Kevin Love is the type of star player Boston currently lacks, hence why the Cleveland Cavaliers forward has been linked to the Celtics in so many trade rumors over the last few seasons.
But do the Celtics, with their promising young roster and war chest of draft picks, have the assets necessary to pry Love from Cleveland? According to a report from ESPN.com’s Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst, the answer to that question is no.
“(L)eague sources say that the Cavs have made it clear to interested teams — starting, of course, with the Love-hungry Boston Celtics — that they’d covet a star in return if or when they do reach the point of letting Love go … and not a package of draft picks and role players like the Celtics are offering,” Stein and Windhorst wrote Monday.
Of course, needing to part ways with a star to acquire Love would immediately disqualify the Celtics from the conversation, since their current roster features none. Point guard Isaiah Thomas is Boston’s closest thing to an upper-echelon player, but even with an All-Star appearance now on his résumé, Thomas likely still is at least a couple of years away from being considered among the NBA’s elite.
So this report makes it sound unlikely that Love will be suiting up for the Celtics at this time next week. But with the NBA trade deadline still three days away, there’s plenty of time left for a Cavaliers change of heart.
Thumbnail photo via David Richard/USA TODAY Sports Images
