Steve Bulpett makes the point that Danny Ainge is currently looking like a genius for standing pat at the trade deadline. But apparently he didn't have that much choice.
Momentary genius - BostonHerald.com
In talking with several general managers and agents over the last few weeks, it was learned that in most cases Ainge had no choice at all. Many offers would have removed a member of the Big Three from the roster but given no great present day return. Worse, almost everything offered would have stuck the Celts with players who’d be a drag on their cap flexibility in the coming summer and next.
He goes on to give some great quotes from rival GMs.
"But to say he just sat back and didn't do anything is (expletive). He was talking to all of us the last three years, but the Hall of Fame guys were hard to move. Impossible in some cases. First of all, he's got to take big money back, and no one wanted to give up a good player to have Ray Allen for maybe a year or two. And if Danny takes back a bad contract, he'd get killed up there.
"Look, I've had my dealings with him, and he could be pain in the butt. But if I was him, I wouldn't have taken what we were trying to give. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is nothing, even when it's the right thing. We're programmed to act, but sometimes that can he the dumbest thing you can do."
Great stuff as usual from Bulpett. Check out the full article of course for the rest.