Ever since Danny Ainge took over as general manager of the Celtics last May, each day has promised a new surprise in Boston. And there have been plenty as the Celtics prepare for next week's draft. Here's the latest:

Secure with a lack of security

Boston shocked the NBA by signing former Orlando Magic coach Doc Rivers in April to a four-year contract. Rivers will make $5 million next year. An even bigger surprise came when the Celtics owners turned and offered Ainge a two-year extension to remain as general manager that would have put him on equal footing with Rivers. With the deal, Ainge's contract would have expired at the same time as Rivers', after the 2007-08 season.

Ainge said no.

"It wasn't that I don't want to work with the Celtics," said Ainge. "It's just that I want to make certain they still want me and they're happy with me two years from now." Though Ainge says he was originally offered a five-year contract to join the Celtics last May, he asked for, and signed, a three-year deal instead. After a year on the job, his thinking hasn't changed: If the owners aren't happy with his leadership through the 2005-06 season, or if he is dissatisfied with the job, then he would prefer to dissolve the relationship rather than keep accepting huge paychecks.

"I plan on being here five or 10 years and getting this thing right and building this thing," Ainge said. "But I'm not interested in rushing into a long-term relationship that they'll regret."

In limiting the length of his deal, Ainge is definitely swimming against the tide. Few are the GMs who wouldn't feel insecure going into a season with half as much job security as the coach. But Ainge has taken a different tack in vowing to leave if his relationship with the Celtics goes sour. In essence, Ainge is making a statement that he is less interested in long-term money than in building a healthy relationship.

Doc's on board in body and spirit

A rumor making the rounds at the Chicago pre-draft camp last week held that Ainge wanted to hire Paul Westphal, formerly of the Phoenix Suns, as Boston's newest coach, but that he was overruled by the team owners, who preferred Rivers. "It's not true," claimed Ainge. "And I told Paul that. I told him that Doc was my No. 1 choice, and if it didn't work out with him then I would turn to Paul."

According to two Celtics officials, Ainge and Rivers have such a strong relationship that Rivers asked for, and received, an option to cancel his contract if or when Ainge departs.

A new offense

Proving that the solid relationship between Ainge and Rivers is not merely one for appearances, both men seem genuinely committed to reinventing the Celtics as a team that can play effectively in transition while maintaining the ability to change gears into a half-court set. Ainge confirmed reports out of Chicago that Rivers is trying to hire former Sacramento assistant Pete Carril to install the read and-react principles of the Princeton offense. Not only would a more inclusive passing game take the burden of creating for others off of Paul Pierce -- an unnatural role for the Celtics' lone star -- but it would also make use of Raef LaFrentz in the post as a passer.

Appearances can be deceiving

If they held a popularity contest of sports figures in Boston today, Ainge might be hard-pressed to garner more votes than defrocked Red Sox manager Grady Little. During his playing days Ainge endeared himself to Celtics fans with a style that was daring and occasionally reckless. (Of course, it didn't hurt to also be in the championship company of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish.) In bringing a similar approach during his first season in Boston's front office -- characterized by controversial trades involving Antoine Walker, Eric Williams and Ricky Davis and the stunning midseason resignation of popular coach Jim O'Brien -- he turned those same fans against him. Winning eight fewer games than the season before didn't help matters.

I was among the chorus of those criticizing Ainge's decisions to break up the Celtics' winning formula. Still, it's important to understand that Ainge was hired by the Celtics' new owners to make changes. They weren't paying him $5 million to stay the course, though that may have been a more immediately successful plan.

Ainge came under fire for declaring, in the wake of O'Brien's departure, that the Celtics would be better served by reaching the draft lottery instead of the playoffs. While stopping short of actively hoping the Celtics wouldn't reach the postseason, Ainge said he took the extra step, in private, of guaranteeing a playoff bonus to interim coach John Carroll whether Boston made the playoffs or not. To others around the league it appeared that Ainge was trying to "bribe" his coach to miss the playoffs, but Ainge denies that he was aiming to improve the Celtics' draft position. The point, according to Ainge, was to allow Carroll the flexibility to give more minutes to young players like rookie point guard Marcus Banks, even if it meant sacrificing a win or two during the playoff race. As Ainge sees it, he didn't want Carroll to lose the playoff bonus by following company strategy.

Draft mystery

With three picks in the first round -- though none in the lottery -- there is no telling what Ainge will do next Thursday. Given his desire to transform the Celtics into an athletic, fast-breaking team, it seems unlikely that he will trade the picks for veteran help, but that doesn't exlude the possibility. "A lot of different things are being weighed," said Ainge.

Continue to expect the unexpected.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Ian Thomsen covers the NBA beat for the magazine and is a regular contributor to SI.com.