Could Kevin Love still find his way to the Boston Celtics?
In a report furnished by ESPN’s Zach Lowe late last week, a Celtics pursuit of Kevin Love this summer may not be completely out of the realm of possibility.
According to the report, the Danny Ainge and the Celtics made a “dissatisfying offer” to Cleveland’s brass, but that does not necessarily mean that they would not move Love to their Eastern Conference foe.
It is not a surprise that the free-shooting Love is still a prime target for the Celtics, as he has been sought after by Celtics’ general manager Danny Ainge for quite sometime. First, it was trade rumors two seasons ago, when Love was still a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Then, it was the rumors swirling last summer, following a season in which Kevin Love didn’t seem to ever get comfortable in his role with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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For Love, despite struggling for most of his first season with Cleveland, which concluded swiftly with a shoulder injury in the 2015 Eastern Conference first-round matchup against the Celtics, a significant pay day was still in his future.
He landed a five-year, $113 million contract extension with the Cavaliers, which curbed considerably any noise of a potential destination change for the third time in as many seasons.
Additionally, Love is coming off of a strong regular season with the Cavaliers in his second full run with the team, and has been a prime contributor to the their second consecutive trip to the NBA Finals.
In the playoffs,he has averaged 19.1 points per game, including a 45 percent shooting clip from beyond the three-point line, proving that he’s worth what he’s being paid, and that he’s hardly an expendable piece to a contending NBA team.
Certainly, it is more difficult now to trade for Kevin Love than it may have been at the deadline back in mid-February.
Given how he’s performed in the playoffs, it is becoming more abundantly clear that the Cavaliers go as Kevin Love goes, making him a pivotal piece to the puzzle for the team for years to come (or at least, as long as LeBron James remains on the roster).
So how realistic is it for the Celtics to acquire Love now, or to even pique the interest of the Cleveland front office to start the conversation?
In my opinion for the Celtics, it will take the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft, the Celtics’ rights to swap with Brooklyn’s pick in 2017, and a combination of Avery Bradley and one other player to balance the salaries and make it worthwhile for the Cavaliers.
As mentioned before, Love’s stock is as high as ever, and his confidence is building. Who knows where the upcoming NBA Finals may take Love, LeBron, and the rest of the Cavaliers.
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However, one thing is certain: If Love plays well again, his price tag will soar, making it increasingly more difficult for the Celtics to make a deal.