Kevin Love per Wojnarowski

[hapa17]

how about this. get k-love, team him up with rondo, bradley, and green, hopefully have enough leftover assets to deal for a legit center (asik is the top-of-mind one, but perhaps there's another perk-like guy. i don't know who's available, but maybe even favrani and another comparable C on the cheap in a platoon-like situation would suffice). then bang ... we look competitive enough to entice paul mother-F'n' pierce back for a discount to be the next vaunted celtics' sixth man.

i DESPISE fans who pull ideas out of the air without working out the trade-value/salary cap logistics, but you know ... i don't think it's a stretch to rationalize us acquiring k-love, patch the rest together and bring the truth back in. i've seen it mentioned that reacquiring pierce could undermine rondo as the captain, but i think if paul comes off the bench, that would keep the hierarchy in order and he'd just be our microwave. c'mon, if he has 1 or 2 years left and is competitive as a starting 4, he's gotta have enough left to go up effectively against second-unit 3s or 4s.

and obviously, our center position would be wobbly, but that's pretty much been the case since 2011. could we pry away kostas koufos from memphis with some of our 2nd rounders and cap relief (bogans)? memphis IS in some disarray right now. could a two-headed monster of koufos and favrani give us at least minimal rim protection next to love? koufos has a $3M team option for 14/15. that would be a low-risk trial at the right price. or ... where darko at?! heck ... where shavlik at?! free shavlik!!

[hapa17]

I trust Ainge and company over any of the couch GMs on here. If he trades for Love I trust it's the right move. If he doesn't, I trust that it's the right move.

Tommy Point.

[D.o.s.]

The second most annoying Beatles song ever, narrowly beaten out by Yellow Submarine.


...we all live in a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine...

there is nothing you can sing that can't be sung?? cmon
yellow submarine was for kids

It's still right in the middle of their best album. 

[PAOBoston]

If true, I don't see any way Ainge passes on Love. Love certainly is no KG-esque tier one superstar. He's more of a tier 2 guy. But that's not a bad thing for a team like Celtics because they barely have any stars at the moment (no, Rondo is NOT a superstar; he's a 3rd tier star at best). If a top 5 pick and some combo of Sully/Okynyk/etc gets a deal done you do it. You then still have enough chips to get a wing scorer as well.

[badshar]

I'm kinda wishing that we get Kevin Love and have enough valuable assets left over.

I think once Rondo/Love are here (and Love agrees to resign), other players will take notice. The one person who comes to my mind (and not all fans like) is Carmelo Anthony. He has expressed his desire to play with Rajon Rondo several times recently and watching Love and Rondo be together in Boston would only increase his desire to come join this team. Somehow, I think not only Rondo, but Love would also be a major selling point for Carmelo to want to play here.

For the Knicks, I think they know that he is pretty much gone (or will know that he will be gone if Love and Rondo end up together in Boston). Considering how much they gave up just to get Carmelo, there is no way they let him walk away.

This also works in our advantage, because instead of not being able to sign him due to cap space issues, a sign-and-trade (which Knicks would want to do to get at least something back for Carmelo) would help us create room for him. At that point, a roster of Rondo/Carmelo/Love has enough star power to create appeal for solid/decent free agents to come to Boston.

What's great about this is that the C's won't have a 2 or 3 year window to work with. Rondo and Carmelo have just entered their primes and Love hasn't even entered his prime yet. This allows Boston enough time to fine tune its roster and have a respectable chance at winning a championship.

Of course, you have to put your faith in Brad Stevens to set up a great offense and defense that effectively utilizes the skills of these players and maximized their effect.

Just something I think.

[BigAlTheFuture]

Man, these guys on Around the Horn has no idea what they are talking about... lol. Woody Paige said the Celtics should trade Rondo and our pick for Love. That makes no sense. I'm changing the channel

[Monkhouse]

I'm kinda wishing that we get Kevin Love and have enough valuable assets left over.

I think once Rondo/Love are here (and Love agrees to resign), other players will take notice. The one person who comes to my mind (and not all fans like) is Carmelo Anthony. He has expressed his desire to play with Rajon Rondo several times recently and watching Love and Rondo be together in Boston would only increase his desire to come join this team. Somehow, I think not only Rondo, but Love would also be a major selling point for Carmelo to want to play here.

For the Knicks, I think they know that he is pretty much gone (or will know that he will be gone if Love and Rondo end up together in Boston). Considering how much they gave up just to get Carmelo, there is no way they let him walk away.

This also works in our advantage, because instead of not being able to sign him due to cap space issues, a sign-and-trade (which Knicks would want to do to get at least something back for Carmelo) would help us create room for him. At that point, a roster of Rondo/Carmelo/Love has enough star power to create appeal for solid/decent free agents to come to Boston.

What's great about this is that the C's won't have a 2 or 3 year window to work with. Rondo and Carmelo have just entered their primes and Love hasn't even entered his prime yet. This allows Boston enough time to fine tune its roster and have a respectable chance at winning a championship.

Of course, you have to put your faith in Brad Stevens to set up a great offense and defense that effectively utilizes the skills of these players and maximized their effect.

Just something I think.

The only problem is how can Melo force his way into the Celtics? I don't think hes that type of guy. We can't sign Melo for an contract due to us being way over the cap, but quintessentially we can bring Melo in through a sign and trade.

I would like the idea of trying to trade for Melo though.

But then how can we possibly get Asik from the Rockets? A team of Rondo, Love, Melo, Asik would make us instant contenders.

[BleedGreen1989]

Man, these guys on Around the Horn has no idea what they are talking about... lol. Woody Paige said the Celtics should trade Rondo and our pick for Love. That makes no sense. I'm changing the channel

Hahaha just watched that.

Tim Calishaw tried to not call him an idiot...

[badshar]

I'm kinda wishing that we get Kevin Love and have enough valuable assets left over.

I think once Rondo/Love are here (and Love agrees to resign), other players will take notice. The one person who comes to my mind (and not all fans like) is Carmelo Anthony. He has expressed his desire to play with Rajon Rondo several times recently and watching Love and Rondo be together in Boston would only increase his desire to come join this team. Somehow, I think not only Rondo, but Love would also be a major selling point for Carmelo to want to play here.

For the Knicks, I think they know that he is pretty much gone (or will know that he will be gone if Love and Rondo end up together in Boston). Considering how much they gave up just to get Carmelo, there is no way they let him walk away.

This also works in our advantage, because instead of not being able to sign him due to cap space issues, a sign-and-trade (which Knicks would want to do to get at least something back for Carmelo) would help us create room for him. At that point, a roster of Rondo/Carmelo/Love has enough star power to create appeal for solid/decent free agents to come to Boston.

What's great about this is that the C's won't have a 2 or 3 year window to work with. Rondo and Carmelo have just entered their primes and Love hasn't even entered his prime yet. This allows Boston enough time to fine tune its roster and have a respectable chance at winning a championship.

Of course, you have to put your faith in Brad Stevens to set up a great offense and defense that effectively utilizes the skills of these players and maximized their effect.

Just something I think.

The only problem is how can Melo force his way into the Celtics? I don't think hes that type of guy. We can't sign Melo for an contract due to us being way over the cap, but quintessentially we can bring Melo in through a sign and trade.

I would like the idea of trying to trade for Melo though.

But then how can we possibly get Asik from the Rockets? A team of Rondo, Love, Melo, Asik would make us instant contenders.

Yup! That's why I said we shouldn't trade like half the team (so multiple picks and like 7 or 8 players) for Love. I wouldn't mind multiple picks, considering how many we have lying around. But limit the players. Maybe something like 2014 lottery pick, 2015 Clippers pick, one of Brooklyn Nets pick, Jeff Green, Jared Sullinger and Phil Pressey? Then we take remaining Brooklyn Nets picks plus some of the other third team picks (picks we got in trades), Olynyk, Humphries (sign-and-trade I guess), Bayless (sign-and-trade again) and Bogans and send them to Knicks for a sign-and-trade for Carmelo?

Our team would look like the following:
Rajon Rondo, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Love, Chris Babb, Avery Bradley (if he returns), Gerald Wallace, Chris Johnson, Joel Anthony, Brandon Bass, Vitor Faverani and Colton Iverson.
I am not sure on the picks, but I assume all the extra picks would be traded to get Love and Carmelo. So maybe some of our future pick(s), Bass and Faverani for Omer Asik?

PG: Rajon Rondo / Chris Babb
SG: Avery Bradley (if he is still here) / free agent or rookie
SF: Carmelo Anthony / Gerald Wallace
PF: Kevin Love / Chris Johnson / Colton Iverson (if he plays)
C: Omer Asik / Joel Anthony

At that point, we would need to make free agency signings or trades to further improve the roster. Such a blockbuster off-season would be respectfully capped if Ainge is also able to find a team for Wallace, giving us a ton of cap space for quality free agents.

[MBunge]

how about this. get k-love, team him up with rondo, bradley, and green, hopefully have enough leftover assets to deal for a legit center (asik is the top-of-mind one, but perhaps there's another perk-like guy. i don't know who's available, but maybe even favrani and another comparable C on the cheap in a platoon-like situation would suffice). then bang ... we look competitive enough to entice paul mother-F'n' pierce back for a discount to be the next vaunted celtics' sixth man.

I don't know if that's a title contender but I'd sure love to see that group knock Miami around.

Mike

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

I am so stoked.  C'mon, Danny, make this happen.

I'd prolly be ok with it as well. Id love to have him. At what cost is the question.

[GreenWarrior]

I think everyone is getting ahead of themselves here. first we should at least wait and see if we're picking in the top 5. if we fall down to 8 we can forget any of this talk.

2nd, before we start hanging melo's number in the rafters let's be real here. the nix will want more than what we'd likely be willing to give up(I actually think that goes for other teams too). because they have absolutely nothing other than carmello, and if he leaves they'll want a kings ransom in return. if he says he wants out that's one thing but you can bet your life phil Jackson didn't take that job with the thought of melo wanting out.

[aingeforthree]

Does anyone else think it's pretty amazing that a year after blowing up our core, we are (a) in possession of enough assets to trade for a legit MVP candidate without surrendering our best player, and (b) viewed as an attractive destination for that player?

Regardless of what happens, I think you have to give Ainge tons of credit for putting us in this situation.

Nice post.  I agree and you're spot on.  Just to be in this situation roughly after year 1 of the rebuild is tremendous.  We truly have the best GM in the business.  They can rank them all they want, but this guy knows exactly how to build a winning roster.  He's proven it, and he'll do it again for the internet gangsta's that ridicule him time and time again.

[jdz101]

Gross.

I know right, why would the celtics trade for an allstar? I wish we could just fill our team with phil presseys and Gerald Wallaces. 

So, we're still not better than OKC or Miami after a Love trade. The regular season may be more entertaining, but ultimately that's all it would be. ECF exit (or possibly even 2nd round) isn't really good enough in my book.

If you get All-Star players on your team, it makes it an attractive destination for more all-star players to come in the future, or even aging veteran all-stars chasing that elusive championship.

Id rather watch a team that wins in the mean time aswell, not some sucking tankfest. As much as i love watching the bruins it would be nice to watch a winning celtics aswell.

[lon3lytoaster]

Gross.

I know right, why would the celtics trade for an allstar? I wish we could just fill our team with phil presseys and Gerald Wallaces. 

So, we're still not better than OKC or Miami after a Love trade. The regular season may be more entertaining, but ultimately that's all it would be. ECF exit (or possibly even 2nd round) isn't really good enough in my book.

If you get All-Star players on your team, it makes it an attractive destination for more all-star players to come in the future, or even aging veteran all-stars chasing that elusive championship.

Id rather watch a team that wins in the mean time aswell, not some sucking tankfest. As much as i love watching the bruins it would be nice to watch a winning celtics aswell.

Unless those other all-stars are Paul George, Durant or LeBron, it doesn't matter. Still not a contender. Also, what cap space do we have to get these illusive all stars? Come on now.