Author Topic: Is Danny Ainge the best GM in the NBA (or sports for that matter)?  (Read 18076 times)

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Offline Eja117

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OMG topic!  Is Danny Ainge the best GM in the NBA (or sports for that matter)?  Discuss among yourselves!


Re: Is Danny Ainge the best GM in the NBA (or sports for that matter)?
« Reply #1 on: July 07, 2008, 11:40:49 AM »

Offline wdleehi

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He was the best GM in the NBA last year. 


He has to do it a few more years to earn best in the NBA. 

Re: Is Danny Ainge the best GM in the NBA (or sports for that matter)?
« Reply #2 on: July 07, 2008, 11:43:41 AM »

Offline Bankshot

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OMG topic!  Is Danny Ainge the best GM in the NBA (or sports for that matter)?  Discuss among yourselves!



Last year he was.  But if he nickel and dimes the free agents (like it appears he might be doing) so much that some are turned away and we don't get a chance to sign Posey, Maggette, Giddens and others, then I'd say, no, he's not the best anymore.
"If somebody would have told you when he was playing with the Knicks that Nate Robinson was going to change a big time game and he was going to do it mostly because of his defense, somebody would have got slapped."  Mark Jackson

Re: Is Danny Ainge the best GM in the NBA (or sports for that matter)?
« Reply #3 on: July 07, 2008, 11:48:59 AM »

Offline sk7326

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He got a little lucky having a dance partner for the KG deal -- that is good fortune.  I'll grade him in a few areas:

Drafting - A ... his greatest talent is evaluating young talent.  He has consistently gotten good value out of unfavorable draft positions.  Even his one "mistake", Gerald Green was a no brainer pick where he took him (the way that draft unfolded).  He might be the best drafter in the game.

Trades - B ... this should be lower.  His trades are not very good, but he made one GREAT deal and has generally been adept at admitting mistakes and correcting mistakes.

Free Agency - B ... was hamstrung when the Celtics were seen as a pariah franchise.  When they became a sexy one again, he has picked good guys to target. 

He is an excellent GM.  Outside of the Spurs or Pistons organizations, you can do no better in this league.

Re: Is Danny Ainge the best GM in the NBA (or sports for that matter)?
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2008, 11:50:52 AM »

Offline carlherrera

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I think he was last year. Let's be honest, it took a lot of luck to get to this point.
And let's not forget how much easier it is to be a GM when you have KG on your team. Once he signed everyone wanted to play for the Cs. Danny deserves a lot of credit and was definitely the best last year.
This reminds me: everyone says how joe dumars is such an amazing gm. yet he took darko which is now seen as a huge blunder. my point is that there is a lot of luck involved in this. also, if you are the gm for the lakers or the knicks, your job is a lot easier as so many star players want to play there and their payroll flexibility is higher. all the more incredible that isiah was able to screw up one of the best jobs in all the nba...

Re: Is Danny Ainge the best GM in the NBA (or sports for that matter)?
« Reply #5 on: July 07, 2008, 11:52:21 AM »

Offline sk7326

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OMG topic!  Is Danny Ainge the best GM in the NBA (or sports for that matter)?  Discuss among yourselves!



Last year he was.  But if he nickel and dimes the free agents (like it appears he might be doing) so much that some are turned away and we don't get a chance to sign Posey, Maggette, Giddens and others, then I'd say, no, he's not the best anymore.

the salary slotting system will get Giddens in ...

As far as not signing Posey, there is a real solid reason -- Posey asking for 5 years at midlevel money, that is a BAD basketball decision, especially at his age.  Any contract Danny offers that ties their cap up beyond Pierce's final year sets this franchise back.

All they have is the MLE, so if they offer it all to Maggette, we can't call it being cheap.  I don't think they are pinching pennies anymore, not with the type of loot that winning a title and filling a building has given them.

Re: Is Danny Ainge the best GM in the NBA (or sports for that matter)?
« Reply #6 on: July 07, 2008, 12:11:09 PM »

Offline Eja117

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He was the best GM in the NBA last year. 


He has to do it a few more years to earn best in the NBA. 

So who would be best then? Dumars? I don't think it's whoever's in San Antonio. I don't know if it's Jerry West.

Re: Is Danny Ainge the best GM in the NBA (or sports for that matter)?
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2008, 12:15:03 PM »

Offline wdleehi

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He was the best GM in the NBA last year. 


He has to do it a few more years to earn best in the NBA. 

So who would be best then? Dumars? I don't think it's whoever's in San Antonio. I don't know if it's Jerry West.

The guy in SA has the best track record with multiple titles. 


Dumars has won as many titles as Ainge, but has had his team near the top longer.


Riley has the same titles as a GM, but he has had his teams near the top more often.




So Ainge was the best last year.  He has to repeat a few time to be the best overall. 

Re: Is Danny Ainge the best GM in the NBA (or sports for that matter)?
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2008, 12:25:56 PM »

Offline Eja117

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He was the best GM in the NBA last year. 


He has to do it a few more years to earn best in the NBA. 

So who would be best then? Dumars? I don't think it's whoever's in San Antonio. I don't know if it's Jerry West.

The guy in SA has the best track record with multiple titles. 


Dumars has won as many titles as Ainge, but has had his team near the top longer.


Riley has the same titles as a GM, but he has had his teams near the top more often.




So Ainge was the best last year.  He has to repeat a few time to be the best overall. 

I kinda just think the SA guy was smart not to bring back David Robinson when he was healthy, lucky to get Duncan, and lucky Tony Parker slipped to where he did in the draft.  Other than that i guess he's pretty good.

Re: Is Danny Ainge the best GM in the NBA (or sports for that matter)?
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2008, 12:30:51 PM »

Offline GLS

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Best is such a subjective term.  Danny had an outstanding 2007-08 campaign as GM; the near future will tell us if he is still on a roll, so to speak.

It's hard for me to say that Jerry West was outstanding as a GM as well; he had built in assets (LA, money, etc) to help him with his job, and he took advantage of those.

Same with the Knicks.  Donnie Walsh might be the closest thing to a second coming for them; but I cannot anoint him as a outstanding GM simply because of the same things that LA has available.

I'd say the best GM is someone that performs yearly miracles in a "small" market..without the financial advantages that LA, NY offer.

RC Buford....I believe has to be considered.

I think Kevin Pritchard is doing a fine job in Portland.




Re: Is Danny Ainge the best GM in the NBA (or sports for that matter)?
« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2008, 12:36:26 PM »

Offline wdleehi

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He was the best GM in the NBA last year. 


He has to do it a few more years to earn best in the NBA. 

So who would be best then? Dumars? I don't think it's whoever's in San Antonio. I don't know if it's Jerry West.

The guy in SA has the best track record with multiple titles. 


Dumars has won as many titles as Ainge, but has had his team near the top longer.


Riley has the same titles as a GM, but he has had his teams near the top more often.




So Ainge was the best last year.  He has to repeat a few time to be the best overall. 

I kinda just think the SA guy was smart not to bring back David Robinson when he was healthy, lucky to get Duncan, and lucky Tony Parker slipped to where he did in the draft.  Other than that i guess he's pretty good.


Basically, he drafted two all-stars (Parker and Manu) that every other team passed over. 

He has found the best teammates to surround his best player (that the team lucked into)

being a good GM is as much about luck as it is about skills. 


Ainge was lucky that two 30+ stars on bad teams came available at the perfect time for the Celtics (when they had a top draft pick, a young stud in Jefferson and two short term large money contracts)  Ainge did a good job gathering those pieces, but had luck in terms of the other teams. 

Re: Is Danny Ainge the best GM in the NBA (or sports for that matter)?
« Reply #11 on: July 07, 2008, 12:36:35 PM »

Offline NextCeltic34

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Last year everyone was ready to fire this dude, and now everyone wants to call him the Best GM in the NBA. He had one good season. He has to repeat it again.

Re: Is Danny Ainge the best GM in the NBA (or sports for that matter)?
« Reply #12 on: July 07, 2008, 12:41:05 PM »

Offline Redz

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There are the guys who win championships when given the resources to do so then there are the guys who make chicken salad out of chicken poop.  I honestly have more respect for the latter. Guys like whoever the GM is for the Minnesoat Twins.  The NBA is a bit more of a level playing surface, but we can clearly see the difference it makes when ownership is willing to go the extra mile financially to field a top notch team.  Money isn't everything but it sure helps.  That said, Danny built up the parts to make getting the big horses possible.  Is he the best?  Who knows.  He's one of 4 guys in the major US sports to win a title, so that at least puts him in the running.
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Re: Is Danny Ainge the best GM in the NBA (or sports for that matter)?
« Reply #13 on: July 07, 2008, 12:45:34 PM »

Offline Emperor Young

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Kevin Pritchard from Portland, also GM from Seattle is doing well

Re: Is Danny Ainge the best GM in the NBA (or sports for that matter)?
« Reply #14 on: July 07, 2008, 01:01:27 PM »

Offline DannyAinge

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hey I made my user name DannyAinge  about a two years ago. I knew he was going to do well. This guy has made so many good trades. On draft day he doesn't just take the pick that is given to him, he stretches the value of each and every pick.

remember when they traded essentially, ricky davis for wally sczerbiak everyone doubted him but me. he had to lump those small contracts into large expiring contracts to eventually trade for better players.

jiri welch for rajon rondo. I loved that trade. Ainge got a first round draft pick from cleveland and then traded down a couple of spots to get Rondo.

all of you guys second guessed this guy. You didn't realize he is not your typical GM. He could of easily signed FA to large contracts that ate up our cap space but he didn't.

He got the award this year for best GM. In my mind he was doing this great of a job all the time, but C's fans have to understand he built this team by himself.

also don't say he got lucky with KG. All along he was saying he had to "aquire chips" to trade for a veteran player. Lucky I think not. He is friends with Mchale and knew he had what it took to get KG.

as far as I'm concerned he is in the best top 5 GM's in the league since he took over.

"In Danny I Trust"