tlance
Kyrie Hater
There are likely multiple factors that held Ainge back... but I think the absolute sourness of AD and his camp towards the prospect of playing in Boston is what ultimately kept Boston from going all-in. Especially in the wake of Kyrie and the non-basketball negatives that a guy like that brings into the equation. It was creating a toxic environment.
That being said... I disagree with the idea that AD, Horford, Brown and Hayward is not a contending core (objectively speaking). But a sour AD who is not all-in... ?... that uncertainty probably killed things.
Well, not sure you would have Brown.
Even then. Would require Horford and Hayward to play a lot a higher levels than they did last year.