Rival NBA executives have been highly coveting Boston Celtics rising junior Jayson Tatum, apparently trying to trade for the small forward in spite of general manager Danny Ainge's high asking price.

Via Kevin Smith in SB Nation's CelticsBlog:

Opposing executive on Tatum: “We tried to get him. The price they asked was insane, as it should be. He’s going to be an All-Star. If his numbers were down, it’s only because no 19-year-old had been at that level before. Kemba (Walker) is a great addition and (Gordon) Hayward is going to be better, but Tatum is the franchise in Boston.”

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Ainge and the Celtics front office infamously missed out on cashing assets in for potentially landing All-Stars like former New Orleans Pelicans big man Anthony Davis, then–Indiana Pacers forward Paul George, and even Kawhi Leonard when the two-time Defensive Player of the Year was on the trading block for the San Antonio Spurs.

Tatum was among various Celtics pieces, like third-year guard Jaylen Brown, to be dangled around the league so Boston could land another bona fide All-Star next to former point guard Kyrie Irving and big man Al Horford.

The summer has revamped the Celtics' roster, however, with Irving moving to Brooklyn and Horford in Philadelphia as free agents disinterested with the contentious Boston locker room. The Celtics in turn signed free agents three-time All-Star point guard Kemba Walker and center Enes Kanter to replace Irving and Horford, respectively.

Tatum will be the centerpiece of Boston's natural player development and must rise to the occasion for Ainge and Boston to retrospectively demonstrate their faith in the rising star.