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Ainge on Big Show: ‘I didn’t want to move’ Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett 02.22.13 at 6:09 pm ET
By
Danny Ainge (AP)

Danny Ainge (AP)

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge didn’t want to trade Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett at the NBA trade deadline — not for pennies on the dollar, he told the Big Show.

“We really like those guys,” said Ainge on Friday evening. “I like Kevin and I like Paul a lot, and I didn’t want to move them.”

Ainge wouldn’t discuss how close he ever came to trading Garnett to the Clippers for Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan — other than to say, “I never talked to Kevin” — or dealing Pierce to the Nets for Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks and a pick.

“You don’t just give them away,” he said. “There is great value in those guys.”

So, Ainge apparently wasn’t offered a deal that matched the value he places on either Garnett or Pierce, so he never had the opportunity that Red Auerbach had. For some background, here’s what Ainge told The Boston Globe two years ago (h/t @trubygreen):

“First of all, it’s a different era. I sat with Red during a Christmas party (in the 1990s). Red was talking to Larry [Bird], Kevin [McHale] and myself and there was a lot of trade discussion at the time, and Red actually shared some of the trade discussions. And I told Red, what are you doing? Why are you waiting?

“He had a chance to trade Larry for Chuck Person, Herb Williams and [Steve] Stipanovich and he had a chance to trade Kevin for Detlef Schrempf and Sam Perkins. 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.”

On Friday, Ainge told the Big Show that deals like those weren’t on the table for Garnett or Pierce this season.

“What I said is that I would’ve done those deals,” said Ainge. “That’s all I’ve said, and I hold true to that. Those deals don’t exist, so there’s a big, big difference between what you’re trying to have me said and what I did say. …

“Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are playing much better at that stage of their careers than Kevin and Larry were at the same stage, so KG and Paul have been way, way more durable than Kevin and Larry ever were.”

Pushed on the circus that surrounded Garnett in recent weeks, Ainge added, “He’s very loyal. Right now, he bleeds green, and he has a huge, huge impact on the development of our young players.”

As for the deadline deal Ainge did make — trading the injured Leandro Barbosa and Jason Collins for Jordan Crawford — the C’s president said, “We are looking to replace Barbosa’s scoring punch off the bench.”

To listen to the complete interview, check out the Big Show’s audio page here.

Read More: Boston Celtics, Jordan Crawford, Kevin Garnett, NBA Print  |  Email  |  Bark It Up!  |  Digg It
  • Mjc2370

    what a joke you are Danny. Remember when you said you won’t hang on to aging stars like Red. You just did and this team IS NOT good enough to comepete with the iron of the league. Yeah will win 1 rd or 2 who cares about winning a round this isnt Atlanta its Boston. Last year the Celts were fortunate to who they played in the playoffs to get to the ECF they beat a suckass Philly team and the Powerhouse Atlanta Hawks.

    The Celts ratings are down 35% because anyone who’s not a Yahoo/Greenteamer knows this team has zero shot at winning a championship, so why watch? I hope so badly you miss the playoffs.

    Ainge your a fraud saying if those deals were offered to you of course I’d accept. Bledsoe and Jordan for 36 year old Garnett is a no brainer. There were ways around the no trade. Seriously Danny what have you actually done since you’ve been here, if it wasnt for your buddy McHale giving you Garnett for spare parts for a legendary player( would you qualify your KG deal as one of those no brainers), of course. Kevin trying to rebuild the Celts.

    Im disgusted with the lack of moves

    • Trevor071793

      agree

    • Fab4ever

      There were ZERO moves to make….like he said, the other GM’s weren’t offering anything other than players to help save cap space…and they’ll do that easily when these guys retire…maybe Dan has in his head that they won’t win this year and he’ll make some changes in the off season ….you don’t know more than him nor do any of these other yokels….

      • Mjc2370

        typical green teamer answer. So saving cap space in the future when they retire means lottery and zero free agents. Yeah thats the right move. Bottom of the barrel he we come again. He had what most GM ‘S dream of rebuilding on the fly and he missed his opportunity

        • don’t forgot Reggie and Lewis

          no buddy…cap space when they retire means Danny can pick the free agents he wants instead of ending up with tools like jsmoove and humphries.

          • Mjc2370

            dummy free agents don’t go where there is no talent, hence when they were in the lottery before noone wanted to come here, even with Pierce. You can believe fraud Danny all of you Celtic Yahoo’s want, He said I won’t do what Red did and he did the exact same thing and says there was no deal out there to help. There wasnt a deal that would make them better this year it was for down the road the next few seasons. Whats here now has zero chance for a title with the exception of you few Bozo’s who drink the koolaid believe they do.

            Uncle no Im 43 and been down this road with this franchise and those of you who believe DA has done a great job are fools.

          • Ha

             im dissapointed to learn your 43.. i too guessed you were between 13-23.. do you actually watch other nba games asside the Cs? I do every night and your rationale makes no sense. Watch DeAndre play for a few nights and see if you still feel the same way. He has airballed multiple freethrows in the last few games bideaway. Lets also not forget when DA drafted Rondo and Sully with late picks. This team has a future, just maybe without you following it, which would be best for all of us.

          • mike

             You are 43 and you cannot spell cool aid?   Seriously?  Cool aid? Your opinion is very important as you are clearly a man of great intellect and perspective.

      • http://www.facebook.com/derek.lee.82 Derek Lee

        Agreed.

    • Pete

      The no-trade clause is a HUGE reason that deal didn’t go down; there was basically no trade that would have made KG want to leave town. Pierce was basically untradeable, no team in their right mind would mortgage their future for an aging forward who is getting paid $16M this year. Danny did not get the right deals to move those guys; he would be a complete idiot to trade them just for the sake of “blowing it up.”

      You say this team has no chance of winning a championship…so by trading for DeAndre Jordan they have a better chance? The best move this year was not making a move, they are better off making a deal in the offseason while trying to nab free agents

      • Mjc2370

        no they have a better future. This team is heading down the path of being lottery bound. Andwe all know how that worked out for them. Remember Danny Kevin McHale is going to trade you a 1st ballot HOF player for nothing again

    • Old Time Hockey

      You’re an idiot and all you’re doing is spouting the spew you’ve heard on the talk shows. get you’re own opinion. What part of I said deals like those weren’t on the table. you don’t just give away talent cause they are aging. you need something in return. Just because their are rumors out there doesn’t mean there is any truth to them. I talk to a source of a source of a source and he said that OKC was going to trade Westbrook and Durant for KG and Rondo. Danny how could you pass up that deal? Wake up!!

      • Ha

         no idea who these idiots are or where they came from.. or how long they have actually been watching the nba.. morons and their trade ideas, they act like this is a video game and you can just make any trade. they have no idea what they are talking about or how winning a championship works

        • Uncle Buck

          They’re mostly kids with no perspective.  They can’t help themselves.

      • Mjc2370

        I got my own opinion its morons like you that drink the cool aid and run around with therir pom poms. A typical green teamer sitting on your couch with your Celtic underoos saying yeah we kept our old quickly losing it talent

        • Stephen

          Guys like you are hardly fans!You take a stance on a sports opinion and that becomes your sport.I doubt you even watch the sport!

      • Uncle Buck

        Agreed.

    • ROck129

      Well  maybe Garnett told Ainge absolutely not on his possible trade. Do you really think Ainge tell the media “I tried to trade Garnett, but he evoked his no trade clause.” So stop pretending like you know exactly how everything went down!

    • Uncle Buck

      Let me guess, you are about 23 yrs old ?  

    • markfromlynn

      Exactly how does one “work around” a no-trade clause? Btw…have you seen DeAndre Jordan’s offensive game? He can’t put the ball in the ocean and is a lousy free throw shooter…he’s one knee injury away from being out of the league like most guys who rely solely on dunks and their athleticism. And in case you haven’t been paying attention? The Ray Allen acquisition had nothing to do with Kevin McHale. I’m so tired of you basketball genuises who criticize Ainge for not “doing something” but don’t have a clue as to how to do that.

  • Billyt

    Not to sound negative but….Who plays the 5 on this team?!!!….i know Danny and Doc want to try and run people off the floor with this team, but you cant run unless you can rebound. This team gets killed on the boards…. Is Garnett and Fab Melo your only Centers on this team??? …..1st Round KO ahead. With Rondo out at least half the year next year, what the heck is Danny doing with this team? You cant win without your PG and without a Center. Blow the damn thing up and get some value while you still can. I just dont understand what direction this team is trying to go in. You cant patch a team together and hope for the best. This team needs youth! Danny will be in the same perdicament next year at the trade deadline….somoene please convince me im wrong here…

    • markfromlynn

      Youth huh? Lets’s see here…Bass is 27,Bradley 22,Crawford 24,Green 26,Lee 27,Melo 22,Rondo 27,Sullinger 20, and Terrence Williams is 25. Now tell me….what exactly is your plan for “blowing it up” . Tell me EXACTLY how you would reconstruct this team.

      • Ha

         i would love to hear this. all of these people with their dumb trade ideas. please tell us EXACTLY who is on the team for the next few years

  • I miss the Whiner Line

    Wasn’t expecting Danny to make any major moves but would’ve liked to get a big. Still think it would be best if we traded Rondo only bc he has the most value but i’ll give Danny the benefit of the doubt.

  • Shawn2626

    Steve Stipanovich????

  • Dano S

    Terrence Williams looked very good and I hope they sign forward White he will help greatly.

  • BB

    where are you people from? I thought people from Boston were loyal.  Pierce is a top 10 celtic, Garnet one of the best as well, you people want to win that bad more than loyalty, why don’t all you dheads fire your best employees to save money and try and make more so you can win, I’m getting disgusted with this country, winning means more than friendship, why don’t the patriots ditch belichek and brady while they have the chance.  At the same time don’t get me wrong I want these teams to win, but not over giving up people who mean so much.  Is it just talk radio or did people really want to blow up the heart and soul of this team.

    • evanander

      Trading KG to the Clippers where he can compete for a title alongside Chris Paul and Blake Griffin is not analogous to firing your most loyal employees.  Shut up you whiny crybaby,

    • Mjc2370

      loyalty what a joke, this is a business. I could give 2 crabs what players do in the past. These guys would bolt at the highest contract wake up. So loyalty just sent us to the lottery again.

  • Dano S

    Press has been hard on Danny Ainge but Williams,Crawford and maybe White he has done a very solid job.

  • Cfn

    I think most fans understand DA did the right thing.  But there are some including WEEI talk show hosts who do not have a clue.  Why were people even talking about a Garnet trade when he has a no trade clause as well as kept saying he bleeds green.  When are people going to realize that PP is going to retire as a Celtic and understand that this has more value in it for the future.  Also KG and PP are the heart and Soul of the team right now and I will not be surprised to see them playing the Heat again in the Eastern Conference.  They fuse the team together, can you imagine if we traded Pierce to Nets; Celtic nation including the whole team would spiral down for the rest of the year and don’t really see that as building blocks for a future. Probably PP and KG will both retire next year.  So why do we have to trade them, remember when 30 Mil comes off the books then we can rebuild why does everybody think we have to trade them away now when they are playing pretty good.  With now as well as next year we will still be going deep into the playoffs.  With a healthy Rondo and Sully and the way Green is playing we will be a good team next year.  We need to keep Terrence Williams and Crawford, and Lee, and Wilcox.  Get rid of Bass and Melo.

  • KCinNH

    Wow, I can’t believe how much everyone is hating this team roster. We are winning games and the team chemistry seems to be great. With KG, Pierce and Green playing at a high level, plus a backcourt that is playing tough D with multiple scorers, I think this team will be fun to watch in the playoffs.
    - If Miami stays healthy, there was not a trade available to C’s (or any team), that would be capable to stop them from another trip to the finals.
    We do need a true center, and it will be Ainge’s task to fil positionl in off-season, but I’m thrilled to watch a team that seems to be “all in”.
    Just because many fans have set the success bar as the NBA champions, in reality only one team wins. Only one team has the best team. It can’t always be our team. A real sports fan has to appreciate this team with their neew Rondo-less identity.

  • Yaz8

    As much as we might have wanted moves to be made, Danny was dealt a poor hand.
    Rondo out injured, the Garnett no-trade clause, and the captain playing poorly and looking a beat up 36 years old.  Look at the positives… Bradley has turned into a fine player, Rondo is our leader like it or not, Jeff Green is really coming on and young Sullinger if he is healthy can be a fine player.  So if this is the end for Pierce and KG, you have Green, Rondo, Bradley, and Sullinger to build around and you don’t have to pay KG and Pierce.  That is not exactly a total rebuild.
    But it will be tough to watch us get smoked by Miami in the first round.

    • markfromlynn

      At this rate the Celtics will finish as high as 6th in the Eastern Conference, if not higher. They won’t see Miami til at least the second round.

      • Yaz8

        I hope you are right markfromlynn.
        go C’s!!

        • The_Public_Sucks

          Mark from Lynn may have the best post.  If the C’s don’t sustain another monster injury they shouldn’t finish in 8th place.  Let’s face facts, we don’t know what all the trade offers were.  KG was not going to waive his no trade clause, therefore it didn’t make any sense for Ainge to trade Pierce for a bag of shoes.  Ainge has to trade contracts as well as people, but Mjc2370 dimwit of the year doesn’t get that.  I don’t expect superstar grammar on the board, but I can’t even follow his or her posts – just plain putrid writing from the basement of grandma.  Take a break from the bong Mjc2370, even for a couple of days you dope!

  • ChrisinDanvers

    Interesting comments on this topic (and I have to admit I got a chuckle because I haven’t heard the word Underoos in a long time).

    But, going with the theme of this article, although I was initially disappointed with the lack of movement, I was not surprised and am not particularly distressed. Because of the rumored interest Danny Ainge had in just about any deal that we, the fact that none of the “big names” was traded, amd the fact that no one seems to have determined what exactly happened with the Clippers (did they want him or didn’t they…Wojo, though not always 100 percent correct, usually has good leads and if he says keeps saying that the team couldn’t agree, I tend to agree with him), I can rest assured that the Celtics did try to do something and standing pat was in the best interest of this team based on the returns they’d get (a la last year).

    Change for the sake of change is not a good idea. Just ask Rick Pitino, who changed this team as often as a parent changes a diaper. Shipping out KG for any piece – the only good deal out there was the Clipper deal and that was not happening – and Pierce for junky Nets parts is not a way to handle the deadline.

    The best part of this trade deadline has been the last 11 games surrounding it, the development of the fast break, the passing game, and renewed athleticism, and the fact that it appears Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, and Courtney Lee are three big pieces going forward (not stars, but pieces). That in and of itself makes me think that the future is not bleak. With the pieces that were added in Williams and Crawford, Danny is doing what he did prior to the arrival of the “New Big Three…” assembling talent. He has been good at that all along.

    The pieces are in place to take this team in many directions at the end of the season. If would be foolish to not think that the Clippers might not want KG again if this season falls short of a championship. They would probably do the same deal again and if KG is closer to his last season, he might say yes (particularly with a summer of Clippers calling him). Paul Pierce’s contract will be partially guaranteed and it is just as possible someone might want him as well as a final piece. Even if they stick around, the emergence of Green, Bradley, and Lee, compounded with the return of Sullinger and Rondo, mixed with Bass and Crawford (and whoever sticks around from these ten day deals) can mesh with KG, Pierce, Terry (and Wilcox if he stays), to give them a solid chance at doing good things next year.

    I don’t view the trade deadline as a disaster….just as avoiding a bad opportunity. As Danny once said, he would have traded Bird and McHale for good players….but why would you trade them for Fred Roberts, Manute Bol, Kurt Rambis, Jeff Bagley, and two third round picks (which they had back then) if that is the best you could get…. I would have taken Bird at 52 over those guys in their prime.

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