BATTLE FOR THE AINGES
As Celts boss Danny chases key free agent, son lines up against him
The NBA’s high-flying free agency season has become a friendly family feud as Celtics mastermind Danny Ainge and his son square off over coveted Utah Jazz swingman Gordon Hayward.
Ainge’s son Tanner — a candidate for Utah’s congressional seat vacated yesterday by Jason Chaffetz — is making the case for Hayward to brush off Boston and stay put, hoping to earn hoop hearts and minds ahead of an Aug. 15 Republican primary.
Tanner, 33, bolstered his case for the Jazz by tweeting to the newly minted free agent about the Bay State’s move to raise taxes on millionaires.
“You’re going to make more money in Utah,” Tanner Ainge said yesterday on the “Dan Patrick Show” that’s broadcast nationally. “You’re already in a great role. You’ve been thriving, you’re going to continue to thrive.”
Tanner compared Hayward’ s potential future in the Beehive State to the days of John Stockton and Karl Malone when the Jazz made the NBA Finals in the late 90s.
“Those guys who did that, the people of Utah will always remember them. They’re kind of chiseled on the mountains here, and so Hayward has an opportunity here in Utah. He’s the No. 1 guy,” Tanner said.
“There’s no other professional sports team. We don’t have an NFL team, we don’t have a Major League Baseball team, and so this is it, he’s the guy in a market that’s thriving.”
Hayward, one of the most highly prized NBA free agents, is scheduled to meet with the Jazz, the Miami Heat and the Celts over the next few days as he considers where he’ll sign.
Former Celtics forward Cedric Maxwell — now a radio commentator for C’s games — told the Herald last night neither Ainge is likely to do the other a “solid” by backing off Hayward.
“Danny could care less,” Maxwell said. “He’s pretty ruthless in terms of getting what he wants for the team.
“What better if you’re chopping the legs out from under your son? And what does it say about the son, when he is trying to chop the legs out from out from under his father?” Maxwell said. “It doesn’t get any better than that.”
Danny Ainge last week laughed off questions about the dispute dividing the family.
“Tanner’s got five kids, a couple of little boys, and some days I see them wearing Isaiah (Thomas) Tshirts, some days I see them wearing Gordon Hayward jerseys,” he said last week during an appearance on Boston’s 98.5 The Sports Hub.
Tanner isn’t only crossing paths with his father on this one: Tanner’s brother Austin is the Celtics’ director of player personnel. Celtics spokesmen did not return multiple requests for comment.
Tanner Ainge told the Deseret News he had “no idea” if voters would hold it against him if Hayward bolts to Boston, saying, “Gordon is going to make the decision. I hope he stays.”
Asked what his favorite basketball team is, Tanner tried to toe a careful line between growing up as the son of a Celtics great and also being a politician who wants to win a job voted on by Jazz fans.
But he continued to lobby for Hayward to stay, and he explained he thinks there should be more to the decision than just basketball.
“Look, what’s nice about the Hayward situation right now is that (brother) Austin and my dad can’t really talk about free agency at the moment, but I can, and I’m trying to represent Utah,” he said. “So I don’t see why he should leave.”