Ainge On WEEI Says

[wayray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Sorry, a mis-mash as I was warming my soup....

- Team may struggle for first month of the season.

- Viewed Walker as the 3rd or 4th best player on a team - "good
3rd or 4th piece on a team."

- "I don't see Paul and Antoine as carrying a franchise" carry you to
the weak EC playoffs, but that's all.

- Celtics are still a player away. With Antioine, Celtics still needed that player

- First legitimate trade talks for Toine - trade talks that intrigued Ainge

- "I believe this trade was the right one for us to make this day"

- "First trade that made sense for us."

- Compares LaFrentz to Robert Parish - great complimentary player,
what was parish at Golden State, Ainge asks.

- LaFrentz has more to his game than he utilized in the last two year" - "pretty good post up game, get confidence back in him"  

- "Antoine Walker is not a good low post scorer against the other team's best defender"
Ainge watches the tapes on Toine.

LaFrentz can do the same things as Walker did for Pierce - drawing the defense out, opening up the paint for Pierce.

- Team overall can be just as good with LaFrentz as Walker

- Celtics still a player away - Jiri Welsch a good young player

- Defends the trade as getting four things for Toine:
1. LaFrentz
2. $7 million in cap space.
3. Draft choice.
4. Jiri Welsch.

- Team may indeed take a step back, but Ainge thinks they can be just ass good as last season.


- Leave Grady Little alone, Glen"  Ainge hung up....
Ray