Danny Ainge Talks Doc’s Future, Perk, Jeff Green, & Pierce Off The Bench Next Year?

Posted by Brian Robb on May 12, 2011 2054279 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F2011%2F05%2F12%2Fdanny-ainge-talks-docs-future-perk-jeff-green-pierce-off-the-bench-next-year%2FDanny+Ainge+Talks+Doc%27s+Future%2C+Perk%2C+Jeff+Green%2C+%26+Pierce+Off+The+Bench+Next+Year%3F2011-05-12+22%3A08%3A52Brian+Robbhttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F%3Fp%3D20542

Danny Ainge just wrapped up an interview over at WEEI.com, you can Visit WEEI to listen to the full piece but Julian Benbow of The Boston Globe transcribed a few key piece of Danny’s interesting comments:

On the future of the team:
“We need to make changes for sure I don’t think it is but having said that that’s my job is to evaluate the reasons why we didn’t play the way we’re capable of playing … We do have a team that next year come playoff time will be a year older and a team like Miami will be in their prime years.

On the starting lineup changing:
“Maybe there’s a change of roles. Maybe Paul comes off the bench, cuts down on his minutes. Maybe we find a way to get Jeff more minutes. His role will expand if he’s back here next year. There’s no question about that … ”

“It wouldn’t totally shock me if there’s a change in the starting lineup, but that’s just way too tough to tell.”

On the possibility of trading one of the Big Three:
“I would have to look into that if a good trade came about”

On the possibility of trading Rondo:
Probably not. I can’t ever say never, but that’s not our plan right now, probably not.

Ainge’s biggest regret:
“I would have fought harder to bring Tony Allen back,” Ainge said. “We tried to sign Tony, we tried to come within our rules of staying in our two-year program. I think that Tony would have helped us.

“We offered Tony a two-year deal out of the gate, but then when Memphis showed him some love and he started thinking about the idea of more playing time … Then, he wanted a change of scenery.”

On Rivers’s long-term future with the team:
“I think that’s the wrong assumption about Doc,” Ainge said. “That’s what most people think, he would just be here with this group of guys. I think Doc is a coach at heart. I think Doc likes the idea of staying in Boston.

“If there comes a time where our goal change in a year or two, where the goal is to make the playoffs, I think Doc would welcome that challenge too. He knows that every year of your career, you can’t be fighting for an NBA championship.

“I think he likes the idea of being a Jerry Sloan type coach and being with a franchise for a long time.”