Boston Celtics president and general manager Danny Ainge has become as notorious a negotiator as there is in NBA front offices, earning the nickname “Trader Danny” for his willingness to wheel and deal in his efforts to accumulate assets and build a championship-contender. However, when it comes to making a deal for New Orleans Pelicans superstar center Anthony Davis, the architect of the team’s success will need to seriously consider the possibility that making a move for the five-time All-Star will derail his plans completely.

Unless Ainge believes that making a trade for Davis is the key to convincing Kyrie Irving to remain in Boston, there’s too much risk involved in making a deal with New Orleans.

The Celtics aren’t on Davis’ list of teams that he’d re-sign long-term with and there’s a likelihood that one of the reasons why is a perceived lack of loyalty from the franchise, as there are few other reasons to not want to re-sign with a team that seems bound for the NBA Finals, especially with him on the roster.

However, no matter the reason why Davis doesn’t have Boston on his list, there’s too much reason to believe that selling the farm to the Pelicans –potentially losing players like Jayson Tatum or a bevy of key rotation pieces in the process — will completely backfire once Davis enters free agency in the 2020 offseason.

This isn’t the same situation as Irving not having the Celtics on his list of preferred teams or even the same situation as Kevin Garnett not wanting to be traded to Boston when he was still starring for the Minnesota Timberwolves. At the time of both of their acquisitions, the Celtics weren’t a championship-contender that many were looking at as a potential dynasty.

How is it that Boston has a far better reputation, and roster, now but Davis is showing even more resistance to joining the Celtics than either Irving or Garnett had shown?

Sure, if Boston acquired Davis in the offseason, they could very well become NBA champions by the end of the 2019-20 season and the chance to repeat as champions would be enticing to both he and Irving. However, if they don’t win — and with their issues gelling at the start of the season there’s reason to believe they won’t be in-sync enough emerge as victors in the Finals — then there’s a chance of Davis leaving a barren roster behind him.

If Ainge believes he’s truly built a championship-contender, standing pat and developing the roster he’s already put together rather than gutting it for Davis seems to be his best option.

Yes, Davis is a generational talent and would increase their chances of becoming NBA champions. But Ainge can’t think of their journey to the NBA Finals as a sprint; it’ll be a marathon.

One that shouldn’t require them to make a deal for Davis.