The Ime Era is in full swing
The Celtics announced their new head coach this week, Ime Udoka. First of all let’s issue an apology for how badly we will continue to butcher this man’s name. Simple Minds. Apologies. Beyond that, some initial thoughts.
Does something feel a little fishy to you?
Okay, I don’t want to start off the Ime Era negatively I’m just a little uneasy about the whole thing. Lets rifle through a little time line. We shall start with the exit of The King of the Fourth.
I’m sorry to go back so far, but I’ll be quick. That’s what she said.
Danny Ainge trades Isaiah Thomas and the “best contract” in the league along with the #8 pick to Cleveland for Kyrie Irving. Wonderful. Kyrie then over the course of 2 seasons manages to completely neuter Danny and skips out of town. Danny salvages the sack-less off season in which Al Horford bolts to Philly for $100 Million by signing Kemba Walker to a max deal. Fast forward to the bubble and 1,000 Gordon Hayward injuries and a near Terry Rozier Mutiny, the Celtics are bounced in the ECF by an inferior Miami Heat team. Danny immediately tries to trade Kemba. Gordon tells Brad Stevens he’s not mean enough so Brad is mean to Kemba, so everyone takes their ball and goes home to get Covid - end scene on the 2020 - 2021 Celtics Season.
This history is important because I believe it all leads to the major change we saw in Danny Ainge “Retiring” and Brad Stevens being “Promoted”. Right here is where it starts to get sticky. Brad was given a extension last season to continue COACHING. After a season like this past one the idea the Brad lost the locker room was pretty evident. That generally leads to a coaching change in the NBA. Please see your 2021 ECF participants Atlanta Hawks for reference. But, what if that coach was just guaranteed something like $30 million over the next 6 seasons?
Lets leave that aside and discuss the departure of Danny Ainge. Eighteen years as GM for the Boston Celtics. I have made the case several times that Danny was one of is not at times the best GM in this tenure, but the past 3 seasons post the Kyrie Neuter can’t be ignored. And the cherry on top came from the testicle executioner himself. Before game 1 of the playoff series between the Nets and Celtics Kyrie made the accusation that all Boston fans were racists. Sorry, subtle racists. In turn, and I’ll add a rightfully pissed off turn for such a selfish bullshit attempt to deflect by that cunt Kyrie, Danny tone-deafly denies any knowledge of racist remarks from Boston fans in 26 years he had been there. Palm in face Emoji.
In short, it was kind of a mess over there on Causeway come May. Changes were needed. My question,? Have there been enough changes? Is bumping Brad to a position in which he has no experience and it is widely believe he received due to the contract owed to him the smartest move? It’s unorthodox that’s for sure. Celtics ownership had put inquiries into other high profile front office representative like Sam Presti in Oklahoma City but they continued to flame out. There are also reports that Udoka was not the 1st choice and an unknown coach (Chauncey Billups) denied an offer from the Celtics. Maybe dodged a bullet there? I will say in Brad’s very short sample size the move to quickly trade Kemba and that contract has gone over well and the hiring of Ime Udoka has largely received approval.
I’m just sayin’. It all has this uneasy sticky kind of feel to it. Like there is still an air of disappointment from the past seasons. Similar to a dense heater you leave in a windowless bathroom at a friends house. How long until someone has to piss?
None of this means it can’t work. There is a lot of talk an evidence that Danny lost his way with the players. Maybe he lost his way with Brad too? Maybe the players and Brad are closer aligned then I want to give them credit for. Maybe Brad really was burnt out from coaching and everything is on the level. Maybe. I dunno . Probably not.
Again, it can all still work. Look at the Red Sox in 2004. Billy Bean was the guy for that GM job and instead the kid got it when Billy said “no thanks, I’m more comfortable falling short in Oakland for the next 20 years”. And wouldn’t ya know it we had the second coming in Theo Epstein. Let’s all hope that Ime Udoka is our next Theo. Does that make Brad, Larry Lucchino? Shivers.
ENJOY A FREE SAMPLE
NO MEDICAL CARD OR PRESCRIPTION NEEDED
Click for FREE Sample
NATURAL CBD PRODUCTS FOR BETTER HEALTH
VISIT OUR TAP ROOM
460 Amerst St. Nashua, NH 03063
Click for your next Brew
RAISING THE BAR ONE CRAFT BEER AT A TIME