Kevin Love’s magical, mysterious tour of Boston seems like ages ago now.
With each passing day, the Celtics appear to fall a bit farther back in the race for the Minnesota Timberwolves forward. The latest report indicates that while the Celtics are still “knocking on the door” about Love, that door might be “locked” — not just to the Celtics, but to the other 28 teams in the NBA as well.
“Flip Saunders is growing more entrenched that he should let things play out with his All-Star forward,” Steve Bulpett wrote Wednesday in the Boston Herald, citing sources.
Love still plans to opt out of his contract next summer, as expected, but Saunders seems to believe he can convince Love to stay if the Wolves make the playoffs this season.
The Celtics’ offer of Kelly Olynyk, the Nos. 6 and 17 picks in this year’s NBA draft and a future first-round pick (or two) is still on the table, according to Bulpett. But the Wolves reportedly want players who can help them win now, rather than the combination of young talent, draft picks and financial flexibility that Boston’s package would afford them.
A widely publicized deal to send Love to Golden State reportedly is “dead” after the Warriors refused to include guard Klay Thompson in the trade.
