Regarding Kevin Love staying in Boston (if he's traded here)

[saltlover]

In all the Kevin Love threads, posters generally assume Kevin Love would be willing to stay in Boston, or anywhere else he is traded, and that a trade would not happen without such a declaration.  He can promise all the team trading for him wants, but that's the extent of it.  Unlike when we got KG, there is really no way for him to sign an extension that he'd be willing to sign.  If the Celtics traded for Love, they could ask him if he'd be willing to re-up in Boston, and he could say yes.  However, he can't be held to it.  If he didn't get along with Rondo, or the team still lost, or he just doesn't like Boston, he could pack his bags and leave next summer, a la Dwight Howard.

The same is true for any other place he's traded to.  The Celtics, and any other team pursuing him, really need to be confident that you can keep him.  Otherwise, you have nothing after a year.  This is why I think the Celtics should be very wary about trading for him.  I'd love Kevin Love on the Celtics -- I've liked his game since college (especially his outlet passing, which is a thing of beauty).  But as a one-year rental?  No thanks.

[D.o.s.]

That's a very good point, which is why I think it's more likely that he ends up on an Eastern Conference team, rather than the Lakers -- We all know he's leaving the Timberwolves because the West is so stacked a playoff berth isn't a guarantee.

That's why I think Chicago has the edge. Followed by the GSW, but I'm not sure he's willing to be that much of a second/third option as to sign with the Dubs.

[Monkhouse]

In all the Kevin Love threads, posters generally assume Kevin Love would be willing to stay in Boston, or anywhere else he is traded, and that a trade would not happen without such a declaration.  He can promise all the team trading for him wants, but that's the extent of it.  Unlike when we got KG, there is really no way for him to sign an extension that he'd be willing to sign.  If the Celtics traded for Love, they could ask him if he'd be willing to re-up in Boston, and he could say yes.  However, he can't be held to it.  If he didn't get along with Rondo, or the team still lost, or he just doesn't like Boston, he could pack his bags and leave next summer, a la Dwight Howard.

The same is true for any other place he's traded to.  The Celtics, and any other team pursuing him, really need to be confident that you can keep him.  Otherwise, you have nothing after a year.  This is why I think the Celtics should be very wary about trading for him.  I'd love Kevin Love on the Celtics -- I've liked his game since college (especially his outlet passing, which is a thing of beauty).  But as a one-year rental?  No thanks.

The Celticsblog put up a interesting post.

Love finished as Player of the Year in the conference with Bayless landing on the 2nd all conference team behind O.J. Mayo and James Harden.  On Bill Simmons' BS Report, he was asked who he thought would have a break out career from his generation.  His answer:

    "I always felt like my guy, Jerryd Bayless who's now up in Toronto...I felt like he has a chance to break out, cause he's the type of guy who that has the mentality that we all have...that they want to be great....they aren't going to take 'no' for an answer. He has the ability and the chance to be a very good player in this league.

    He just has a different type of demeanor to him that we...you know, our generation kind of all has. You know, he plays hard every single play. He's just not going to take 'No' for an answer ...to go out there and try and get the job done. So he's just waiting for the right opportunity and a chance to break out. I think, Jerryd's right up there with a lot of other guys in our class. He was right up there in high school, with the best players. I think he's right there among others."

Love?s agent Jeff Schwartz and Ainge have a strong relationship and a good working history. Ainge helped another Schwartz client, Paul Pierce, get to a preferred trade destination in Brooklyn a year ago. The Celtics believe they can sell Love on becoming the next big Celtics star, and all the adulation that comes with that for a franchise that has won 17 NBA championships.

    Minnesota forward Kevin Love, who can opt out of his contract following the 2015 season, said he is not as familiar with Boston as other road cities.

    ?I?ve never really spent much time in Boston. I don?t know it too well,? he said. ?But I think as far as playing there, we love competing against those guys. I think they have a great coach and they have a ton of youngsters that are up-and-comers.

    ?Boston is a great city. I?m sure free agents would love to go there, especially with [Brad] Stevens as a coach. He?s a guy that can win basketball games. He gets guys to play for him. They?ve been having good success there, even in his first year, and he has a lot of young players. The coach has a lot to do with it, but yeah, Boston is a great place.?

__

Know what Kevin Love wants?

Fame. Playoffs.

The Celtics are a historical franchise, and Love would be adored here... There is a reason why players like Wade/Lebron may hate us, but respect the organization and commitment to try to win.

Love can also get plenty of media from Boston, which is still considered a big market team, and we could definitely try to market Love/Rondo/and someone else as our next Big 3.

And I mean in the long run who cares if Love isn't impressed right away with the Celtics? When he comes over, and see the die hard fans, and those who still come to games when we were losing should command plenty of respect from players.

Rondo/Asik/Love is at least a playoff team, if not the top 3-4 team in the East.

That alone should convince Love from his agent to come over, give it a chance, and re-sign for a decent lucrative deal, and see where it goes. If anything, Love also wants some type of different scenery.

[Smokeeye123]

Honestly even without insurance I'd still get Love and build around him for 2015. If we can somehow make the Eastern Conference Finals with Love in his first year in Boston I dont see how he would up and leave after tasting his first deep run in the playoffs.

Drafting top 5 is a crapshoot anyways. 2-3 of the players in the top 3 could end up being complete busts for all we know. This is an opportunity to become a team like the Rockets in the east and I'd seize it. Sign a couple of Love's BFFs and keep him happy.

[Monkhouse]

Honestly even without insurance I'd still get Love and build around him for 2015. If we can somehow make the Eastern Conference Finals with Love in his first year in Boston I dont see how he would up and leave after tasting his first deep run in the playoffs.

Drafting top 5 is a crapshoot anyways. 2-3 of the players in the top 3 could end up being complete busts for all we know. This is an opportunity to become a team like the Rockets in the east and I'd seize it. Sign a couple of Love's BFFs and keep him happy.

Don't want to be a hater, but I'm not really interested in riding the bandwagon for the camp, 'Sign Love's BFFS and keep him happy.'

 
Exum looks incredibly skilled though. Drafting in top 5 is always a risk, you're right. We'll see what moves are eventually made.

[LarBrd33]

without an extension, you probably shouldn't trade for Love.  There will still be a very good chance he'll bail on you for the Lakers.   That's who he wants to play for.  He was raised a Laker.  He loves LA.  He played there in college.  His father played for the Lakers.  His uncles are the Beach Boys.  He even wears #42, because thats the number Connie Hawkins wore when he played for the Lakers.   It's in his blood.  He's an LA boy.

And yeah, I get that Pierce is from Inglewood, yadda yadda... But Love is a free agent in 2015 and the Lakers will have the cap space to sign him.  It seems inevitable unless you lock up Love under contract.  1 season of a potentially mediocre basketball isn't enough to build up a loyalty to the Celtics... or any team.    It would be like Dwight Howard, but in reverse.   Love wants to play for LA so he'll probably end up playing in LA.

[D.o.s.]

On the flip side, we'll be lucky to have Stevens turn into 25% of the coach Adelman was.

[Clench123]

Boston will grow on him just like it does on everybody else who has come through Boston.  And I think that is Ainge's plan because he knows FAs do not willingly come to Boston.  So get 'em down here and we'd show them what we're truly about.

[Sixth Man]

without an extension, you probably shouldn't trade for Love.  There will still be a very good chance he'll bail on you for the Lakers.   That's who he wants to play for.  He was raised a Laker.  He loves LA.  He played there in college.  His father played for the Lakers.  His uncles are the Beach Boys.  He even wears #42, because thats the number Connie Hawkins wore when he played for the Lakers.   It's in his blood.  He's an LA boy.

And yeah, I get that Pierce is from Inglewood, yadda yadda... But Love is a free agent in 2015 and the Lakers will have the cap space to sign him.  It seems inevitable unless you lock up Love under contract.  1 season of a potentially mediocre basketball isn't enough to build up a loyalty to the Celtics... or any team.    It would be like Dwight Howard, but in reverse.   Love wants to play for LA so he'll probably end up playing in LA.

Great post, thank you.  Love is a nice player, but a tad overrated.  Trading the farm for him without a pre-agreed extension would be a blunder.  I could see both him and Rondo bolting in free agency, leaving the C's with egg on their faces and a roster full of gaping holes...

[staticcc]

without an extension, you probably shouldn't trade for Love.  There will still be a very good chance he'll bail on you for the Lakers.   That's who he wants to play for.  He was raised a Laker.  He loves LA.  He played there in college.  His father played for the Lakers.  His uncles are the Beach Boys.  He even wears #42, because thats the number Connie Hawkins wore when he played for the Lakers.   It's in his blood.  He's an LA boy.

And yeah, I get that Pierce is from Inglewood, yadda yadda... But Love is a free agent in 2015 and the Lakers will have the cap space to sign him.  It seems inevitable unless you lock up Love under contract.  1 season of a potentially mediocre basketball isn't enough to build up a loyalty to the Celtics... or any team.    It would be like Dwight Howard, but in reverse.   Love wants to play for LA so he'll probably end up playing in LA.

Only way he goes to the Lakers, or any other team for that matter including the Celtics, is if that team is a potential contender in his eyes.

[j804]

without an extension, you probably shouldn't trade for Love.  There will still be a very good chance he'll bail on you for the Lakers.   That's who he wants to play for.  He was raised a Laker.  He loves LA.  He played there in college.  His father played for the Lakers.  His uncles are the Beach Boys.  He even wears #42, because thats the number Connie Hawkins wore when he played for the Lakers.   It's in his blood.  He's an LA boy.

And yeah, I get that Pierce is from Inglewood, yadda yadda... But Love is a free agent in 2015 and the Lakers will have the cap space to sign him.  It seems inevitable unless you lock up Love under contract.  1 season of a potentially mediocre basketball isn't enough to build up a loyalty to the Celtics... or any team.    It would be like Dwight Howard, but in reverse.   Love wants to play for LA so he'll probably end up playing in LA.

Great post, thank you.  Love is a nice player, but a tad overrated.  Trading the farm for him without a pre-agreed extension would be a blunder.  I could see both him and Rondo bolting in free agency, leaving the C's with egg on their faces and a roster full of gaping holes...

Danny isn't stupid guys he's not gonna give up the farm or trade for him without an extension in place

[footey]

If we can't get him and Rondo to agree to an extension before the trade, I would not do the trade.  They both need to agree to accept less than max money so that we can manage our payroll and build a championship roster.  That is what the Miami 3 agreed to do, realizing you can't have 3 max guys playing at the same time. That is why Tom Brady agrees to take less than his market value.  If these players are serious about building championships, that is how you do it.  That is why guys like Carmelo will never win a championship.  They are all about the max.

[Celtics18]

There's an article on the front page of CelticsBlog about Jerryd Bayless being the key to the Love affair.  It seems like they are old buds. 

They're both "Gunnin' For That Number One Spot."

[Cman]

It is a risk worth taking IMHO.

[Kane3387]

I keep seeing ppl say the lakers will have cap space in 2015 like its a given. They've been linked to luol deng, pau gasol, Greg Monroe and others. Chances are they use their cap space this year to make a run at contending with Kobe. No one of substance will sign only a one year deal.