-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Associated Press BOSTON -- Danny Ainge will be the new head of basketball operations for the Boston Celtics. Coach Jim O'Brien confirmed the hire Friday as the team prepared for Game 3 against the New Jersey Nets. Ainge played on two championship teams with the Celtics and later coached the Phoenix Suns. "It is going to be nothing but an absolute positive for our ball team,'' O'Brien said. "To have a former Celtic like Danny come and take over is going to be nothing but an absolute positive for our ball team. We are thrilled and look forward to him helping us win a championship in the future.'' The team called a news conference Friday afternoon to announced the move. Ainge has been an NBA television analyst this season for TNT. The former guard played for the Celtics from 1981-89 and was on championship teams in 1984 and 1986. Speculation he would return to the Celtics intensified in recent days as Ainge confirmed Thursday he had two one-hour meetings with the new owners of the Boston Celtics. Chris Wallace is the current general manager and head of basketball operations. Former coach Red Auerbach is the team president. The news conference will come a few hours before the Celtics play the Nets in their first home game of the playoff series. The 44-year-old Ainge knows Steve Pagliuca, part of the ownership group that bought the team this season from Paul Gaston. Wyc Grousbeck, the team's chief executive and managing partner, refused to comment. Ainge and Brad Lohaus were traded to Sacramento in 1989 for Joe Kleine and Ed Pinckney. Ainge later played for Portland and finished his career with Phoenix. He coached the Suns from 1996-99. .
Ainge's first move should be to look for trades for Antoine Walker. They need a better legitimate low post threat to team with Pierce than Walker who hurts the team by shooting too many 3pters and not offering enough defense.
Lol! What's scary is how easy it is, and how long I just refused to figure it out on the grounds that it was 'computer stuff'...
THANK GOD HE'S OFF THE AIR!!!!!! Anyway.... why would Boston hire now; I mean they are in the middle of the playoffs.
Funny; it's Friday, I'm bored at work, and I just went to tradechecker on realgm and was working out Antoine Walker trades.
Couldn't agree more with you. Walker to Golden State for Troy Murphy? Wishful thinking, I know. Right Swopa?
