Danny Ainge | Larry Brown Sports

Danny Ainge: Celtics likely to retire KG’s jersey, not sure on Ray Allen

January 30, 2014 By Larry Brown 1 Comment

Danny Ainge said on Thursday that he thinks the Boston Celtics will likely retire Kevin Garnett’s jersey, but he’s not sure if they will do the same with Ray Allen.

Allen and KG joined the Boston Celtics prior to the 2007-2008 season. The two combined with Paul Pierce to give the Celtics a formidable Big Three. They posted the best record in the league in their first season together and won the NBA championship. But is that enough for Garnett and Allen to have their jerseys retired?

Ainge, who has been a front office exec for the Celtics since 2003, told Toucher and Rich of The Sports Hub in Boston that he believes Paul Pierce (obviously) and Garnett are likely to have their jerseys retired, but he’s not sure about Allen.

“I’m not sure yet.” Ainge said about Allen’s number when asked. “I don’t know the answer to that. It will be something the ownership of the team will decide. Who knows what happens when those guys careers are over and time settles in. I honestly don’t know.”

The Celtics’ ownership group will make the determination on whose jerseys are retired, so Ainge is just offering his opinion.

If Allen came to the Celtics the same year as Garnett, why would KG be honored instead of him? Ainge mentioned (with prompting from the hosts) that Ray leaving the team for the Miami Heat would have something to do with it.

“I think that’s obviously somewhat of a factor. But I think time heals those hurts, and logic will take over,” said Ainge. “The question is did he play long enough and that kind of thing? There are a lot of great Celtics in history, and Ray Allen is certainly one of them. I know there will be consideration and discussion about that happening. We’ll see.”

Pierce is a franchise icon and no-brainer to have his jersey retired. But what I’m wondering is what makes Garnett any more deserving of the honor than Allen? Because he played six seasons with the team instead of five? That’s not a huge difference.

I asked Boston sports fan Steve DelVecchio for his opinion, and he said he would only retire Pierce’s number. I probably would do the same. But I can’t imagine you retire KG’s jersey and not Allen’s just because he left for Miami a year early.

Chest bump to Celtics Hub

Filed Under: Basketball Tagged With: Boston Celtics, Danny Ainge

Pat Riley: Danny Ainge needs to STFU and manage his own team

March 29, 2013 By Larry Brown 3 Comments

Pat Riley issued possibly the statement of the year when he told Danny Ainge to shut the f— up and mind his own business.

Ainge upset Riley by saying Thursday on WEEI’s “Salk & Holley” show that it was embarrassing for LeBron James to complain about calls like he did after the Miami Heat lost to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.

“I think the referees got the calls right. I don’t think it was a hard foul,” Ainge said of the calls involving LeBron. “I think the one involving LeBron against Boozer, that was flagrant. I think the officials got it right.

“I think that it’s almost embarrassing that LeBron would complain about officiating,” the Boston Celtics GM added.

The Heat president responded through a team spokesman Friday with the statement of the century.

“Danny Ainge needs to shut the f— up and manage his own team. He was the biggest whiner going when he was playing and I know that because I coached against him.”

Word of Riley’s blast got back to Ainge, who admitted Riley was right.

“I would say we’re both right,” he said. “LeBron should quit complaining; I complained as a player and I should manage my own team. We’re both right.

“Pat Riley’s right. I should manage my own team. I complained a lot to the officials. And I’m right, LeBron should be embarrassed about how he complains about the calls he gets.”

What’s the takeaway here aside from the epic smack exchanged between the two? This says a lot about why so many players love Riley. FOX Sports Florida’s Chris Tomasson has some great quotes from Jerry Stackhouse who admired Riley for standing up for his player. Retired tennis player Andy Roddick echoed Stackhouse’s thoughts.

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Filed Under: Basketball Tagged With: Danny Ainge, Pat Riley

Danny Ainge Says He is Open to Trading the Big Three

January 19, 2012 By Steve DelVecchio Leave a Comment

The Celtics are in trouble. There is a fine line that NBA teams tread between veteran experience and just plain old. The Celtics have been flirting with it over the past couple seasons, and if the first 13 games of this season are any indication they may have officially crossed it. Boston is 5-8 on the year and has lost five of its last six games. During each of those losses they scored no more than 88 points. With the exception of Rajon Rondo — who was having a career year but left Wednesday’s game with a wrist injury — the Celtics don’t have much going for them. That is why Danny Ainge is considering blowing the whole thing up.

In an interview with the Boston Globe, Ainge explained that he does not want the Celtics to have to go through the type of 10-year drought they went through after Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish left in the 1990s.

“(Red Auerbach) had a chance to trade Larry (to Indiana) for Chuck Person and Herb Williams and (Steve) Stipanovich and he had a chance to trade Kevin (to Dallas) for Detlef Schrempf and Sam Perkins” Ainge explained. “I was like are you kidding? I mean I feel that way now. If I were presented with those kind of deals for our aging veterans, it’s a done deal to continue the success.

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Filed Under: Basketball Tagged With: Boston Celtics, Danny Ainge

Danny Ainge Should Be Thanked for Making Kendrick Perkins Trade

March 3, 2011 By Shahe B. 15 Comments

When Danny Ainge dealt Kendrick Perkins to the Oklahoma City Thunder the basketball world felt pure shock. As a fan of the Boston Celtics, I felt pure rage. Even Lakers fans were left in disbelief over what had transpired at the trade deadline. Why would Danny pull off a last second deal that may disturb the balance of the universe and cause the New England commonwealth to cave in upon itself? I decided to give it a few games as see what other moves Danny had planned before I crowned him the new Joe Dumars of the NBA.

A week has passed and the dust has settled. A few games and the new-look Boston Celtics look good. In fact, they look better. We shouldn’t just forgive Danny Ainge for moving Perkins, we should thank him.

Part of the reason Perkins was moved was because he had turned down a 4-year, $22-million offer from the Celtics. Perkins believed his value to be $10-million per year and the Celtics front office disagreed. The other key in the trade was Marquis Daniels going down with a neck injury. This left Boston with no backup small forward to help relieve Paul Pierce of his duties. Afraid that Boston and Pierce would burn out before the Finals and Perkins would leave shortly thereafter as a free agent, Ainge pulled the trigger. The move had two purposes: Try and salvage as much of this season as possible as well as help cushion the teams decline in the post-Big 3 era.

Danny Ainge Is a Free Throw Heckler

May 4, 2010 By Larry Brown 1 Comment

Celtics GM Danny Ainge was in attendance for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals between the Cavs and Celtics on Monday night. Although his Celtics pulled away from the Cavs in the third quarter and went on for an easy win, Ainge did everything possible to ensure his team would win. That includes tossing up a towel to try and distract J.J. Hickson who was attempting a free throw late in the 3rd quarter. PTI showed a video replay of the incident on ESPN and there’s also a clip of it on YouTube thanks to user Foenixx. Here’s the Danny Ainge free throw distraction video where he tosses up a towel to break J.J. Hickson’s concentration:

As Cavs coach Mike Brown said, as long as it’s within the rules, there should not be a problem with Ainge’s actions. Some people might view it as classless and juvenile while others will see it as trying to help his team win. I see it as a bit of both and really can’t blame Ainge, as long as there’s nothing illegal about it.

Sources:
Celtics GM Ainge spotted tossing towel to distract Cavs [CBS Sports]

Filed Under: Basketball Tagged With: Danny Ainge