The Celtics have chosen the status quo at the trade deadline, though, according to league sources, there is question about just how much of that was by actual choice.
What’s clear is that by not being able to deal for a significant talent at this time, Danny Ainge has turned up the pressure on himself to have a very big summer.
The word from around the league, over the last several days in particular, was that Ainge was growing very protective of this year’s Nets pick and the ability to be a player in free agency. Though some took that as a posturing, others who dealt with him believed it to be the case when the Celts held the line in certain negotiations.