Report: Ainge offered a job in Boston Cetlics' front office

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Boston Celtics have offered former NBA player and coach Danny Ainge a high-ranking front office job, according to media reports Wednesday night.

The new Celtics ownership group met with Ainge on "at least two occasions" and were impressed with him, according to a story on The Boston Globe's Web site, citing anonymous sources.

Ainge was offered the job of head of basketball operations, according to the Globe. Broadcast reports said he was offered the job of team president.

Chris Wallace is the current general manager and head of basketball operations. Former coach Red Auerbach is currently the team president.

Ainge, 44, has not yet decided whether to take the job but is seriously considering it, the newspaper said.

A call to a Celtics spokesman was not immediately returned.

Ainge, who was in New Jersey broadcasting the Celtics-Nets series for TNT, told the Globe, "I know (Celtics owner) Steve Pagliuca. I have had conversations with him, but I can't tell you what those conversations were about."

Wyc Grousbeck, the team's chief executive and managing partner, refused to comment.

Ainge played in Boston from 1981 to 1989 and was a member of two Celtics championship teams, in 1984 and 1986.

Ainge and Brad Lohaus were traded in 1989 to the Sacramento Kings for Joe Kleine and Ed Pinckney. Ainge later played for the Portland Trail Blazers but finished his career with the Phoenix Suns.

He coached the Suns from 1996-99. He was approached by other teams about coaching opportunities but turned them down.