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Danny Ainge

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Tue, 31 Jul 2007

Executive Director of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge chats with Mikey about the blockbuster move for Garnett

Automatically Generated Transcript (may not be 100% accurate)

" we're happy to joined be joined by Danny -- now life in the garden the GO Celtics who have a pretty darn good day I would -- right Danny Mike it has been a long and few weeks I think -- a -- a feel like my water broke last week could have been in my head. Now that's an have been intensive labor of Pittsburgh the last couple weeks. Well I mean from the smiles on the faces of the court you print that lesson you've been -- from where you came from as part of the Celtics lore and and going into this very tough. Position -- and all the things you've had to deal with from the bad luck -- the you know the criticized moves here and there this is going to be a really great feeling for you. Personally because suddenly for the first time in 15 years we're talking instant karma instant relevance and and the euphoria once again of Celtics fans are doing what they do best."

" Well Mike -- I would say about that as we you know obviously it is instinct karma right now and there's instant hope for the team this year but Tom knew we haven't done anything. And so I'm not really -- I don't have my pom -- out in that don't have my balloons and not getting ready for any parades or you know we need to win. And these guys have a lot of work to do our coach and staff has challenge and now the players have to make some sacrifices it commitments and and I'm excited for the season. But I you know these guys I don't want to get ahead of ourselves in these guys have it's it's stuck an -- to show up and win winning his."

" Hard work I think the key words though there is hope because. I would all the hard work the you really as it as a GM has a franchise had a certainly substantially less hope. At at a -- achieving what is the ultimate goal of the Boston Celtics and you which is that isn't sure another --"

" No question and that's been tough I mean it's no fun going in the cellphone for coaches in the -- for players and you know tried to defend our players and defender coaches in you know that position over the last couple years it's difficult. Knowing that we're we're not good enough to be. Where we need to be and where where the expectations are even even though the expectations aren't necessarily championship with our team. I think sometimes -- expectations are still to be more than was there and so that's been it's been a tough couple years that way in and now Tom. You know we don't have excuses these guys need to go out and play well they need to be consistent winners we're going to have our ups and downs in that a team can fight through adversity with some maturity I think is going to be held helpful for us."

" Talking a -- a little bit earlier and certainly the excitement factor is it is a key thing you're talking about on this radio station alone. An average day at this time a year particularly Danny would be would be all talk about the Eric Gagne acquisition for the Red Sox and normally that would be justifiable. And that's that's good when by the way like -- yeah. I think that I've been so visit him here but that I like that yeah they gave up they give up Murphy and I Kason Gabbard to -- Gagne and of course he might look like a guy who's considering -- 14 beers and watch in the game he's a good reliever but imagine take in the thunder away from any sport as the Celtics on July 31 -- you it's almost like a throwback you're Toronto blue Jay's agent look at the baseball trading -- blockbuster done."

" Well you know it is fun to have the relevancy back. You know we're doing this to try to bring. Some excitement in Boston in the Boston Celtics that's always been our intention when that one of the most difficult things in in my position over the last few years as. Working extremely hard and not getting certain things accomplished and you know there's there's a lot of good fortune that comes in this we had to deal with the Minnesota before the draft we couldn't get a contract extension worked out with Garnett so the deal fell through we were able to do another deal that made Garnett won it. We consider coming to Boston. And so you know we were were very fortunate in Natalie very fortunate that we had enough pieces to get both of those guys -- that that's a credit to the young guys that are really stepped up and and played well in the last few years -- that's always a difficult challenges you -- did you see these guys develop and you put so much blood sweat and tears into their development. And then all of a sudden you know they're there they're good enough where other teams actually -- them and you don't want to move okay. But when you when there's guys like ray Allen and Kevin Garnett those are not as difficult of decisions and had a difficult decisions aren't you know the veterans everybody talks about veterans but you know kind of the run of the mill veterans. For young players which is something that. Has been difficult but we've been very patient tonight. Trade our young players but the run of the mill veterans just to be better in the last couple years so there's a lot of people that have endured a lot particularly coaches on the front line and a player like Paul Pierce who's out on the frontline."

" I just want to mention three people nutria just get your quick reactions to how they might of react to all it's gone down in the past 48 hours first of all a guy who's been sort of this team for years and and who some people thought minute admit maybe you would have never have -- staying in this situation of winning an NBA championship. We're talk about Paul peers. Tiger you read many think from him I know we fluid from LA -- got to be happy guy."

" You know -- so I haven't seen Paul he's like he kidney candy shop right now means dislike a new rookie with his reenergize. Guys feelings right now in. He's smiling right now I'm looking across the room in the KG you stand over their by each other I mean it's been now it's been good to see them excitement in that spirit back and Paul and you know -- I've had many talks over the last year and at some point we were going to have to do something significant -- help Paul and and and continue to work with Paul and have him defeat you know give all of that he had been to his credit you've heard very little out of Paul and he always done is going on them played in played well played hard and -- given always had and I'm just glad that we that he was able to kinda hang with us until we had an opportunity to do something like this."

" A franchise also has all -- of misfortune of two I have met and no -- he's just a really good guy in this guy I think he looked pretty pleased up there on the podium as well how much involvement what was necessary from him aside from obviously his blessing for anything you were trying to accomplish. And how how often we hear it from him on -- it was an hourly was an every ten minutes or was it once today."

" You with with lets me do my job and in so. He knew what when we get close you know he wants to know more but he let's me do my job dated day in his this -- got closer close and we had constant contact. And when the deal about closer and closer you know he had contact with the owner of Minnesota -- to iron out feud more details so. With plays a huge part in this I mean I'll say this with a with -- any franchise that you know everything starts at the top and -- and ownership this is huge in the in the success. Of any team and our ownership is no different in quick has great passion and great enthusiasm. And great interest in on it in all elements of the franchise."

" How much of a factor was the the relationship ongoing obviously for many years reviewing Kevin mchale"

" I don't think there was any factor at all why I think that this this deal was was done simply because two teams we were in a a different cycle of what we were trying to accomplish and we were. You know looking to move young players to get significant others and in the cage he's a special player in Minnesota was looking to kind of move the other direction like Portland who got that. Number two pick what a number one pick Seattle with a number two pick they kind of you know we're moving in different directions franchising I think Minnesota felt like. Their team was a little stagnant in the needed to move one direction or the other also -- if they've invested a lot of money in a lot of time in the KG and just weren't able to put a significant enough team except for maybe one year there and can KG strain so. They decide to move another direction and I think that of all the teams out there offering deals I think the reason we were able to get a deal -- when Minnesota was simply that we had the best young player available for KG now Jefferson all the other teams that were transfer KG didn't have any players as good as now in my opinion. But the deals that I heard being offered and now so I think that that is why the deal was done Al Jefferson. I was a player that they coveted and -- he was a player we did."

" No patience is a virtue -- you certainly had to show a lot over the past few years congratulations to you won a very happy day. I gotta tell you that the only just read the odds the mavericks the spurs in the suns are the only teams highly more highly favored to win the NBA to average of the -- I'm as you said you -- work to do but congratulations -- we'd like the high expectations thinks -- They have a great night"

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