The Celtics are losing a key member of their front office this offseason as assistant general manager Austin Ainge is leaving to join the Utah Jazz as their new president of basketball operations, a source confirmed to MassLive. ESPN was first to report Ainge’s departure./cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23101640/451563088.jpg)
Ainge, 43, has been with the Celtics’ organization since 2011 after playing collegiately at BYU. He served as director of player personnel before rising to assistant general manager in the past decade.
Ainge is the son of Utah Jazz CEO of basketball operations Danny Ainge who stepped down as Celtics president of basketball operations in the summer of 2021 after an 18-year tenure in Boston’s front office. Danny Ainge joined the Jazz in December 2021 as CEO of basketball operations and alternate governor.
The Celtics enter an important offseason coming off a stellar four-year stretch where they made at least the East Finals every season. While they had a disappointing second-round exit to the Knicks this season, they still raised a banner with the 2024 title.
The bill is due now as the Celtics will need to make trades this summer to shed salary off their payroll. Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury also changes the equation for the team in the short-term. For now, they lose a longtime fixture in Austin Ainge who has been with the organization for years now. So that’ll be a different wrinkle as Brad Stevens and the front office navigate an important summer for the team’s future.
