For several years, Danny Ainge was criticized for hoarding his draft picks and young players while refusing to make a trade for an All-Star player.
They were linked to Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in trade rumors between 2017 and 2018, but didn’t land either. In August 2017, they traded for Kyrie Irving, but gave up just one first-round pick, which they received from the Nets as part of the Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett trade.
Possibly the most notable instance of Ainge getting ridiculed for keeping his assets and passing on making a trade for a star player came in 2019, when Pelicans big man Anthony Davis requested a move out of New Orleans.