When I picture how the Glen Davis-Brandon Bass swap went down, I envision Danny Ainge on one side of the table for hours, ordering shots of Tequila for Otis Smith. After Smith begins to slur his words, I picture Ainge grabbing a set of rosary beads, crossing his fingers and boldly asking Smith if he wants to be robbed.

“So, um, I’ll get the check if you give me Brandon Bass for Glen Davis?”

You can’t win a lopsided deal if you never propose a lopsided deal. And according to Larry Bird, Ainge is no stranger to proposing lopsided deals. (Jackie MacMullan, ESPN)

“Here’s the thing,” Bird said. “When Danny and I talked about trading for Ray, he wanted Tyler Hansbrough and a first-round pick. If that’s the value he’s putting on Ray Allen, he ain’t getting it. That tells me he’s in no hurry to trade him.

“All that talk about Danny blowing it up, about not making the same mistakes as Red, is fine.

“But now that it’s his turn to pull the trigger, it’s a helluva lot harder than it looks.”

It may not seem like it, but Ainge is in a position of power as the trade deadline approaches. Standing pat is a good option for the future. He should only be looking for better options, such as trying to steal Tyler Hansbrough (and his rookie contract) plus a first-round pick in exchange for two months of Ray Allen. (Note: I fully understand Hansbrough’s struggles this season. But moving a 36-year old shooting guard with two months left on his deal for a youngster with potential and a first-round pick is a steal, at any rate — especially for a team that will soon need to rebuild.)

If this trade offer is any indication, Ainge is at least looking for the right return — draft picks and cheap young talent.