The Latest

Your Morning Dump… Where the Celtics aim to fill in the blank

Mike Dynon (@MikeDynon) June 2, 2016 Brad Stevens, Danny Ainge, Evan Turner, Free Agency, The Morning Dump 33 Comments

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

The NBA Finals are about to begin without the Celtics (this time), but the Green Team grabbed headlines anyway yesterday by announcing contract extensions for Brad Stevens and Danny Ainge. The news was universally praised by media and fans who know the value of stability for a franchise on the rise (in other words, everyone except the hot-takers). Here are reports from the eventful day and video of the Celtics’ press conference that followed the announcement. We start with Brad referring to the blank banner hanging at the team’s practice facility, a constant reminder that the only goal is the next championship.

“The biggest thing was that we all want to get better; we want to strive to compete to fill in that blank banner up there,” Stevens said, hoping to bring “Banner 18” to Boston. “There is a lot of good fortune that has to accompany that along the way, but you get a chance to work with people you enjoy to work with is the best part of that journey.”

CBS Boston – Brad Stevens Not Going Anywhere, Striving To ‘Fill In That Blank Banner’

“These jobs – the president of basketball operations and the head coach of the Boston Celtics are storied positions. Both were held by the incomparable Red Auerbach,” Grousbeck said. “I personally believe that Red would be very happy. This is the right thing for the Celtics, you represent excellent and Celtic pride on and off the court. These are the exact people we want to run the Celtics.

WEEI – Wyc Grousbeck Says Red Auerbach ‘Would Be Very Happy’ With Danny Ainge, Brad Stevens

Since being eliminated from the playoffs, the Celtics have announced plans for a pristine new training facility and extended their coach and general manager. That essentially completes the groundwork for free agency in July, creating stability at the top of the organization and showing that the team is committed to equipping its players with the amenities necessary to best compete for a title.

ESPN Boston – Celtics give extensions to Danny Ainge, Brad Stevens

A note sent to season ticket holders from co-owner Wyc Grousbeck on today’s contract extensions: pic.twitter.com/GHiAEXvk9l

— Chris Forsberg (@ESPNForsberg) June 1, 2016

If you have Facebook, a video of the entire press conference can be viewed on the Celtics’ page.

Shorter highlight clips are also available from CSNNE (if you don’t mind the ads):

Brad also answered more questions after the formal presser:

On Page 2: What’s up, ET?

Have learned that @celtics unrestricted free agent Evan Turner has fired agent David Falk. He’ll be repped by Kevin Bradbury of BDA Sports.

— Sean Deveney (@SeanDeveney) June 1, 2016

Given yesterday’s hoopla, this news was under the radar. How this move will affect Turner’s impending free agency is anyone’s guess, but there must be a reason ET has made this change at this time. He’s on record that he wants to return to Boston, and hopes to nail down his situation sooner than later. Perhaps Falk wasn’t the guy to get that done.

On Page 3: KD speaks

Kevin Durant also sat down for a press conference on Wednesday. Jump to the 15-minute mark for KD’s key comment about what’s most important to him in his future. If he’s even giving the slightest thought to leaving OKC, yesterday’s news out of Boston should give him something to consider.

Related: NBA.com – Blogtable: What’s Next For Oklahoma City Thunder And For Kevin Durant? | Sporting News – Kevin Durant ‘not that type of person’ to go on free-agency tour

And, finally: 206 days to Christmas

FIRST LOOK: This is the 2016 Christmas Day uniform for the @Celtics. Full details here: https://t.co/9WWJFPfGJE pic.twitter.com/PjXsZnJr1e

— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) June 1, 2016

Cool, the NBA has designed a uniform for the Celtics to wear on December 25 – but only if the TV networks deem the Cs worthy. The Celts last had a Christmas Day game in 2012, when they won at Brooklyn. According to the Celtics Media Guide, their all-time record on Christmas is 13-16 – incredibly, all on the road. It’s true, they have never played in Boston on Christmas. We have to give the NBA a lump of coal for that.

The Rest of the Links:

ESPN Boston – Celtics trekked overseas to examine Dragan Bender

MassLive – Dragan Bender went through individual workout for Boston Celtics | Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics could be awkward, but productive, pairing | Jaylen Brown ‘very good’ in Boston Celtics workout, says Danny Ainge

Luke Walton

From the day Danny arrived, he’s been an incrementalist. He inherited a terrible hand (Vin Baker was still on the payroll), and slowly but surely he’s improved our lot. Even when he went for broke, he did so very strategically. Adding Ray Allen to entice KG, and then using the Big Three to entice Posey, House, PJ Brown and the Alien. Critics would argue that he simply leveraged his friendship with old friend Kevin McHale, but that doesn’t explain the Brooklyn trade. Almost every one of his trades makes sense, even the Kendrick Perkins deal. We had two centers remaining on the roster, and we got one back in the deal. Most importantly, we added an additional defender for LeBron. Just didn’t work out. Still a good deal.
- swissflix
  
  This is why i hope Danny does what he does best and uses the Brooklyn pick for another astute trade instead of drafting a player.
  - Luke Walton
    
    He almost has to. Even if he drafts someone, it will be with a trade in mind. So there is a chance he takes a point guard, odd as that may sound.
    - swissflix
      
      I would love to get Nerlens, if only he wasn’t due for an extension next summer.
- RedsLoveChild
  
  “Good deal” for who??
  Celts went from dominant-to-irrelevant overnight following the OKC trade.
  
  McHale was ordered by Minn to trade KG.
  McHale could choose to trade KG to the hated Lakers {which would`ve turned him into the biggest pariah in Boston history for giving LA another 2-4 rings} OR send him to Boston and enhance his high esteem. Not a tough choice.
  
  From all accounts, BKLN approached Boston about acquiring KG/PP.
  
  Ainge inherited an all-time great player in his prime {Pierce} and he watched McHale safely choose him over Mitch Kupchak.
  Whatever success Ainge has had is the result of these 2 events. Period.
  - MikeABQ
    
    You are always hating on Ainge, but do you really think there are 10 better GM’s in league?
    Perhaps the Perk/Green trade was made 4 months to early but having Perk was not going to win us the chip in 2011 and OKC was laughed at for giving him substantial minutes the next 3 years. We still have a first rd pick coming from flipping Jeff Green to Memphis.
    
    Even if it was BKLN that “approached” Boston, it takes two to make a deal and Danny fleeced them. Portland fleeced them in the Gerald Wallace trade, do they get no credit either? KG only agreed to come to Boston after the Ray Allen deal was made,and both those trades were made possible with players that Danny drafted.
    - RedsLoveChild
      
      I don`t go around ranking NBA GM`s…all I know is Ainge blows.
      
      Celts were demolishing the league at the time of the trade….745% {41-14}. Only an unforeseen injury {or an idiotic trade by Ainge} could keep them from winning the 2011 title.
      
      Boston crushed Miami twice {without a loss} that year before the trade. Miami lost to Dallas in the Finals.
      
      He trades Perk without spending a second considering what effect this would have to team chemistry.
      
      As for KG, you don`t think they got his approval before acquiring Allen??
      You think Boston would trade the 5th pick for a 32 year old guard coming off double ankle surgery…and then hope and pray KG would approve of the deal?
      - MikeABQ
        
        You don’t have to go around ranking GMs, but the argument of Ainge being terrible is moot when you don’t have anything to compare it to. If you wanted to say you wish we had R.C Buford or slimy Pat Reilly, and provide examples of smart moves that Ainge would not be capable of for whatever reasons, than o.k. But if you don’t know jack about other GMs in the league, you don’t have much of a leg to stand on when bashing ours. Celts have been in the playoffs for 10 of 13 years Ainge has been here. Sometimes it’s worth taking a look around the league and counting your blessings.
        
        And if you would like to argue Perk was the big difference, using your logic, they lost to Dallas twice that year before he was traded
      - art
        
        I have said many times that the Perkins trade was Danny’s big gaffe since he has been in the C’s front office. You just don’t trade your starting center from a 41-14 team period. Plus the great chemistry Perkins had with KG. I totally agree with RedLovesChild on the trade, but other than that, I think Danny has done a pretty good job. It’s not easy competing against 29 other teams. Maybe RedLovesChild will soften his stance when the C’s become title contenders sooner rather than later.
      - RedsLoveChild
        
        Making the playoffs without having any chance of winning a title is meaningless. Where`s the satisfaction in that? Better off being in the lottery.
        
        They lost 2 games to Dallas by a combined 6 points. Shaq did not play in either game, Perk sat out one of them.
      - dk
        
        while I hated the trade also and agree with you, another motivation for the trade was that Perkins had hurt his other knee I believe and so they were worried about that–plus the ongoing saga of trying to find a backup for Paul Pierce after Marquis Tinman Daniels got hurt again.
    - swissflix
      
      Do you know what year we will get the pick? Because the Clips will implode at some point…and then the pick turns into pure gold. I’m sure Danny has thought about the timing!
      - MikeABQ
        
        Trying to figure out their mess of draft picks, looks like grizzlies pick would come in 2019,top 8 protected.
  - swissflix
    
    Yes, BKLN might have approached Boston but Ainge still had to agree to the trade, work things out with KG and the other players.
    - RedsLoveChild
      
      Agree to the trade?
      
      KG and Pierce were 37 and 36 years old…the Celts needed to rebuild.
      What would be the argument for NOT making the Net trade???
      - swissflix
        
        Well…as so many Celtics fans like to say…loyalty. And i am sure there were other options on the table for as how to go forward with that roster. If i remember correctly, there were rumors of KG and PP going to the Clips, together with Doc for DeAndre in return. Things look obvious now for us looking in from the outside but i am sure they weren’t at the time.
  - forever_green
    
    Now DA is getting credit for the Brooklyn trade? A desperate owner approached him with a bunch of first round picks and he gets credit for that? Lol
    - RedsLoveChild
      
      Well said.
Sean

Im glad it happened but I remember they gave Doc an extension before he ran away.

Shouldn’t next years jerseys be Nike?
- swissflix
  
  Yes, but still the extension was smart. It gave us a first rounder in return. Which we squandered..on James Young, i believe?
  - CFH
    
    James Young was a Brooklyn pick. RJ Hunter is the Doc pick, so it still might pan out.
    - swissflix
      
      If not that’s two solid mid first rounders wasted…
      - RedsLoveChild
        
        Young & Hunter are both worthless, and neither one has an NBA future…..Rozier shot 27% FG, 22% 3`s….Smart is the 2nd worst shooter the NBA has seen in 50 years for guys with more than 3,000 mins.
        
        Nice draft picking, Ainge!
      - MikeABQ
        
        Young is a bust,no question on that one.
        
        But- 19 of the 31 players drafted after Hunter have never played a minute in the NBA. Maybe some will pan out, no way to say now. There are a couple players drafed after Hunter that looked good this year like Josh Richardson on the Heat and Norman Powell on Raptors, but that is 2 out of 30.
        
        I love Smart, so I have bias, but take a look at 2014 draft and tell me who you would have rather have taken? It is easy to criticize without giving alternatives
      - RedsLoveChild
        
        Smart would be fine if he were taken 26th in the draft…not 6th.
        
        Once the ping pong balls gave Boston the 6th pick, Ainge had a full month to figure out the obvious….the 2014 draft contained only 1-3 good players worth taking.
        
        Ainge should`ve used that month to talk up the value of a 6th pick…then find a sucker to trade the 6th pick for a proven player/picks.
        
        Seriously, who the hell “tanks” a season just to get Marcus Smart? The guy really belongs in the NFL, not the NBA.
      - forever_green
        
        Obviously drafting Smart was an attempt to lessen the soon to be blow of losing Rondo.
        
        The number one thing to do was as you said trade the damn pick, or at the time take the chance on Randle as last resort. This was so obvious to us beforehand and still isn’t obvious to others now..somewhere in a gym I just heard Smart brick another jumper.
      - RedsLoveChild
        
        Absolutely.
        Randle {and only Randle} should`ve been drafted as a last resort IF an advantageous trade could not be worked out beforehand.
        {In retrospect only, perhaps Zach Lavine}
        
        Smart would be a fine “short-yardage” running back for an NFL team…but, why any NBA team would draft him is a total mystery!
      - KGino
        
        You can’t really waste a 28th pick though… You can only hope it pans out. I can’t name one player drafted after RJ who had any impact for their team this year. Give it time. Also the GOD Jordan Mickey was drafted 33, and its looks like he may have found a player there
      - swissflix
        
        Well, i guess that’s true. Young still hurts, though-a 17th pick has some value and potential.
      - forever_green
        
        Consider them wasted.
CFH

Chuck should use his ability to see the future on lottery tickets instead of hot takes. (Or maybe he has and is busy checking out mansions or something.)
Luke Walton

good deal for celts. Didn’t help OKC, really, and celts weren’t really hurt by it, other than psychologically. hindsight is 20-20. They wouldn’t have done much better had they kept perk. Doesn’t really matter. Made sense on paper. Oneal brothers plus nenad and green versus perkins. Anybody with a brain takes that deal every time it’s offered
forever_green

Splash brothers splashing more ink in the loss column for LBJ!!!

YESSSS!!!

The Latest

Your Morning Dump… Where the Celtics aim to fill in the blank

On Page 2: What’s up, ET?

On Page 3: KD speaks

And, finally: 206 days to Christmas

Recent Posts

Your Morning Dump… Where IT made some kid’s day.

Your Morning Dump… Where Shaq says the greatest center of all time is…

Locked On Celtics: Perfect Pierce retirement & CelticsBlog’s Jeff Clark

Your Morning Dump… Where the Celtics view relationship-building as the bedrock of success

Your Morning Dump… Where Brad likes Gerald Green’s ‘spurt-ability’

Your Morning Dump… Where Dino Radja is back (in town)

Your Morning Dump… Where, once again, we’re talking about Horford’s potential impact

Archives

The Latest

Your Morning Dump… Where the Celtics aim to fill in the blank

On Page 2: What’s up, ET?

On Page 3: KD speaks

And, finally: 206 days to Christmas

Like this Article? Share it!

Related Post

Recent Posts

Archives