based on what was and wasn't done this past year, it's become clear the intent was to have as many assets as possible to use in a trade for AD and possibly someone else.
you know what might have actually helped acquire Davis and fix some issues trading Morris and Rozier for better fitting pieces that were signed past this summer.
You know what else might have helped the team and had no bearing on assets needed for Davis. Using the MLE. Heck he probably could have used the MLE in a way that added non guaranteed money for next year making it even easier to acquire Davis.
The simple truth is Ainge threw away the season. He did nothing at all. I'd have rather had him do something and fail then nothing at all.
No, he didn't. This is an insane take to me. Could he have used the MLE and/or traded Rozier or Morris? Sure. He probably should have, but neither was saving THIS season. Those are both longer term plays. Short of magically altering the CBA to allow us to trade for Davis there wasn't much Ainge could do this year.
Except trade for Kawhi. thats the what if.
There were clear problems in the lockerroom and with the fit of all the players. It was clear that Ainge should have done something at the deadline. If nothing else, just do a salary dump and remove a cancer from the lockerroom (and I'm not saying that should have been the route to take, but it would have been something). Rozier, and Morris to a lesser extent, were a problem on this team. The team would have been better off without them and with players that fit better into the roles that were needed (a real back-up PG and another actual big man). Ainge could have moved both in a trade, picked up an extra salary this summer, and dropped below the luxury tax also serving the long term needs of the team.
Every other team still playing in the Eastern Conference made significant moves and additions. The Raptors added a MVP level player. The Sixers added 2 all star level players to their starting lineup. Even the Bucks completely revamped their bench and those players all by and large had tremendous series against the C's. Heck the Pacers made a bunch of moves this summer as well and if Oladipo doesn't go down, Boston might very well lost in the 1st round (being the 5 seed and playing a better team).
I can give Ainge a bit of a pass in the summer given the return of Irving and Hayward, but at the trade deadline it was completely and utterly unacceptable for the team to not to do anything.