Danny Ainge: ‘There’s nothing close’ - BostonHerald.com
"There will be a lot of talking, and I think things will get even more serious next week when teams get back from All-Star Weekend," Ainge said.
Ainge would very much like to get something done by next Thursday's NBA trade deadline, but he said yesterday, "There's nothing close right now."
Ainge has said he will do nothing that hinders the Celtics' chances of winning this season, and he added yesterday he will not overreact to recent losses.
According to general managers from two other clubs, Ainge may still believe the C's can win a championship with what they have, but he is clearly more open to discussing trades that could significantly alter the team.
"He wanted to do something that would shake things up a little, but I think now he's looking at something bigger if it works for him," one GM said.
If the Celts are to pull off a larger move, it would almost certainly have to include Ray Allen's expiring contract and force them to take back salary and contract lengths that could hinder the team's flexibility down the line.
"That's why it's very important that, if they do make a move like this, they have to hit on it," said a league source. "Anything more than a minor move is going to affect them for a while. He has to get guys he can live with beyond this year - or guys he thinks he can move down the line. It's going to be tough. That's why I think they could end up staying pretty much intact. They might not, but it's kind of a tightrope they're on."