“Trader Danny” was a nickname coined from the massive deals Ainge made for the Boston Celtics of years past: landing Kevin Garnett, fleecing the Brooklyn Nets and trading down for Jayson Tatum in the 2018 draft.
But in his final years with the team, Ainge was most talked about for the deals he “almost” made. Celtics fans were routinely disappointed after loads of rumors circulated past trade deadlines for nothing to happen.
His tenure with the Utah Jazz has been a microcosm of the same.
His first deadline with a “contending” team captained by Quin Snyder, Rudy Gobert, and Donovan Mitchell was uneventful when Joe Ingles was shipped out for Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Juancho Hernangomez.