Danny the Gunslinger? Depends on the Year

by **bobheckler** Wed Feb 18, 2015 1:32 am

http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/sidebar/misc-021715-danny-gunslinger-depends-on-year

Danny the Gunslinger? Depends on the Year

Posted: Feb 17, 2015

By Marc D'Amico | @Marc_DAmico
Celtics.com
February 17, 2015

BOSTON – Many consider Danny Ainge to be a gunslinger of a general manager.

That being said, it doesn’t mean he’s always ready to pull the trigger.

Ainge is the definition of patient when it comes to making trades. If he doesn’t get the offer he wants, he won’t make a deal. It’s as simple as that.

“You want ‘Player X’?” he might ask an opposing general manager. “Well then, you better give me ‘Y’ in return. If not, feel free to lose my number until the offseason.”

Thursday’s 3 p.m. deadline will mark the 12th since Ainge took over the reigns of Boston’s basketball operations group. The numbers suggest that Ainge is nearly as probable to sit tight this week as he is to make a deal.

Ainge has completed a trade at or around only six deadlines during his tenure with the Celtics. That leaves five quiet deadlines, with this year’s looming just days away. Below is a summary of the deadline activity Ainge has taken part in since being named president of basketball operations for Boston on May 9, 2003.

2004 Deadline – Exchanging of the Guards

Ainge’s 2004 deadline deal didn’t really affect the Celtics much, but it did affect one of the league’s elite teams. He agreed to terms on a three-team deal with Detroit and Atlanta that landed Mike James with the future Eastern Conference champion-Pistons.

Boston acquired guards Chucky Atkins and Lindsey Hunter in the deal, as well as a future first-round pick and cash. Chris Mills, meanwhile, was sent to the Hawks.

2005 Deadline – Bring Back ‘Toine

Antoine Walker came back to Boston at the 2005 deadline. Ainge, who had previously traded the fan favorite to Dallas on Oct. 20, 2003, reacquired the forward from Atlanta on Feb. 24, 2005.

Boston surrendered some big names in that deal, but none of those players were in their prime. Tom Gugliotta, Gary Payton and Michael Stewart went to Atlanta, along with a future first-round pick (which was reacquired in a separate deal at the 2006 Draft). (MY NOTE: I believe Payton was immediately re-signed by Danny after being waived by Atlanta. As a result of Danny's "creativeness" the new CBA banned the re-signing of players you just traded for 1 year).

Ainge also completed a roster-clearing move at the 2005 deadline. He traded Jiri Welsch to Cleveland in exchange for a 2007 first-round pick. (MY NOTE: Which turned into #24, Rudy Fernandez, by Phoenix and traded to Portland. Why Phoenix? Because Danny traded this pick the year before for Brian Grant and the Suns' 2006 1st round pick, Rajon Rondo. So, Danny turned Jiri Welsh into Rondo with Grant thrown in. I'd call that damn good drafting (Rondo was a draft day trade acquisition) by Danny).

2006 Deadline – No Trades

Ainge did not take part in any deadline deals.

2007 Deadline – No Trades

Ainge did not take part in any deadline deals.

2008 Deadline – No Trades

Ainge did not take part in any deadline deals, as his 40-11 Celtics were well on their way to an NBA title. There was no need to exchange players while potentially harming team chemistry.

2009 Deadline – Clearing Roster Space

There wasn’t much that Ainge needed to do at the 2009 deadline. He had already created a superpower that had won the title the previous season. All he wanted to do was clear roster space for potential buyout signings, which he did on Feb. 19, 2009.

Ainge traded away Patrick O’Bryant to Toronto in a three-team trade. Toronto sent Will Solomon to Sacramento as part of the deal, while the C’s received a conditional second-round pick from the Kings.

2010 Deadline – Boosting the Bench

Doc Rivers always used to appreciate a bulk scorer off the bench. He used to say that such a player would win a team at least one game during the postseason. Maybe that’s why Ainge went out and acquired guard Nate Robinson.

Boston acquired Robinson and Marcus Landry from New York for Eddie House, J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker. None of the players whom Ainge surrendered in that deal made any noise in the league, and none of them remain in the league at this time. Robinson, meanwhile, served his purpose and played a key role off the bench as the Celtics made it to Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals. (MY NOTE: Eddie House served his purpose in 2008 but this was 2010 and he was almost done by now. I think he played one more season in Miami. #30 pick JR Giddens was gone and #47 pick Bill "Sky" Walker had a few underwhelming seasons in NY and currently is in the D-League. Nate wasn't my favorite player but he had some good games for us. I think of this as House-for-Nate with some salary/roster clearing for bonus. I'm ok with this trade).

2011 Deadline – Ainge Makes Some Noise

Ainge completed a flurry of trades at the 2011 deadline as he attempted to fortify his team, led by the Big Three and Rajon Rondo, for another championship run. His first move was a blockbuster, with the final two merely serving as moves to manage roster space and salary.

The C’s shocked the basketball world by acquiring Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic and a future first-round draft pick on Feb . 24, 2011. In order to complete the trade, Ainge agreed to surrender a fan favorite, Kendrick Perkins, as well as Nate Robinson. Green would go on to become the heir to the starting small forward position after Pierce left Boston. (MY NOTE: Perk wasn'the the player before KG he became when KG was here and after going to OKC he reverted to what he was before KG. The strike/lockout blew up the Krstic part of the deal).

Marquis Daniels, Semih Erden and Luke Harangody were also shipped out of town at the 2011 deadline. Daniels, who had recently injured his neck and spine and was likely out for the season, was dealt to Sacramento in exchange for a heavily protected second-rounder. Erden and Harangody went to Cleveland for a future another second-round pick. (MY NOTE: I liked Daniels but after that frightening injury was HIGHLY damaged goods. Neither Erden nor Harangody lit up the night sky. So, Danny made a 2nd round pick out of a sow's ear).

2012 Deadline – No Trades

Ainge did not take part in any deadline deals.

2013 Deadline – A Deal for Crawford

Similar to his 2010 acquisition of Nate Robinson, Ainge eyed an offensive sparkplug to come off of the bench and help the C’s make a title run in 2013. His man was Jordan Crawford, formerly of the Washington Wizards.

Crawford came over to the Celtics from Washington in exchange for an injured Leandro Barbosa and Jason Collins. The guard would spend a year with the C’s, filling in admirably for an injured Rajon Rondo to start the 2013-14 season, before being dealt away to Golden State in January of 2014. (MY NOTE: Danny once again making something out of nothing. Barbosa was done with an ACL, Collins wasn't effective. Mr Herky-Jerky made me nuts but he, and Marshon Brooks (who is currently playing in Italy. The latest Gerald Green. A spectacular athlete with vapor between the ears), turned into Joel Anthony and a couple of picks (probably three 2nd rounders). So, Danny turned an ACL, an ancient and ineffective center and an NBA wash-out into three 2nd round picks. Anthony was traded for Will Bynum, who was waived, so that was a roster-clearing, salary cap clearing wash).

2014 Deadline – No Trades

Ainge did not take part in any deadline deals.

bob
MY NOTE: These are just trade deadline trades.

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