Danny Ainge reveals he almost traded for Jimmy Butler

The Bulls and the Celtics would look a lot different today if this trade happened.

© Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Danny Ainge has always been one of the craftiest people in basketball—both on and off the floor. Though he was never the fastest or most athletic player, he flourished in the NBA, playing for 14 seasons, mostly for the Boston Celtics. Afterward, he became the Celtics' general manager and made moves to help bring the team back to prominence. It's ironic, though, that the move that Ainge did not pull the trigger on would be the one that helped put the Celtics in title contention for years to come.

Tried to acquire Jimmy Butler

Ainge was recently a guest on the Knuckleheads podcast, where he revealed he had talks with decision-makers of the Chicago Bulls about a deal centered around All-Star forward Jimmy Butler. However, the Bulls' asking price was too high for Ainge and the Celtics to stomach.

"Some of the best trades I ever made were the ones I wasn't able to make. Like, I was trying to get Jimmy Butler from Chicago when I was in Boston, but they wanted a lot," Ainge shared.

"So we didn't do it, because it ended up it would've been Jaylen and Jayson, both those draft picks that we got Jaylen and Jayson with."

“Some of the best trades I ever made were the ones I wasn’t able to make.” 👀

Danny Ainge reveals plans of bringing Jimmy Butler to Boston to @QRich and @21Blackking.

Y’all don’t want to miss this one. #Knuckleheads. Tap in TOMORROW. pic.twitter.com/CZMqhDZPvC

— The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) August 14, 2023

Celtics in prime position

With Tatum and Brown, the Celtics are now in prime position to contend for its first NBA title since 2008. With Brown recently signed to a massive $300 million extension and the Celtics acquiring All-Star big man Kristaps Porzingis to add to their core of Tatum, Derrick White, Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III, it appears that Ainge's decision not to give the green light on that deal so many years ago was the right call.