Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge knows that today's NBA players face a litany of distractions. From trade rumors to murmurs of locker room beef, everyday minutiae can quickly turn into national headlines - even when a team's performing at a high level on the court.
"I feel like, in the NBA, it seems like it's more about the drama off the court that is being talked about and discussed and people get excited about than the play," Ainge said on the "The Toucher and Rich Show" Thursday. "We're 11-4 and playing well in our last 15 games and even with injuries to our key guys, and things are moving in the right direction. I understand it. I'm not mad about it. It's just reality. It's more interesting to talk about all these Kardashian-like episodes that are going on in the NBA."
One ongoing NBA drama is Ainge's reported desire to acquire Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans. With the Feb. 7 trade deadline approaching, Ainge talked to two of his promising young talents, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, about the business side of the sport, hoping to mitigate any uneasiness as the rumor mill begins to whirl.
"I think they're very mature kids," Ainge said. "They listened to what I had to say and I think they get it."
