The Boston Celtics didn't move any of their core players before Thursday's NBA trade deadline, but according to Danny Ainge, it wasn't due to a lack of conversations.
The Celtics' president of basketball operations admitted Friday he spoke to one player on his roster whose name popped up in trade chatter prior to the deadline.
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"I do speak to some of the players based on some of the false reports that were out there," Ainge said during his weekly interview with 98.5 The Sports Hub's "Toucher & Rich." "I just try to get their head in the right place just to focus on what they need to.
"But there were really no close deals. There was one player in particular that there was a lot of discussion with and he's well aware of it.
"And I was honest with him on that and why we didn't do it, and what he needs to focus on for his career and for us finishing this year strong."
While Ainge didn't reveal who that player was, we still can speculate, and a few clues point to backup point guard Terry Rozier.
Rozier is a talented player in a difficult situation who will be a restricted free agent this offseason, so it makes sense why teams would call about him. And a pre-deadline report that Boston wouldn't be trading Rozier seems to suggests other clubs at least did their due diligence.
"I didn't go into this deadline ... looking to make any certain deals," Ainge added. "There were some things that I was listening to more than others.
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"I don't know if this player's agent might have heard, got wind of it from a few other teams that were trying to make some deals for him, but I just felt it was important just in case -- the thin veil of information that exists in our world, like, I just wanted to be the first one to tell him and I wanted to be straightforward with him about what was going on because there was a chance he might have heard it anyway."
When asked what the "mystery player" thought of the discussion, Ainge responded, ""He took it great. I think they appreciate that honesty."
Ainge also was forthright about his conversations with Kyrie Irving, describing their relationship as an "engagement" rather than a marriage.
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