The Boston Celtics have been flirting with the whole Kevin Love idea for what seems like an eternity. Yet Love remains elsewhere and the C’s remain in search of a superstar to aid their rebuilding effort.
One could argue it’s not for lack of trying, as the Celtics were linked to Love several times in the weeks leading up to Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. It sounds like any discussions Boston had with the Cleveland Cavaliers about the three-time All-Star forward didn’t get very far, though.
In fact, Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal reported Thursday that the Celtics and Cavaliers never really made any headway with regards to a deal involving Love.
If true, Lloyd’s report rules out Love as the centerpiece of a big trade that Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge was eyeing extensively before the deadline. Ainge said Friday morning on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Toucher & Rich” that Boston was “very close” to pulling off a major deal but the other team involved “backed out.”
Love, who’s averaging 15.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game this season, has another four years remaining on the five-year, $110 million contract he signed with Cleveland over the offseason.
There’s always a chance the Celtics could make a push for the Cavs star this summer — Boston has plenty of assets it could use in a trade, including Brooklyn’s unprotected first-round draft pick — but for now, Ainge and Co. are staying the course while Love tries to coincide with LeBron James in Cleveland.
Thumbnail photo via David Richard/USA TODAY Sports Images
