Danny Ainge on trade deadline inactivity: ‘There were no good deals to be made’

Trader Danny Ainge as he has known to become didn’t pull the trigger on any deals at the NBA Trade Deadline Thursday.

The Celtics President of Basketball Operations joined 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich Friday morning as Ainge explained why he held firm on not trading away any players or future draft picks.

“There were no good deals to be made,” Ainge told the radio hosts. “You have to find a partner when you’re making a deal. You can’t just say, ‘I need to go out and get this deal and I’m going to take whatever it costs to get it.’ That’s not how it works.”

The Celtics had plenty of draft capital to dispose of, including potentially as many as three first-round picks in the 2020 draft, depending on how the Memphis Grizzlies pick shakes out. But the Celtics didn’t unload any of those picks, even though it was rumored that they were strongly interested in Davis Bertans of the Washington Wizards and that the Wiz were reportedly asking for two first-round picks for the Latvian sharpshooter, who is an unrestricted free agent after this season.

“We’re not afraid to trade draft picks,” Ainge said. “There just wasn’t the deal. I don’t want to give up multiple draft picks for a rental player that’s going to be our ninth man.”

While the Celtics stood pat, a couple of other prime contenders in the Eastern Conference made moves to bolster their rosters, which drew the ire of some of the Boston fan base. The Miami Heat acquired Andre Iguodala and Jae Crowder from the Grizzlies in exchange for Justise Winslow, James Johnson and Dion Waiters while the Philadelphia 76ers added Alec Burks and and Glenn Robinson III from the Golden State Warriors for three second-round picks.

“A lot of top teams didn’t make any moves yesterday,” Ainge said. “Some teams made some moves I wouldn’t have made, but they chose to make.”

There is still hope the C’s could make an addition to their roster in the buyout market. There is speculation that Isaiah Thomas, who was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team deal, and Tristan Thompson could be on the buyout market and that there would be interest from the Celtics for their services.

Ainge said on Toucher & Rich that the Celtics are keeping an eye on a certain player (he didn’t reveal who) if he does become available.

“I think it’s a long shot they will be bought out and there will be fierce competition for their services,” Ainge said.

It’s looking highly likely that the roster the C’s kept intact, will be the one they count on for the rest of the season and into the playoffs.