Danny Ainge was fired by the Boston Celtics.
That sort of speculation ran rampant this summer when Ainge, according to both he and the organization, decided to step down from his role as the Celtics president of basketball operations. “It was my decision,” Ainge said after resigning in June. Brad Stevens took over for Ainge in the front office with now head coach Ime Udoka replacing Stevens on the sideline.
The reasoning behind the decision, Ainge explained at the time, was so he could step back from basketball and focus on his health and family.
It made that idea — that Ainge was fired — feel a bit far-fetched. After all, if Ainge was let go, why wouldn’t the Celtics just admit it publicly? Never mind the fact that Ainge sat alongside Celtics governor Wyc Grousbeck during a press conference in which Boston introduced Stevens as his successor. Would someone who was fired really go that far to hide the truth?
It cast doubt. And they were fair questions.
But now, with Ainge back in the NBA after being named the CEO and alternate governor of the Utah Jazz, it’s more fair than ever to speculate that maybe Ainge was, in fact, forced out by the Celtics.
You have to consider that Ainge’s reasoning behind stepping away came in June. There’s only been 26 to 28 games since he decided to do so, depending on what team’s vantage point you’re coming from. Have things really changed that much for him in that span of time?
Here’s the part when Ainge defenders will acknowledge that the position with the Jazz is not the same as the Celtics. Correct. It’s not. And that’s why many still will doubt the idea Ainge was fired. Ainge, again, is the CEO and alternate governor. Justin Zanik remains the general manager of the Jazz. Ironically, Ainge appeared to be on Utah’s radar almost immediately after he stepped away from Boston.
Ainge’s new position allows him to be back in the front office without having to work the 18-hour days he previously has spoke against. It should be a more admirable job for the stage of life that Ainge, 62, currently is in. It shouldn’t come as a massive shock either. Ainge, even during his final press conference when Stevens took over, never said he was retiring. He’s since come out repeatedly and said he would consider a return to a NBA front office if the circumstances fit.
But considering how things played out — the fast-paced changes, Stevens being elevated to the position rather than conducting a job search for the role — and the timeline of how quickly Ainge is back into the NBA world, it’s certainly fair to think maybe there was more than what has been said publicly.
At the very least, it’s more fair to speculate than it has been prior.
