Danny Ainge “Seriously Considering” Stepping Down as Celtics General Manager
Photo by Tim Bradbury | Getty Images
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge is seriously considering his future with the franchise. There remains a real possibility that he could choose to step down from his role.
Ainge took over the reins as Executive Director of Basketball Operations and General Manager of the team back in 2003. He put together the 2008 championship team, including trades for both Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.
Ainge also helped oversee the iconic trade that sent Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Brooklyn Nets for a load of draft capital. Other notable moves under Ainge include the Isaiah Thomas deal, the Kyrie Irving trade, and the signings of players such as Al Horford, Gordon Hayward, and Kemba Walker.
The former player also helped draft lots of potential stars during his time in Boston. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown may be his most noted draft accomplishments, but there were plenty others. Ainge also chose quality players such as Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier, and Robert Williams.
Both Ainge and coach Brad Stevens received contract extensions back in 2016, with Stevens getting another this past summer. While the Celtics don’t reveal the length of their staff’s contract extensions, it can be assumed that Ainge got more wiggle room due to his longtime relationship with the team.
The news that Ainge could consider stepping down, while shocking, is not completely unwarranted.
The Celtics were eliminated in the first round after their worst regular-season finish since the 2014-15 season. It also marked the first time the C’s lost in Round 1 since 2015-16 to the Atlanta Hawks.
The injury bug and issues with COVID ravaged the team all year, but the blame was still placed in a variety of areas. Some looked at the players, some put it on Brad Stevens, but many pointed at Ainge.
The Celtics’ roster has been one of the youngest and most inexperienced for a few years now. With Tatum and Brown at the helm, the team is bound to be youthful, but with such little experience, many questioned whether or not Stevens had the right tools to work with.
Ainge stepping down could pave the way for people such as Vice President of Basketball Operations Mike Zarren to be the next in line, but anything is possible. If the Celtics really do wish to shake things up, an outside voice could be exactly what they need.
While it is unclear whether or not Ainge will officially choose to step down, a report from Woj is usually a tell-tale sign. With the offseason upon us, it could only be a matter of time.
