I won't get fooled again

[The One]

I did not want to make it seem that I have given up on this team. I like that they play hard and have some good young pieces. They are fun to watch, and could be good.
My point was, I get excited about the possibility of a big move than nothing. It's a recurring theme with the Celtics. I know it's not 100% on Danny, but I feel a little like a kid who's promised a new bike each Christmas and get's a scooter. While scooter is nice, I want the bike already.
 

It's not one of your parents promising that you're getting a bike, though, it's your older brother saying that he heard you're going to get a bike

But apparently he heard it from my parents as they promised a bike (fireworks).

You mean this?

I’ve got confidence that with all these picks and these young guys and our willingness to spend money that we can get there," he said. "We’re a patient group. We will take a multiyear plan if that’s what it takes. But I think this June there could be some fireworks. I think this June we’ve got so many pieces to this puzzle that we might be able to shake loose a real piece or two for this team going forward. So, I’m hoping it’s sooner rather than later

It seems like he heard that your parents wanted to get you a bike, and then went and told you they were getting you a bike.  That doesn't mean your parents actually promised one, though, or that they ever had a chance to get you one

I liked your analogy better than mine!   

[Diggles]

I BET YOIU WILL!

Considering the odds of a trade are low.  And the other team has to agree to a trade.   Its pretty easy to get caught up in the rumor mill.   ITs part of the excitement.     You'll be fooled the rest of your life with all sports team, and I'd bet all the way up until the season starts. Especially being a fan with out anything but blogs and rumors.....  So good luck with that. 

[CelticGuardian]

Yeah, I hear you dude, the front office should of never made promises and needs to reset expectations with the fans and actually address the "fireworks" conundrum.

The whole draft thing, he has some staunch defenders but Al Jefferson, Avery Bradley, Rajon Rondo, and Tony Allen to an extent, are the only guys who panned out. That's four players out of 25+ picks during his whole career.

Tony Allen only worked out "to an extent"?  He was the 25th pick in the draft.  I think the problem is more that your expectations for late picks are much too high

Ok, I'll grant you Tony Allen that's still only 4 players in the time frame of 13 years. He still trades for good players, and I appreciate that.

I'm not looking to jumpship or whatever, I'm just saying I understand OPs frustration with the Celtics being in the rumor mill 24/7 yet nothing ever materializes, it is getting tiresome but it can also be a good thing for our outlook in the league as an asset hoarder and willing dance partner.

[D Dub]

Yeah, I hear you dude, the front office should of never made promises and needs to reset expectations with the fans and actually address the "fireworks" conundrum.

The whole draft thing, he has some staunch defenders but Al Jefferson, Avery Bradley, Rajon Rondo, and Tony Allen to an extent, are the only guys who panned out. That's four players out of 25+ picks during his whole career.

Tony Allen only worked out "to an extent"?  He was the 25th pick in the draft.  I think the problem is more that your expectations for late picks are much too high

Ok, I'll grant you Tony Allen that's still only 4 players in the time frame of 13 years. He still trades for good players, and I appreciate that.

I'm not looking to jumpship or whatever, I'm just saying I understand OPs frustration with the Celtics being in the rumor mill 24/7 yet nothing ever materializes, it is getting tiresome but it can also be a good thing for our outlook in the league as an asset hoarder and willing dance partner.

I feel part of Ainge's problem with the draft is scouting.    Instead of hiring a professional, he has his son leading the scouting department.  Nepotism beat out better candidates.   

I get that he hasn't had the best picks and you have to make due, but after enough years, you should over-achieve with at least one or two picks.  That hasn't really happened in over six years now.   

[BitterJim]

Yeah, I hear you dude, the front office should of never made promises and needs to reset expectations with the fans and actually address the "fireworks" conundrum.

The whole draft thing, he has some staunch defenders but Al Jefferson, Avery Bradley, Rajon Rondo, and Tony Allen to an extent, are the only guys who panned out. That's four players out of 25+ picks during his whole career.

Tony Allen only worked out "to an extent"?  He was the 25th pick in the draft.  I think the problem is more that your expectations for late picks are much too high

Ok, I'll grant you Tony Allen that's still only 4 players in the time frame of 13 years. He still trades for good players, and I appreciate that.

I'm not looking to jumpship or whatever, I'm just saying I understand OPs frustration with the Celtics being in the rumor mill 24/7 yet nothing ever materializes, it is getting tiresome but it can also be a good thing for our outlook in the league as an asset hoarder and willing dance partner.

You have to throw in Sully, too - at #21, he was clearly a good pick
And Big Baby.  Getting a legitimate NBA player in the second round is very rare
And Olynyk at #13 in the horrible 2013 draft
It seems like you're skipping over an awful lot of players here...

[celts55]

I did not want to make it seem that I have given up on this team. I like that they play hard and have some good young pieces. They are fun to watch, and could be good.
My point was, I get excited about the possibility of a big move than nothing. It's a recurring theme with the Celtics. I know it's not 100% on Danny, but I feel a little like a kid who's promised a new bike each Christmas and get's a scooter. While scooter is nice, I want the bike already.
 

It's not one of your parents promising that you're getting a bike, though, it's your older brother saying that he heard you're going to get a bike

But apparently he heard it from my parents as they promised a bike (fireworks).

You mean this?

I’ve got confidence that with all these picks and these young guys and our willingness to spend money that we can get there," he said. "We’re a patient group. We will take a multiyear plan if that’s what it takes. But I think this June there could be some fireworks. I think this June we’ve got so many pieces to this puzzle that we might be able to shake loose a real piece or two for this team going forward. So, I’m hoping it’s sooner rather than later

It seems like he heard that your parents wanted to get you a bike, and then went and told you they were getting you a bike.  That doesn't mean your parents actually promised one, though, or that they ever had a chance to get you one

Okay, so I'm not totally blaming my parents, or my brother for that matter. I'm just saying that after hoping for that bike each Christmas, I've learned not to get my expectations up. At this point, I'm not expecting it and will not let myself get to hopeful. I've been let down too many previous Christmases. BTW is the bike metaphor getting a little weird?

[fairweatherfan]

We've gone from 25 to 48 wins in 2 seasons while trading the guy who was theoretically our best player for a package most fans initially thought was a ripoff. 

The changes are already happening, it's just been more of a slow burn than a big blast so far.  I'd love a "name" player here too but I'd much rather we keep progressing at the same rate than put all our eggs in one basket because the guy is better-known around the league.

[BringToughnessBack]

Wyc should never had said that while fire works thing. Danny has been pretty truthful throughout not making any promises.

Fireworks are always coming this time of year(maybe that is Wyc meant)..July 4th is on Monday 

My expectation is super low which means I have nowhere to go but up or I guess, I could stay right here at the bottom with a 48 win team.

 I expect nothing..but if that nothing turns into some miraculous, we will be celebrating for the next 7 plus years. I do like the sound of Durant in Celtics Green though.....nah....no expectation

This truly is Danny's first real shot at legit free agents with the cap space to support signing 2 of them..If not this year, next year we are bound to have a few more shots at big time players. The worst thing we could do is sign borderline stars who will suck up all of our cap room and leave us trapped in first or second round exits for the foreseeable future. I am warming up to the idea of Howard as long as he is coupled with a big time shooting star like Durant..those 2 added to our current roster would be amazing to see.

[BitterJim]

I did not want to make it seem that I have given up on this team. I like that they play hard and have some good young pieces. They are fun to watch, and could be good.
My point was, I get excited about the possibility of a big move than nothing. It's a recurring theme with the Celtics. I know it's not 100% on Danny, but I feel a little like a kid who's promised a new bike each Christmas and get's a scooter. While scooter is nice, I want the bike already.
 

It's not one of your parents promising that you're getting a bike, though, it's your older brother saying that he heard you're going to get a bike

But apparently he heard it from my parents as they promised a bike (fireworks).

You mean this?

I’ve got confidence that with all these picks and these young guys and our willingness to spend money that we can get there," he said. "We’re a patient group. We will take a multiyear plan if that’s what it takes. But I think this June there could be some fireworks. I think this June we’ve got so many pieces to this puzzle that we might be able to shake loose a real piece or two for this team going forward. So, I’m hoping it’s sooner rather than later

It seems like he heard that your parents wanted to get you a bike, and then went and told you they were getting you a bike.  That doesn't mean your parents actually promised one, though, or that they ever had a chance to get you one

Okay, so I'm not totally blaming my parents, or my brother for that matter. I'm just saying that after hoping for that bike each Christmas, I've learned not to get my expectations up. At this point, I'm not expecting it and will not let myself get to hopeful. I've been let down too many previous Christmases. BTW is the bike metaphor getting a little weird?

Haha, it got weird like 3 posts in but it still kind of worked so I just went with it 

It's fine not to get caught up in rumors (although I agree with you that it's best not to get too hopeful), but the biggest thing is not to start throwing around blame when those rumors don't prove to be true.  It's not your parents' fault that you thought you were getting a bike (I'm sorry, I couldn't resist)

[kozlodoev]

Yeah, I hear you dude, the front office should of never made promises and needs to reset expectations with the fans and actually address the "fireworks" conundrum.

The whole draft thing, he has some staunch defenders but Al Jefferson, Avery Bradley, Rajon Rondo, and Tony Allen to an extent, are the only guys who panned out. That's four players out of 25+ picks during his whole career.

Tony Allen only worked out "to an extent"?  He was the 25th pick in the draft.  I think the problem is more that your expectations for late picks are much too high

Ok, I'll grant you Tony Allen that's still only 4 players in the time frame of 13 years. He still trades for good players, and I appreciate that.

I'm not looking to jumpship or whatever, I'm just saying I understand OPs frustration with the Celtics being in the rumor mill 24/7 yet nothing ever materializes, it is getting tiresome but it can also be a good thing for our outlook in the league as an asset hoarder and willing dance partner.

Jared Sullinger has panned out just fine, considering he was picked 21st. Delonte West and Gerald Green have had reasonable NBA careers, considering both were picked in the second half of the 1st round. Smart and Olynyk are already solid rotation players and may get better. Young will possibly be a disappointment, but the jury is still out.

Just like that, we've accounted for 9-10 of the 13 or so players Ainge has picked ro keep in the first round (the other three are Johnson, Giddens, and Melo). What, we're going to hold Ainge accountable for the fact that the only second round draft pick that ended up being an NBA caliber player were Glen Davis and Ryan Gomes? Or that he didn't draft a generational player in the second half of the first round? He's got a clear-cut above average draft record so far, considering the circumstances.

[CapnDunks]

We've gone from 25 to 48 wins in 2 seasons while trading the guy who was theoretically our best player for a package most fans initially thought was a ripoff. 

The changes are already happening, it's just been more of a slow burn than a big blast so far.  I'd love a "name" player here too but I'd much rather we keep progressing at the same rate than put all our eggs in one basket because the guy is better-known around the league.

This. 2013 was the only hard season imo. Watching a bunch of guys I loved struggle against the Knicks in the first round. We only missed the playoffs one year during a full rebuild. That's crazy. People are too used to success.

[CelticGuardian]

Yeah, I hear you dude, the front office should of never made promises and needs to reset expectations with the fans and actually address the "fireworks" conundrum.

The whole draft thing, he has some staunch defenders but Al Jefferson, Avery Bradley, Rajon Rondo, and Tony Allen to an extent, are the only guys who panned out. That's four players out of 25+ picks during his whole career.

Tony Allen only worked out "to an extent"?  He was the 25th pick in the draft.  I think the problem is more that your expectations for late picks are much too high

Ok, I'll grant you Tony Allen that's still only 4 players in the time frame of 13 years. He still trades for good players, and I appreciate that.

I'm not looking to jumpship or whatever, I'm just saying I understand OPs frustration with the Celtics being in the rumor mill 24/7 yet nothing ever materializes, it is getting tiresome but it can also be a good thing for our outlook in the league as an asset hoarder and willing dance partner.

You have to throw in Sully, too - at #21, he was clearly a good pick
And Big Baby.  Getting a legitimate NBA player in the second round is very rare
And Olynyk at #13 in the horrible 2013 draft
It seems like you're skipping over an awful lot of players here...

I wouldn't consider these picks "hits", the others had decorated careers but okay man sure... Big Baby played big for us in that playoff run... You have to wonder if Marc Gasol could've ever filled Big Baby's shoes here.

[BitterJim]

Yeah, I hear you dude, the front office should of never made promises and needs to reset expectations with the fans and actually address the "fireworks" conundrum.

The whole draft thing, he has some staunch defenders but Al Jefferson, Avery Bradley, Rajon Rondo, and Tony Allen to an extent, are the only guys who panned out. That's four players out of 25+ picks during his whole career.

Tony Allen only worked out "to an extent"?  He was the 25th pick in the draft.  I think the problem is more that your expectations for late picks are much too high

Ok, I'll grant you Tony Allen that's still only 4 players in the time frame of 13 years. He still trades for good players, and I appreciate that.

I'm not looking to jumpship or whatever, I'm just saying I understand OPs frustration with the Celtics being in the rumor mill 24/7 yet nothing ever materializes, it is getting tiresome but it can also be a good thing for our outlook in the league as an asset hoarder and willing dance partner.

You have to throw in Sully, too - at #21, he was clearly a good pick
And Big Baby.  Getting a legitimate NBA player in the second round is very rare
And Olynyk at #13 in the horrible 2013 draft
It seems like you're skipping over an awful lot of players here...

I wouldn't consider these picks "hits", the others had decorated careers but okay man sure... Big Baby played big for us in that playoff run... You have to wonder if Marc Gasol could've ever filled Big Baby's shoes here.

Not every pick in the draft is going to have "decorated careers", and expecting every pick (especially second rounders!) to is just unreasonable.  By that standard, EVERY GM is incompetent. 

And yes, Marc Gasol had a better career than Big Baby, but, again, if you're going off the standard of "if someone picked behind you has a better career, you're a bad pick" then almost everyone is a bad pick, including superstars like Blake Griffin, Serge Ibaka (despite being the 24th pick), Derrick Favors, Demarcus Cousins (not as good as Paul George), Klay Thompson,chandler Parsons (at #38)... and so on

Danny may not live up to your expectations as a drafter, but that seems to have more to do with your expectations than their actual ability

[footey]

So, I've been fooled one too many times by this team. Seems every year I get caught up in trade rumors, big FA signings, draft day fireworks. Yet at the end of the day, more serviceable players.
Spent all day last Thursday, not to mention the weeks leading up to it,  believing this would be the time. A big trade was coming. End of the day, they draft Brown. Don't hate the guy, but don't think he moves the needle. The year before, it was Rozier.

Trade deadline last year it was Horford, Butler, etc. Then, nothing.

Free agents? Picked up Amir last year. Yet another pretty good role player. This year I'm reading about Durant, Horford, even Howard, But I'm at the point I know at the end of the day, They sign another okay guy. Not sure who it's going to be, but at least I'm prepared.
Been fooled by the "fireworks" too many times.

Just venting

Yes, because Danny has superhuman abilities to control people's minds to make them sign here in FA or make trades. 

Here's two things that you may want to remember for the future:
1. More than half the rumors you hear are made up clickbait.
2. Sometimes the best thing to do is to not make a deal.

Point 2 is the constant excuse coming up for Ainge's performance. Every single time Grousbeck runs his mouth, followed by an Ainge oh-for.

It should be engraved on his tombstone.

Ainge managed to transition a team with two aging, over the hill super stars to a young play-off team with several future (in all likelihood, high lottery) draft picks. He turned Rondo into Jae Crowder and a 16th draft pick.  He managed to use a late first round pick (I think tied in from the Pierce trade, someone help me here) for an All Star guard averaging over 20 points a game. He did all of in less than three years.

What exactly is your problem? You could do better?

[CoachBo]

So, I've been fooled one too many times by this team. Seems every year I get caught up in trade rumors, big FA signings, draft day fireworks. Yet at the end of the day, more serviceable players.
Spent all day last Thursday, not to mention the weeks leading up to it,  believing this would be the time. A big trade was coming. End of the day, they draft Brown. Don't hate the guy, but don't think he moves the needle. The year before, it was Rozier.

Trade deadline last year it was Horford, Butler, etc. Then, nothing.

Free agents? Picked up Amir last year. Yet another pretty good role player. This year I'm reading about Durant, Horford, even Howard, But I'm at the point I know at the end of the day, They sign another okay guy. Not sure who it's going to be, but at least I'm prepared.
Been fooled by the "fireworks" too many times.

Just venting

Yes, because Danny has superhuman abilities to control people's minds to make them sign here in FA or make trades. 

Here's two things that you may want to remember for the future:
1. More than half the rumors you hear are made up clickbait.
2. Sometimes the best thing to do is to not make a deal.

Point 2 is the constant excuse coming up for Ainge's performance. Every single time Grousbeck runs his mouth, followed by an Ainge oh-for.

It should be engraved on his tombstone.

Ainge managed to transition a team with two aging, over the hill super stars to a young play-off team with several future (in all likelihood, high lottery) draft picks. He turned Rondo into Jae Crowder and a 16th draft pick.  He managed to use a late first round pick (I think tied in from the Pierce trade, someone help me here) for an All Star guard averaging over 20 points a game. He did all of in less than three years.

What exactly is your problem? You could do better?

I had no idea Ainge has only been the GM for three years.

That, too, is funny.

I was so spot on earlier: You cannot beat this blog for laughs.