Even with only bearing down half the time, he is a perennial all defensive player and multiple time all star. IMAGINE if he actually grew up and played every night? Guy would be a monster.

I'm afraid we're venturing into lunacy land now.

Sure, Dave Debusscherre was a very good future hall of fame power forward (although very undersized for the position). Walt Bellamy was also a future hall of famer and a legitimate center who, at the time of the trade, was averaging 20 PPG and 14 RPG for the Knicks. At that time, Howie Komives was a 12 PPG player.

So, in effect, a hall of fame impact center plus a double-figure scorer were traded for a very good but undersized hall of fame PF. Is that supposed to be held up as some ersatz kind of trade "steal?"

Let's get real here!

Sam

mrkleen09 wrote:I too am nearing the end of my rope with Rondo.

Last night is a perfect example. He basically took control of the game for a stretch - and then, soon after - disappeared for a stretch...and STILL ended up with a triple double. The kid is a walking stats machine, but his head is simply not always in the game.

He is every bit as talented as Derek Rose or Deron Williams.....yet his motor only ticks for a limited amount of time, and not every night. The night before, with a rookie who is not a very good defender on him, he could have had a field day. Instead he scored zero points...and allowed Irving to walk all over him.

At the same time, Avery Bradley has made major strides this season and while he is no Rondo, is a very good back up and could develop into a top 10 PG in the NBA.

All of this add up to time not being on Rondo's side. If the Celtics can get a good young player, or even a serviceable player and a high draft pick...I am ready to move on. Love Rondo when he choses to show up, just dont see that happening on a regular basis.

kleen,

I wonder if your last line (above) might sum up the thinking for the Celtics brass.

Some of the reports emerging in the last 24 hours are coming from sources that often turn out to be credible. There is so much hyperbole being bantered about regarding "blowing up the team." I don't think moving KG or Allen at the end of their contracts represents blowing anything up, but more of an expected progression. Moving Rondo, however, might be considered "blowing it up" since he has long been considered the likely first (re)building block.

Despite being a Rondo fan I do agree with you that it's getting painful waiting to see which Rondo shows up.

Of course a move that helps us with a draft pick or cap room would have to be on the horizon, and the braintrust would have to decide if it's worth possibly abandoning the battle for what looks like a 6th to 8th seed for the playoffs, which might be the short term cost.

Regards

Hello to all,

I just want to go on record as not being down on DA.

It took me a few weeks to really believe we won in 08. I just couldn't believe it!

DA, Doc and the team created the best (I think) turn around in NBA history. Remember Pervis Ellison, clearing 9 players to make room for the sensational Travis Knight, trading a young, promising guard by the name of Chauncey .....gonna stop there, its painful to go any further.

I'm pretty convinced that DA is thinking 2 years ahead of the typical fan base, and would guess that the Perk trade had a lot do with that. Dwight maybe, who knows.

I am just as guilty as the "What have you done for me lately" take. But am resisting it.

Happy spring to all.

Pete

Rondo has always been my favorite current Celtic. However, I do believe firmly that he too often allows his inner emotions (regardless of whether he expresses them outwardly) to affect his performance on the court. And, to my dying day, I will always feel that many of the Celtics' success during the KG Era have occurred in spite of the Rondo-Pierce relationship rather than because of it. I do feel it's fair to consider him a victim of sorts, as he has never played on a Celtics team that was built to place him in a maximum position to succeed. So I'm not really assigning blame (a concept I abhor) as much as to comment on what seems to be to be a very unfortunate trend.

Sam

WHAT NO PUBLIC FLOGGING OF DANNY IN THE COMMONS...WHAT IS THIS BOARD COMING TO!

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Since the Rondo rumor has been a popular topic and we've all weighed in I thought I would clip and paste the following...

“I anticipate him being here for a long time,” the Celtics [team stats] president said when asked about Rondo’s immediate future. Boston Herald

Doc Rivers: "My relationship with Rajon is as strong as it has ever been. Our communication has never been better. I want him here." Twitter

Both statements were posted today.

SEE MY RECENT POST THAT HAS THE WHOLE STORY

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PS

There is something to it. Why would an accomplish reporter for ESPNBOSTON go on a limb to post a lie. It talks about Doc and Ainge meeting for 1.5 hour before the game last night. Maybe the reporter came to Doc and Danny and said, I am going with this story, do you refute it. Danny and Doc probably had to get their story straight to keep all the players from freaking out. So of course they had to deny it.

On the flip side, to know what your opponents are thinking, you must engage in talk. ya it is possible that GM 's approached Danny about Rondo and a good GM would say, ok I'll listen what are you willing to give for Rondo knowing full well he would not trade him. Danny on the other hand gets to know who is in play and not in play with other teams.

I say it could be a little of both of what is happening right now.

I watch "Around the Horn" on ESPN (yeah, I know), and Jackie MacMullen was quite forceful today refuting the rumor that the Celtics are actively shopping Rondo, and she based that on her contacts in the Celtic organization as well as GMs for other teams. She said that they'll listen to offers but they are not initiating anything.

I'm sure they're concerned about his temperamental nature and Jekyll/Hyde performances; how could they not be. But that doesn't mean they're having a Rondo fire sale.

Only 13 days, 17 hours, and 57 minutes until the trading deadline...