Asked today during an appearance on Toucher and Rich in Boston if he believes the Celtics, as currently constituted, are good enough to win a championship, president of basketball operations Danny Ainge offered a straightforward assessment.
“No, I do not,” Ainge said, according to Alex Barth of 98.5 The Sports Hub. The Celtics’ exec added that he believes the roster needs another piece or two to reach that level (Twitter link via Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports Boston).
In a recent conversation with The Boston Globe, Ainge shouldered the blame for the Celtics’ modest record (14-14) and up-and-down play, and he echoed those sentiments in his radio appearance on Thursday.
“This team, where we are, 14-14, if there’s somebody to blame, this is Danny Ainge to blame,” Ainge said. “This is not Brad Stevens. It’s not Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown. It’s not good enough right now. And we all know that. And, you know, we need to get better.”
While Ainge acknowledged that a roster change is probably necessary, he also said he believes the team is capable of playing better if its key players are able to get healthy at once, which hasn’t really happened this season. Due to various injuries and COVID-19 protocols, the Celtics’ core four – Tatum, Brown, Kemba Walker, and Marcus Smart – has played just two games together in 2020/21.
Ainge’s comments today suggest that if the Celtics make a move, they’d want to acquire a player who will be part of the regular rotation even when everyone else is healthy and available.
“Depth is a problem and we’re aware of that,” Ainge said, per Barth. “But when you just say that you’re going to go add depth, then you get healthy and then the depth doesn’t get to play. And we’ve run through those problems before in the past.”
The Celtics are fairly well-positioned to make an in-season trade, armed with a $28.5MM trade exception, all their future first-round picks, and a handful of young prospects who would likely be expendable in the right deal.
They need a real center immediately
They have a real center. Several, in fact. What they need is perimeter depth – guards and wings. Desperately. No Semi, no Grant Williams, no Carsen Edwards, no Teague. Virtually every minute every one of those guys plays needs to be upgraded. Grant can maybe have a minor role, but that’s it. The other four cannot play for this team come the playoffs.
You listed two PF’s there
Really? A real Center that can get a clutch rebound? On our roster? Well maybe Rob. Theis is Not a Championship starting and certainly not a Closing Center.
1. Failed at Kemba’s putback at the buzzer vs the Lakers. And “he was out-sized, out-worked, so it’s not his fault” is valid…so don’t put him at the 5.
2. Vs Raps in the playoffs he was subbed OUT for Kanter for a better defensive matchup….for a FREE THROW! The easiest rebound outside of No opponents at the the line.
So trade him now for an actual Rim Protector. Imagine how much better the Jays and Kemba would be if they had confidence, esp taking a shot with time winding down, if they had a Rebounder??? Same on the other side of the court. We need a Defensive Presence, not ballhanders licking their chops because they know another Theis posterization is coming.
TT is an improvement but imagine an actual Double Big lineup with Vucevic, Collins, KAT (well Theis and TT would have to be traded if Danny wants to keep Kemba and Smart..but why would the Wolves do a trade for Theis, TT, Langford, Nesmith and Edwards with 3 first rounds) Aldridge or Turner?
So I’m nitnin the “90% of the League doesn’t have anyone that can matchup with Bam, Giannis, Embiid, Jovic, or AD so screw it, give them their 30/15, let’s stop their other superstar(s).
We have the assests…use them for a Rim Peotector.
I would say a real center and a real point guard. They should have traded Hayward to the Pacers and now they would have Myles Turner instead of TT.
They couldn’t…Gordon took the money from Charlotte… They obviously needed his blessing to do the sign and trade.
100%
Ainge has always been good at analysis. He’s right about the Celtics currently & if anyone is exploring options its Ainge.
Celts’ could use some Vet leadership & Health. I really like Lowry in that mix. When Healthy they would be deadly. Pritchard is ready to assume Walker’s role next season, I’d take the chance.
For folks who hate on the raptors y’all sure want the raps to surrender their players to your teams though! Lowry is not being traded to Boston!
I don’t know if he is, or not, but its a pretty hot rumor worth a chat for some.
East coast trades in-season of this caliber are rare. Raps also want to make the playoffs & Lowry is loyal, Raps have been in return seemingly.
All of these things are more than well known.
Folks are just chatting about the possibility because it is intriguing the difference over Walker he could have. Its entertaining to ponder. No offense meant,
The guy who had his comment removed was correct.
There has been, and never was any hate in the comment I made above. Relax. If his comment is going to be deleted, maybe this one won’t.
Raps just beat the bucks twice in a row, and regardless I don’t think Lowry’s going anywhere. Masai’s done crazier things though
Which shows that the Bucks have the depth of a rain puddle.
Bucks hurt without Holiday. Should try to land C.J. McCollum. He’d fit in with the Bucks guards, he can run the offense, and he puts up 20 atleast everytime he suits up.
Bucks could use the scoring pop & another scorer that can get his own shot whenever he wants to. Would likely have to trade Holiday to pull it off & get a 3rd team involved, but it would return a championship maybe?
Last night without Lowry. Maybe even the time before too. VanVleet does seem to get by fine without Lowry. Trading Lowry is a decent query. Flip Lowry now for something that gives them what they need moving forward, instead of another VanVleet on the floor, which isn’t ideal & is redundant.
No daa we’ve been saying that since the draft you can’t be a champion contender with a roster full of useless and unproven draft picks that why needed to trade them and not use 5 of the 6 draft picks two yrs in a row not counting 2nd rounders
this team is his fault no one else he’s the one that let AL ,Kyrie,Rozier and Hayward go for nothing (I’m not convinced he’ll use the tpe) it’s real starting to seem like he doesn’t know how to build a championship team from the ground up and he sure can’t draft outside the top 5
I don’t think he’s incapable, he’s done it before after all. But he did get way too cute with the asset hoarding, biding his time and now he’s got to play catchup. It was clear 2 seasons ago that J and J were the future. At that point he should have shifted hard from clutching crappy 1sts to going all in for their first extension window. Still time, but agree it’s been frustrating AF.
As far as the listed players…he tried to sign Horford, we all wanted Kyrie gone, Rozier was replaced with Kemba and Hayward signed a mammoth deal. I do blame him for not taking the Indy deal – Turner/McDermott would be a HUGE improvement for us. But it’s not just as simple as he let them go. Asset management has been his key issue.
Should have used those picks to make trades instead of drafting a bunch of mediocre at best guys like the Williams, Langford, Edwards and Nehsmith.
agree. i mean, even this year we could have had desmond bane and saddiq bey. i like pritchard, he’s a keeper, but this is what happens in the mid-first. we had a young core ready to go – time to build around that with proven talent.
It’s funny cuz they drafted Bane and traded him away. Lol.
Agree with pretty much everything except I thought the deal from Kemba was doomed from the beginning. I know he was healthy at the time of signing, but as a player soon to be exiting his prime with a history of multiple knee surgeries I thought they should’ve stayed away from him, though I do understand the need to do something to replace Rozier. That was a tough situation.
Really? A real Center that can get a clutch rebound? On our roster? Well maybe Rob. Theis is Not a Championship starting and certainly not a Closing Center.
1. Failed at Kemba’s putback at the buzzer vs the Lakers. And “he was out-sized, out-worked, so it’s not his fault” is valid…so don’t put him at the 5.
2. Vs Raps in the playoffs he was subbed OUT for Kanter for a better defensive matchup….for a FREE THROW! The easiest rebound outside of No opponents at the the line.
So trade him now for an actual Rim Protector. Imagine how much better the Jays and Kemba would be if they had confidence, esp taking a shot with time winding down, if they had a Rebounder??? Same on the other side of the court. We need a Defensive Presence, not ballhanders licking their chops because they know another Theis posterization is coming.
TT is an improvement but imagine an actual Double Big lineup with Vucevic, Collins, KAT (well Theis and TT would have to be traded if Danny wants to keep Kemba and Smart..but why would the Wolves do a trade for Theis, TT, Langford, Nesmith and Edwards with 3 first rounds) Aldridge or Turner?
So I’m nitnin the “90% of the League doesn’t have anyone that can matchup with Bam, Giannis, Embiid, Jovic, or AD so screw it, give them their 30/15, let’s stop their other superstar(s).
We have the assests…use them for a Rim Protector.
There’s one problem getting a rim protector and a offensive rebounder and that Stevens on offense he puts everyone be hind the the 3 line so players have no chance for O-rebounds or put backs
Celtics need A LOT of help.
Letting Hayward go was a big mistake.
But they have a huge trade exception
Javale McGhee 4.1 mill. Send the Cavs a 2nd.
Pj Tucker 8 mill. Send the Rockets Edwards and Langford
Cody Zeller from Charlotte 15.5 mill.
They should have traded Hayward for Turner when the opportunity presented itself…
Yet he is afraid to trade Kemba… Talk is cheap Ainge! Should have traded Hayward for Miles Turner when you had the chance… Your fanboys will give you a pass as usual though…
Turner would fit awfully nice on that team right now.
And they also offered McDermott as well in the sign and trade. Nice job Danny. Outsmarted himself…
Ainge didn’t see it that way appearantly…
Who would give up a lot for Kemba right now? He has no choice but to hold.
Kemba for Buddy Hield or Kemba for Russ….
As in Russell Westbrook? Hell no. He will not ever win a ring
Ha ha ha
Can’t remember any other player one month back from an injury already 3 weeks into the impatience from emotional, overreacting, subjective fans. With that said, yes I am a huge Kemba fan, but I don’t ignore or excuse what is wrong just to be “loyal.” If my wife or mom are wrong and someone I don’t like are right, I stand by my fam but tell them they are wrong and make it right.
This is his first major injury of his entire basketball career. If he is not showing concrete signs of being back to the player we signed by Deadline, trade him.
Ainge has gotten a lot more right than wrong when it comes to major moves and hires.
It’s funny how the sheltered folks try to call others emotional for making an opinion on a social media platform. Unlike some of you I don’t take sports comments to heart. It is what it is. I have a life, 2 jobs, a family. Adult stuff that adults (who aren’t lazy) attain… Whatever you have a misconception about though…. Why so serious!
3 way trade to get Collins
Celtics can beat 76ers in five in playoffs
Robert Williams and 3 Firsts to third team
According to reporters
Warriors make Wiseman and Wolves pick available
Age
Tatum 22
Collins 23
Brown 24
Why not Collins
4 way trade
lmao Collins is not worth 3 firsts..hawks are looking for only 1 first rounder and a young player
They need a Center and a scoring option off the bench. I think more than anything though this statement is intended to try and light a fire under the players. Because for the past month or so they really haven’t been playing up to their abilities and I think Ainge is maybe hoping to get their attention and light a smart under them that maybe will force them to take a good look in the mirror and get back our there and start playing harder and up to their potential. If that happens and they add a piece or two at the deadline. They definitely have the talent to compete with just about anybody… they just have to actually do it (and stay/get healthy)
What do McGee and Zeller bring that Thompson, R. williams and Theis don’t. The band aid approach doesn’t work. Tucker is another story. He would help. And how many people would have been happy if the Celtics gave Hayward the contract that Charlotte did? I agree they should have traded him for Turner and one other.
Zeller PER 18.1 in 24 mins a game
McGee 16.5 in 15.7 mins a game
Thompson 13.6 in 22 mins a game
Theis 15.5 24 mins a game
R Williams 24.1 in 15 mins a game
Adding Zeller and Mcgee to the rotation improves the team over Thompson and Theis
Point of adding pieces is to get better…..
What exactly are those numbers? Do they take into consideration how many points they would score with Tatum, Brown, and Walker on the floor?
You mean can they keep pace with the leaders of a 14-14 team?— probably, but Mcgee has asthma and Zeller has sometimes played like it. But none would have to go 36′.
The average PER is about 15. It is a cumulative score of numerous basic stats.
Thanks.
1. Trade one of Theis/TT and let Time Lord cook.
2. Acquire solid rotation depth. Barnes/Bjelica from Sacto, Gordon/Ross or Fournier from Orlando. Need two solid, 20-30 MPG contributors.
3. Explore the market for a guy like John Collins. It would be a risk but at the right price, he’d be an amazing fit.
4. Look for buyout depth at C – McGee, Whiteside, etc. I want Rob to spread his wings but just in case.
This team can be fixed. Ainge better put his money where his mouth is – the window is open w the J’s and the clock is ticking.
Nailed it.
1. TT is proven, Theis has proven he can’t deliver in the Clutch. His expiring contract is enticing, he can be a good bench role player.
2. Lou Will, Reddick, Thad Young, Marrkanen, Barnes
3. Can be combined with 1, if another GM is conned into thinking Theis would be their actual replacement for trading Turner, Vucevic, Aldridge, (God, please) KAT.
Ainge could’ve made so many trades over the years with those extra picks he had but he was so stingy and then ends up drafting a bunch of duds that end up getting waived a year or two after being drafted. He’ll probably try the same thing this year and try and low ball everyone and end up with nothing and then say they have buyout guys they like. In comes Trevor Ariza who will do nothing and they’ll get bounced in the first round.
Do you have this written down somewhere and you just copy and paste into any post about the Celtics? What’s ur hard on for trevor ariza I never heard him mentioned
Apparently he and Ariza don;’t get along.
Hindsight. Ainge didn’t know trading for Kyrie really got us KRYie. If he was an adult, and Horford, an actual #5, stayed or we get a better Center instead of Theis getting the starting job by default, we at least make a series out of last year’s Finals, or maybe win it.
But AD would have walked for L.A. and New Orleans would have Zion and JB, while we would have had just Tatum and Kemba.
If 76ers trade for Collins 4 million salary, Celtics won’t succeed in playoffs
Sixers should do it…
They haven’t been championship caliber since the day before Kyrie Irving was acquired
They took Lebron to the buzzer in game 7 without Irving and Hayward in the Eastern Conference finals. That is pretty championship caliber.
No, that isn’t championship caliber. That would make them semifinals caliber. Championship caliber is actually going to the championship round.
Plus the East is way weaker than the West. Losing to the Cavs means they were like the 5th best team in the league.
Cavs beat the Warriors to win the title. Easy to argue Celts were within 3 points of winning it all.
Sorry. Got my years mixed up.
That’s being an almost title contender…
Center and bench scoring aren’t major issues anymore. What they are missing is a stretch forward and 1 guard
I think they can tinker without using the massive TE. Richaun Holmes from Sac solves interior help. Lou Dort from OKC – 3&D. George Hill would be a good buyout. Kyle Anderson from Memphis which is all around good guy.
Yeah no. OKC is not trading Dort. Lol. George Hill would have to be traded for. No reason for them to buy him out. Sacramento is also in the playoff mix so why would they trade their starting Center?
That’s how Celtics fans tinker
Otto Porter Jr fits snugly into that TPE
Boston tear it down feel free to trade Tatum to the Knicks for a second round pick.
Otto Porter is trash and always injured. You do not want him.
Ainge is a good evaluator and asset manager. But he isn’t a bold deal maker. If it can be done slow and sure, maybe, but few deadline deals get done that way.
He’s definitely not a bold deal maker or he would of had AD or others.
LOL. I am by no means a Celtics fan but does the name Kevin Garnett ring a bell?
Should’ve gotten Turner back then.
Tatum taking the next few steps to stardom, his iso and longball game does stagnate the CELTS game some. Also, Smart’s injury has exposed this team as being passive, timid without him.
Even if they could have gotten Turner they didn’t. Blame Ainge if you want, but pointing out past mistakes does nothing to help them now. You want his head on a plate? How does firing a GM midseason help a team? I’ve asked before but never get an answer – who is better that you’re replacing him with?
This isn’t some bottom dwelling team. The reason people get worked up is because they ARE a good team, just not playing to it. If anything I put some of this on Stephens who I still think is a great coach, but is not getting the most out of these guys so far this year.
Funny, I can’t find one post here about anyone wanting Ainge fired.
Like many GM’s, Ainge has had his hits and his misses – and he’ll get praised and panned accordingly.
I have to say though, yes Stevens seems to have allowed his team to regress somewhat. IMO has been poor on the developing their younger pieces.
My point is people harp on his failures without offering an alternative. I just don’t see the point unless you don’t like him personally or something.
This is why you’re a top three poster.
“Ainge Believes Earth is Round”
Celtics have a solid roster, but they’re still missing something. Yea they’ve had injuries and covid stuff to deal with, notably walker and smart with lengthy absences. It seems Kemba is getting back to normal.
I’m not a celtics fan but it seems something they are missing is a bench scorer. Also, I think Stevens is a good coach, but he used to be more creative on his offense when he had less talent. It seems it’s become too much dependent on Tatum and brown, and so they have stagnated IMO.
He’s the one who put this together. Can he fire himself or what’s he saying. These players today don’t motivated like his days of playing. Like just look at a few simple facts. Hayward wasn’t the future for them. He could of brought Love in yrs ago. A real PF who can shoot, reb and has been to finals. I like Tacko but why have him if he’s not your rim protector at least 20-24 mins a gm. You signed Thompson who is decent. But you could have drafted Stewart or Achiuwa. Both have better futures. And then signed a shooter instead of drafting Nesmith. For the money you gave Thompson. You could of signed Howard a D n rim protector C. Drafted Achiuwa or Stewart. And signed a shooter like Ellington. And still had money left over. And I’m not even a Celtics fan. Celtics should be competing for title by now. Yes Angie you are slow to the draw Imo. Still waiting for Larry to bail you out, I guess.
He said he doesn’t see team as championship caliber. Well who’s fault would that be didn’t he put the team together
While it may be his fault that he didn’t put a champ team together, idk who to blame for the fact that you cant read lol. He literally says its his fault like 3 sentences in.
How about if we wait until Smart comes back and Walker has a few more games. Also Tatum says he is still feeling the effects of COVID. With all of the pieces in place the Celtics are a much better team. A log of the proposed trades are for band aids. Celtics need one more difference maker, not a complimentary piece. Collins would be perfect. Trade some kids and draft picks.
I’m over Danny, bout time the celtics go in another direction. Besides Tatum and Brown he wasted all the draft picks. Should’ve traded some while he had the chance. Needs a big man every year yet never comes up with one
The Celtics are gonna be pressured into using their exception on Drummond and that’s unfortunate
The problem with Boston is how do u fix a problem when u don’t really know what the problem is?
Well he built it sooooooooo…..