Despite reports to the contrary, Ireland also categorically denied father-son pick Tom Mitchell may be used in the trade with the Crows to land Tippett.
"Tom's name has never been raised by us and will never be raised by us," Ireland said.
"He's a father-son who we think will be important in our midfield in the future and he would never be part of the trade."
There has been increasing speculation that one of the Swans' 2012 premiership players might be on the trade table, but Ireland moved some way to rejecting that theory.
"I can't guarantee it. [But] I don't think it'll happen and we're hopeful it won't happen," he said.
Some carefully chosen words there from Ireland.
"Tom's name has never been raised by us..." Well it doesn't need to be raised by you.
"...he would never be part of the trade." Doesn't necessarily mean he wouldn't be a part of another trade, say to GWS for pick 3, which they then on trade to us for Tippett.
We all remember Nathan Bock's "I want to be a one club player..." line don't we.
The art of spin is making the first part of a statement so convincing that no one believes that there's a "but" which you've neglected to mention, so that you can come back later and say "well actually it was Adelaide who brought it up and technically it wasn't a part of the trade for Tippett"
Chances are Mitchell probably won't be part of the trade, but I think people have got to be very careful taking what club officials say at face value and especially in the middle of tradeweek whilst they're negotiating deals. They're not going to reveal strategies, they're not going to say something that may affect the negotiations.