Danny Ainge Does Not Care That You Want Him To Make A Trade
(Sporting News) – The Celtics are poised to have three first-rounders in next year’s draft, and possibly two lottery picks. But, according to league sources, none of Boston’s picks are expected to be available at the deadline.
Boston has the Grizzlies’ pick, protected for the top eight. Memphis currently has the ninth spot in the draft, but is on a downward trajectory, going 4-14 after a 15-9 start. The Celtics could lose this pick if Memphis keeps dropping, but it is protected only for the top six next year and unprotected in 2021 — just in time for the departures of Mike Conley and Marc Gasol, and the likely bottoming-out of this team.
The Celtics have Sacramento’s first-rounder, too, which is unprotected. The Kings’ surprising start dinged the value of this pick (now at No. 13), and Sacramento is seeking to add depth to keep its playoff push alive. But the Kings have lost five of eight and have a very difficult six-game road trip at the end of the month.
No matter how Memphis or Sacramento performs in the coming month, expect the Celtics to sit on these picks and hope that they can be part of a bigger overall package (yes, possibly for Anthony Davis) ahead of draft night.
As you can imagine, Celtics want Danny Ainge to do something. Whether it’s trade picks or trade players, addition by subtraction, whatever you want to call it they are pleading with Trader Danny to live up to his name. With this report from Sean Deveney who knows a thing or two and is pretty connected, it’s sounding like his war chest of picks for the moment are off limits until the summer. You look at all the picks they have at their disposal, and besides those four first rounders that are off limits, all he has to work with is the 53rd pick int he second round. If there’s one thing we know about Ainge it’s that he refuses to be on the losing end of a trade. So for example take his situation with Terry Rozier. He’s probably at the top of the list of players Celtics fans may want traded, but there’s a problem with that. If I’m an opposing team, what have I seen from Rozier this season that tells me I should give up something of value for a player about to hit free agency where you may be forced to pay big money in order to keep him? Like if I’m PHX or ORL and there are rumors that Dennis Smith Jr could be had, isn’t that a better option?
That means, given how Rozier is playing, Ainge most likely would have to sweeten the deal with one of those first round picks in order to bring back something of value. Remember, the number 1 rule when it comes to Ainge making trades is it has to make his team better. He doesn’t just give away assets just to get rid of them. Now maybe he feels that whatever he gets back might make this team better, but then you have to factor in how much Ainge loves Rozier. You heard his quotes the other day, when he talked about the status of this roster
“I try not to get too emotional with a hot streak or a cold streak, and just look at what our team is,” he said. “How our team has played this year, I really haven’t been too surprised with anything, the good and the bad. You could anticipate both of those things happening. So, I’m not surprised. I feel like our team is in a good place and playing well. But I like the path they’re headed in.”
Then there was this quote from the owner
When I look at the team right now I feel really good about their character, really good about their skill, really good about the upside over the next five to six years, with young players and the draft,” Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck said earlier this month.”
Maybe this is just Ainge being coy. He obviously doesn’t show anyone his hand before he makes a deal, and we’re at the point now where his two philosophies are battling each other. He has stated time and time again that he will make a deal if it makes his team better, but he also has made it pretty clear he wants to cash in his chips for a big fish, whether that be players or picks. Now he finds himself in a pickle where maybe a move might help him in the short term, but may also take him out of the running for that big fish this summer. The one thing we know is Ainge doesn’t get emotional one way or another. He doesn’t overreact when things are bad, and he doesn’t ignore a chance to make his team better even if they’re having success. It’s why I love the man and hate the man at the same time.
At this point we have to just accept trusting him whether he makes a move in the next month or not. We’ve gotten this far and have nailed every step of this rebuild so far, just don’t think he’ll make a move just to make one. You don’t pull one over Danny Ainge in the trade market, he pulls one over on you.
So we can tweet, we can call into radio shows, we can scream at the top of our lungs that something should be done, but at the end of the day Danny doesn’t give a shit. He made his bed and he’s willing to deal with the consequences even if it burns him. I respect that.