Danny Ainge, Celtics President, on the upcoming season

Back here at the international shamrock foundation Celtics golf tournament going on here today Danny -- nice not to sit down. And spent a few minutes handicap -- going around that your five. Sources tell me you are sandbag anymore like it too. Or three can you confirm or deny it I think like it victory in X three index now so. Be honest and let me to get rights is that the topic in all of sports right disease replacement officials in in NFL. In your sport Indians -- that comes scrutiny before. Him. -- put yourself in this situation watching gain seen guys that maybe it's not their fault that does not rate than all but watching game maybe. The integrity of the game being questioned. Well you know we'll say that's not the first time the integrity of the game Preston. You know even with the regular cells so it seems like every year but right now there's a microscope. And there's a lot going on right now and there's does that trust factor of the fans and then coaches have to trust in the regular officials and until there's until they get it perfect -- always -- Is it hard to bite your tongue in a situation where you feel like. Your leagues not in the best position -- active maybe watch what you say knowing that its officials something else. Probably not best to go and speak about it for the league to -- criticize what's going on. Have I ever been in that position. At the you know I think when your coach and in management and ownership of teams in a year to be careful of -- said publicly. But the league has. Ways to you for you get your word across to them and adapt communication with them. Don't get this team building taller because it's kind of been a roller coaster it publicly people look at this team to any news you can blow up comments back. When you plain -- and read. That doesn't happen I mean Graham leads but still the turnover. Think a lot of people look what you've done last year to have that subject as how to how to do this the ability to about the -- put together. Well I'm excited about this roster I think that. And of those of things for you guys to talk about a daily basis to get some excitement going with the with -- all the teams in town but. You know I'm always looking at ways to improve our team and you know last year as you watch Paul Pierce win. Player of the month in March and runner up player of the month and April. You know he's and we saw they -- KG. The situation we're in is nowhere near the situation that we were in when I was playing in Boston. And that's what people keep missing out on -- is you know Larry Kevin as an example when they came back from their major surgeries that were never close to the same players that they were before. And you know and that plus there was plenty of opportunities. You know really good players available. But our opportunities haven't been there haven't been anything that's even attempted. Meted to make changes in our roster and in the play of Kevin and Paul in particular. -- and -- in the does that play would you be no indication that he just wanna. Try to move him for -- else you mentioned the play of Kevin and it became a major topic down the stretch because he gets moved to the center spot Oklahoma City game and after that. It looked like a different player -- that was in a short season you gonna fully 82 games this year. -- that the plan in place if cage he's gonna play the five to protect and he's talked about -- -- -- paying -- against some of the bigger bodies in the NBA. You know I think there's a lot does it mean that the whole 45 thing I think that what it what it is is it's. We have more shooting on the court. And so you know KG if you watch most games. He's playing against the same guys that he did as a five minutes just like all this can hype means -- -- Amare Stoudemire that's who we played against when he was the four man and he's playing against. You know Juwan Howard or. You know does the big guys down in Miami is the same guys that he's guard Joseph well Anthony this same guys that Kevin's always guarded. I think that that being mean is a little bit overrated now. Going into this year they're there could it could be different because all of a sudden we have Bynum and in -- division. And we have. You know Dwight Howard's out west but Bynum now is in our division of Lopez's in our division so. We do anticipate there will be a little bit more banging for Kevin defensively. And I think that's why we've gotten 37 footers with a dark Camilla since we got Jason Collins and we have fab Melo. So we have 37. Foot body's strong guys that can now. Absorb some of that went there it was on Ron knows the dual threat LA's -- -- votes next leadership in the post season. It looked like that if Rondo insisted. Confidence and shot at the -- the free throw line that juncture in his office at the next program opens up modestly off him. It just -- the reporter we you know what some in the play -- is what we've known for a little while about bridge is resign. A lot of people -- day. Johnson had success weakness he said you know three superstars and hall of famers playing with him. And what we saw on the playoffs is it -- of this team. And that. You know -- in the game Paul files out rich on those scores nine straight points and -- it was more aggressive where he probably wouldn't have been aggressive -- Paul still been on the court. And so that's going to be sort of the next phase for our team is like win does Rondo -- game. As opposed to wading bird rate calling PG to the game over. -- as the best player. And I think everybody knows that and he proved that in the playoffs this year. Lot of people wondering again Jeff Green this year in the make the trade chances. It's even in his mining and comfortable confident the system that -- Alfred -- heart ailment. Wouldn't expect -- -- Geoff Greenwood what he sees expectations for him heading into the -- We'll just a terrific player and he's in the prime of his career and he looks really good. Yeah so first of all that the heart condition. You know based on things of what we've seen so far. And what our medical staff tells us is it's it's gonna be easier for Jeff to come back from this condition. Once he gets you know a -- -- on the scoring gets his conditioning back then it easier than it would be for an ACL there -- firm you know an ankle surgery there. You know some something like that mean because physically is bodies fresh and healthy. And it was just a minor defects in the heart that he had to get -- accidents that it's a major surgery and it's a long rehab but he looks fantastic. We look for Jeff with his versatility at the three in the four position he can spread the floor before he can post a bigger threes he can defend the perimeter he's another guy that we can throw at that. At the Carmel lows and the bronze. In -- in in our conference and I think that Jeff is have a terrific player right in the prime and he's he's a great runner. I think will complement Avery Bradley will complement Rondo. And he's in that same age age ranges Brandon Bass. And Rajon Rondo as well. You want the best most respected coaches in the game and Doc Rivers wondered how they ruled that play when you talk to a Jason -- court alien Darko. In acquiring players that they they talk about Doc Rivers won't play if this guy. Well of course I mean doc is you know is is at least one of the top few in the league if not the top one. Guys that the coaches that people want to play for so that's a big advantage for us no question about those guys respect dock in. And with that comes a lot of expectations mean doc has. We have. Jason Terry like he said come and in Jason Collins coming in Darko. I think all of those guys Courtney Lee haggard has a good relationship of doc even before. As he's worked out with his kids down in Orlando but. I think all those guys are very excited to play for Doc Rivers is expectation going into the year that. Wally breeze out Courtney Lee might assume that start -- Jason Terry who has been. Sixth man of the year thrived in that role this day. As a six man for this team to -- this season while I know that's an option. You know we'll see we'll see how that plays out I mean those are those -- decisions and and epithets that's possibility yes different this year for camp. Coming in early -- conditioning wasn't the greatest news across the league that just maybe with your team. Expected different different type of start the season just condition -- and its allies. Yeah alas it was not a good start in that we warning to cheapen them based on the reports that we got from LA Rondo got all the guys out there and and the reports are very good conditioning is is excellent and it will be ready to go. What was the reaction on the schedule came out at Miami re defending champs start the season. I think it's great having -- That that's a lot of excitement hey listen those with. Those are games that you can't help -- opening night is one bit you know make the Miami in in Miami and defending champs and you know losing in game seven to this year I think all that makes for great drama -- and the players believe me he'll be juiced up for. Surely regret that you -- you when you draft and he said you know it was a year later be lottery pick. In this -- great players in school popular NC scenes and you won. But the weekly last year coming on the -- to cooperate more -- We -- note in the postseason with the shoulder that he. That taken to -- level as far as respect for the weekly two entries and play well you know so I asked for site Avery play in high school and of him he's he's phenomenal talent in -- idea doctorate terrific freshman year Texas. And so I'm not surprised by any of this I think that the rest of the world has seen what we've already known about Avery. And you know that it was just a matter of sort of fitting in like what. You know what is Avery play how does he play where does he fit in but you know his first action he had a great training camp plastered the instantly. An effect I think that's one reason why raid. Got up to such a great start last year because he could not get a shot up against Avery in training camp I mean he was working really hard even credited Avery. With you know getting him ready to go. And you know but he didn't shoot the ball well and camp and was nervous you know didn't distinctly his capabilities that we he started the season not in. In the rotation and then you know he was sort of post Rondo got hurt and he started at point guard you could -- not a true point guard. But the team was thriving with his defense team member of the game against Orlando I've never seen. Eighty point guard in any game and in my MBA career dominate. -- really good team from the point guard position defensively I've never seen him. And so that was sort of the weakening that's where Avery earned a great deal of respect from his teammates. And they love this guy at that time on he'd he'd just played unbelievable defense all year and then offensively in the last forty games of the season. Avery was one of our most efficient offensive players. On top of being -- defensive players so started knocking down threes in the jump shots and and you saw that he's complete and he still only 21 years old and it's very exciting for Celtics. And look like December January potentially for -- come back and -- Yeah yeah you know more a more put a time for him exactly he's he's had a schedule he's doing great. But we certainly don't want to rush him -- When our rush UV got some golfers to hustle they appreciate how this thing.