Brad Stevens Rebukes Notion That Celtics Forced Danny Ainge Out

You have to admit, regardless of what the truth is, it is odd that Danny Ainge landed so quickly with a new organization after just months earlier saying he needed to recharge and spend some time with his family.

That lends credence to the idea the longtime Celtics president of basketball operations was forced out of Boston, but that’s a notion Brad Stevens isn’t buying.

Ainge on Wednesday took a job with the Utah Jazz as their CEO and alternate governor. The announcement ramped back up chatter that Ainge might’ve just been canned (or gently told to quit because he was otherwise going to be fired) by the Celtics.

But Stevens, who moved from head coach to Ainge’s role, rebuked that during an appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub.

“I was here for that entire sequence of events,” Stevens said, via SB Nation’s Keith Smith. “He let everybody know he was stepping away to have more time to spend with his family, rejuvenate, and figure out what’s next.”

Hey, believe what you will. Ainge admitted he needed a break from the Celtics, and at this point, it seems like it was for the best that all parties went their separate ways.