Celtics president Danny Ainge says the decision to include Isaiah Thomas in a package to get Kyrie Irving from Cleveland was “the toughest call I ever had to make,” relays Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Thomas shared his thoughts on the deal in an article this week for The Players Tribune, which Ainge called a “fabulous job.” As a former player, Ainge said he empathizes with the feelings of being sent from one organization to another.
Ainge refused to explain his motivation for the deal, but explained that he is always trying to improve the team. “It’s in everybody’s best interest that I don’t share all the reasons [for the trade],” he said. “But the bottom line is obviously I felt like it was the right thing for our franchise to do. But it’s a deep and complicated process. It’s not as simple as people think it is. … It’s not easy for these office people that become great friends with the players. There’s a reality that I see and that’s what makes any sort of trade challenging. But it’s just part of the world that we live in, but it’s got to be done. You’ve got to do what’s best for the franchise. The franchise is bigger than all of us. Bigger than one individual.”
There’s more out of Boston:
- Terry Rozier wasn’t worried about being traded over the offseason, he told Adam Kaufman of 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston. Entering his third season with the Celtics, Rozier is among the most tenured players on the team following this summer’s roster shakeup. He said he concentrates on producing on the court and leaves the personnel decisions to the front office. “The guys up top, their job is to get the team together and our job is to play,” Rozier said. “I’m pretty sure Danny and all our organization who make the decisions will have us ready, put us in the right spot.”
- Paul Pierce is ready to end his feud with Ray Allen, according to Adam Reisinger of ESPN. Pierce posted a photo on social media of himself and Allen, who are both serving as coaches for a celebrity basketball game in Shanghai, with a caption that read, “Time to get the band back together.” Allen has been an outcast with many of his former teammates since leaving Boston to sign with the Heat in 2012.
Rozier is a Big Big Big Talent better than Thomas.
Lmfao
At basketball?
He’s better at not getting traded lol
Corleone , lol we don’t accept aliens or other life forms from other planets on earth!
I still don’t care for Ray Allen and I don’t think I ever will.
That’s pretty hypocritical. Considering Garnett wasn’t drafted and developed by the Celtics. Neither was Thomas. Neither was Heyward or Horford or Irving. But if they beat the Cavs and get to the finals. Fans like u will be praising them like crazy. Remember fan is short for FANATIC.
Is this in response to any specific post?
That’s straight up disrespectful to the greatest shooter of all time. Ray Allen had a better shooting percentage and more made 3 pointers than Reggie Miller and both of them played 19 seasons. He was a combo guard early in his career with the Bucks and Supersonics and constantly scored 21-26 PPG before becoming the 3rd option in Boston and being a perfect role player. He was a great scorer in pick and rolls, isolation, spotting up, cutting to the basket, and was a career 45/40/89 shooter. If you have any time to check out his 22 3 pointers in the Finals against the Lakers on Youtube, check it out. Some of the best footwork ever and a shooting clinic by the #1 shooter of all time until Curry plays a couple more years. Put some respeck on Ray Allen’s name that man is a legend
I’m hoping that Brad rolls out a line up of Rozier, Smart, Brown, Morris and Baynes from time to time… That’ll be a gritty, classic C’s pitbull lineup.. Kind of like the 4th line in hockey… In there to start sh*t. I grew up watching the NBA in the 80’s and miss the hard foul days. :)
Not a fan of Ray, the circumstances don’t give him any outs with me. He was a difference maker clearly as seen in game 7 and he could have taken the money to help us try and overcome them.
But if you think about what Isiah said in the Player’s Tribune, he said when athletes have a choice everyone says they’re greedy or disloyal but when teams trade or cut players it’s “business”. Ray might have sensed that Miami was a better team at the time and that it could be a better situation. Think about it, if he stayed he probably would’ve just been packaged with Pierce and Garnett in the Nets deal or be shipped off somewhere else. The man left and won a championship. That’s a great decision in my opinion.
My recollection is that Allen and Rondo hated each other. Allen left because of it and didn’t tell Pierce or Garnett first, and now everybody’s butts are chaffed over it. I’d take Allen over Rondo all day every day, without any intended disrespect to either.