Larry Bird on how Red Auerbach’s secret advice influenced the Danny Granger trade in 2014
Larry Bird learned how to be an executive early on in his career through Red Auerbach.
Larry Bird learned the tricks and trades of being an NBA executive while playing with the Boston Celtics. The legendary Red Auerbach was the Celtics’ general manager when they picked Larry Legend, a move that proved to be franchise-altering. When it was Bird’s turn to be an executive for the Indiana Pacers, he looked back on Auerbach’s secret advice with regard to Danny Granger.
Danny Granger was the franchise star of the Pacers from the mid-to late-2000s. The team was on its way to becoming a legitimate playoff contender until Granger was diagnosed with left knee tendinitis.
He missed the first 55 games of the 2012-13 NBA season. The following year, he was diagnosed with a strained calf and also missed the first 25 games of the season. In 29 games, Granger averaged 8.3 points and 3.6 rebounds. These were signs that Granger would never be the same player he once was.
That placed Bird, then the Pacers’ president of basketball operations, with a dilemma: trade Granger or wait for him to heal. Bird recalled Auerbach’s advice to him back when they were in Boston.
“I never really felt the pressure” – Larry Bird on why he always stepped up during big games
Virgil joined Basketball Network in November 2021 and has been writing mostly about old-school topics from the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s.
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