March 26, 2021 | 11.00 AM
Following the NBA negotiation deadline on Thursday, Celtics basketball operations president Danny Ainge first met with reporters at a virtual press conference before calling 98.5 The Sports Hub “Toucher & Rich” for a second interview.
Boston added Evan Fournier, Moritz Wagner and Luke Kornet in a pair of deals, sending Javonte Green, Daniel Theis and Jeff Teague in return (along with two second-round picks). The changes came amid doubts about the current cap of the Celtics’ 2021 season, as the team has been 4-6 in the last 10 games and is eighth in the Eastern Conference.
At the press conference, Ainge said that despite the team’s difficulties – the Celtics are currently at 21-23, following the high expectations of the pre-season – he does not think he was forced to make a switch.
“I didn’t feel pressured to do any of those things,” said Ainge in response to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. “I feel that this is a deal that I would have done at any time in the last few years, probably with this opportunity.
Ainge immediately added that he felt pressure, but in a different sense.
“I think the biggest pressure is just that I want our players to have hope,” said Ainge. “I want our coach to have hope and I felt a little discouraged internally with our boys. So that was one of the reasons why I did something now, instead of waiting somewhere along the way. “
In a follow-up question from Washburn, Ainge elaborated, noting that “discouragement” is not unique to the current Celtics team.
“I talk to the players, I have the team in the locker room and I can feel a sense of discouragement and frustration as it would happen with any team that is playing below what they believe they can play,” explained Ainge. “It is not an incident or personality.
“There is a difference when things are going very well and when things are not,” continued Ainge. “I know the guys are trying. Our technical team works tirelessly and our players are working every day, dedicating time. They go through periods of true optimism and hope. I can see it in your game. But when you are not living up to your expectations, there is an opportunity for discouragement and frustration. I think that happens with all teams. It happened to all the teams with which I was associated. “
Ainge, referring to Fournier, said he hoped the veteran “would scare us”.
One theory about the negotiations was that both were done in part to give some of Boston’s youngest players more playing time.
“They are not movements specifically for that, with the exception of Robert,” Ainge told Toucher & Rich, referring to the Robert Williams center. “I think he is getting better and better and we are excited about his progress.”
And like any negotiation deadline, much of the previous discussion was accompanied by unfounded rumors.
Ainge was asked whether reports in the past few days about the possibility of a trade involving Marcus Smart had any truth for them.
“That was all made up,” replied Ainge. “I read a headline that said something about the Celtics going to trade some choices in the first round and Marcus Smart for this specific guy. I don’t even know where that comes from. “
“I’m not sure if I assured anyone that I would never trade them,” added Ainge when asked if he personally told Smart that the reports were not true. “But I probably disputed any of the negotiations that were being commented on. I don’t want to change Marcus. “
On the subject Smart, who just got it right eight percent of his attempts at 3 points in the fourth period of this season, Ainge reiterated the importance of the 27-year-old to the team.
“Listen, guys go through crazy crises. Good players go through crises, ”noted Ainge. “Marcus has had a falling crisis before and I’m sure he will get over it. We need Marcus to shoot and shoot, just like any other player on the court. “
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