People React to Danny Ainge Stepping Down as Celtics President After Loss to Nets

Danny Ainge announced his retirement after the Celtics were eliminated by Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets, with Brad Stevens set to assume his role.

President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge of the Boston Celtics
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Image via Getty/Brian Babineau/NBAE

President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge of the Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics front office underwent a major upheaval on Wednesday after ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that  Danny Ainge has retired as the team’s President Of Basketball Operations. He’ll be replaced by Brad Stevens, who’s stepping down as the team’s head coach. 

Danny Ainge is expected to step down as President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics, sources tell ESPN. Brad Stevens is expected to assume a more prominent front office role with the team. https://t.co/8eR4AHcGv3

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 2, 2021

Ainge has reportedly been contemplating the move for several months, while Stevens is said to have been “worn down” with coaching since last year’s NBA Bubble and is welcoming the transition into the front office.

Stevens has been described as worn down with coaching since The Bubble, and welcomed the chance to make the transition to the front office, sources tell ESPN. Stevens will help lead the search for his successor as head coach.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 2, 2021

Ainge has been contemplating leaving the job for several months and had been talking about possible succession plans with ownership, sources tell ESPN. Stevens turns out to be the franchise's choice. Ainge also moved from head coaching in the NBA to the front office with Phoenix.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 2, 2021

Despite the report that this shakeup had been in the works for months, people couldn’t help but point out the fact that the news came down right after the team’s elimination at the hands of the Brooklyn Nets and Kyrie Irving. Irving has a tumultuous history with his former team, which came to a head during their first round series, making Wednesday’s news all the more poetic..

Check out reactions to the Celtics’ stunning shakeup below. 

Kyrie right now pic.twitter.com/KddXB7EJlb

— Isaac K. Lee (@IsaacKLee) June 2, 2021

 

Live look at Kyrie blowing up the Celtics pic.twitter.com/OudEGZ5fxC

— Randy Cruz (@randyjcruz) June 2, 2021

 

Kyrie Irving lit some candles and put a hex on the Celtics franchise.

— Dave Schilling (@dave_schilling) June 2, 2021

 

Kyrie in front of the Celtics facility right now pic.twitter.com/K03otyMh3y

— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) June 2, 2021

 

Danny Ainge won the trade, but the Nets won the day.

— Robin Lundberg (@robinlundberg) June 2, 2021

 

This had to be expected. Nets hit rock bottom and came back as championship favorites before the Celtics made an NBA Finals appearance with Brooklyn’s ‘treasure trove’ of draft assets. Life truly came at Boston fast. https://t.co/qIo4WFpMhA

— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) June 2, 2021

 

The Brooklyn Nets have blown up the Boston Celtics. What a turn of events from “the trade”

— Evan Roberts (@EvanRobertsWFAN) June 2, 2021

 

The Brooklyn Nets being the team that ended Danny Ainge’s reign as Celtics President after the infamous trade that led to all those picks going to Boston but also led to the Nets landing their Big 3 years later is so fucking wild

— Clem (@TheClemReport) June 2, 2021

 

What a crazy league the NBA is. Four years ago the Nets were in purgatory with no picks, no future and the Celtics were humming along making all the right moves. Today, Nets are the favorites to win it all, Ainge is on his way out and Stevens is no longer a coach. Madness.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 2, 2021

 

Kyrie stepped on the logo and detonated the entire #Celtics franchise

Danny Ainge and (head coach) Brad Stevens have been vanquished. His revenge is complete#NBA https://t.co/n9ZSTLwKa3

— Griffin Porter (@griffinporter97) June 2, 2021

 

Kyrie, the destroyer of worlds https://t.co/mDyTbiCrKH

— Brody Logan (@BrodyLogan) June 2, 2021

 

 

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