For the Kevin Love fans, he's in Boston checking the town out

[bogg]

Am I the only one who hopes it rains at Fenway tomorrow, some spills beer all over him and steals his wallet?

you don't want us to get a Top 10 player?

I want them to spend their resources upgrading positions of need rather then upgrading position they are already good at.

Having four players at one position that are all good backups doesn't exactly equate to being all set at that position.

Well, for one I think Olynyk is going to be more then just a back up.  But I did say Love would be an upgrade.  I just think there are better places to use the assets.

I doubt it, both in terms of Olynyk being more than a decent backup and there being better places to use the assets. Olynyk's got a nice jumpshot for a guy his size, so he'll be useful as a floor-spacer, but he's a bad defender, doesn't have fantastic post moves, isn't a great rebounder, and isn't much younger than Love to begin with. Olynyk's decent. He's not good enough that you pass on a top-20 player because he plays the same position.

As far as there being better places to use the assets - where? Unless you think Carmelo could be had in a trade, I don't really see another first option being available at any position right now.

I don't know who to use the assets on as I don't know who is available.  I want nothing to do with Melo.  I also don't think there is a rush to use them.  Don't make a trade because it's the only one available.  If there isn't  a trade to be made that brings in a rim protector or a go to guy then make the picks this year and see what happens next year.  Making trades just to make trades is going to get them mired in the middle of the league.

Trading for Love isn't making trades just to make them. Trading for Love is trading for the go-to guy that you said yourself the team needs. The primary problem I'd have with going to get Love is the potential for him to walk in a year, if he picks up his option or gives a handshake promise to re-sign so long as the team doesn't somehow fall to shambles then he's the best option out there right now. Guys that are legitimate first options only come available every year or two, you don't get a ton of cracks at them.

Go to guy?? Minny was awful in close games last year.  They really could have used a go to guy.

By any reasonable analysis, Love's one of the 10-20 best scorers in the league, and you absolutely need at least one of those guys to be relevant. Right now Boston has none of them. Again: who else are you really going to get?

There's a difference between being a solid scorer and being a go-to offensive option. Kevin Love is the first, but it's not clear that he's the second.

I mean, did you consider Pierce to be a go-to offensive option back when he was putting up similar stats for teams with no hope of winning a title? If we're not sure that Kevin Love can be a go-to guy, your metric for "first option" is essentially "Lebron or Durant, plus maybe sometimes Carmelo, and that's it".

[gpap]

Am I the only one who hopes it rains at Fenway tomorrow, some spills beer all over him and steals his wallet?

you don't want us to get a Top 10 player?

I want them to spend their resources upgrading positions of need rather then upgrading position they are already good at.

I know...huh! I mean who needs Love when you have Sullinger and Olynyk!!!! 

Completely shaking my head

[furball]

Am I the only one who hopes it rains at Fenway tomorrow, some spills beer all over him and steals his wallet?

you don't want us to get a Top 10 player?

I want them to spend their resources upgrading positions of need rather then upgrading position they are already good at.

Having four players at one position that are all good backups doesn't exactly equate to being all set at that position.

Well, for one I think Olynyk is going to be more then just a back up.  But I did say Love would be an upgrade.  I just think there are better places to use the assets.

I doubt it, both in terms of Olynyk being more than a decent backup and there being better places to use the assets. Olynyk's got a nice jumpshot for a guy his size, so he'll be useful as a floor-spacer, but he's a bad defender, doesn't have fantastic post moves, isn't a great rebounder, and isn't much younger than Love to begin with. Olynyk's decent. He's not good enough that you pass on a top-20 player because he plays the same position.

As far as there being better places to use the assets - where? Unless you think Carmelo could be had in a trade, I don't really see another first option being available at any position right now.

I don't know who to use the assets on as I don't know who is available.  I want nothing to do with Melo.  I also don't think there is a rush to use them.  Don't make a trade because it's the only one available.  If there isn't  a trade to be made that brings in a rim protector or a go to guy then make the picks this year and see what happens next year.  Making trades just to make trades is going to get them mired in the middle of the league.

Trading for Love isn't making trades just to make them. Trading for Love is trading for the go-to guy that you said yourself the team needs. The primary problem I'd have with going to get Love is the potential for him to walk in a year, if he picks up his option or gives a handshake promise to re-sign so long as the team doesn't somehow fall to shambles then he's the best option out there right now. Guys that are legitimate first options only come available every year or two, you don't get a ton of cracks at them.

Go to guy?? Minny was awful in close games last year.  They really could have used a go to guy.

By any reasonable analysis, Love's one of the 10-20 best scorers in the league, and you absolutely need at least one of those guys to be relevant. Right now Boston has none of them. Again: who else are you really going to get?

There's a difference between being a solid scorer and being a go-to offensive option. Kevin Love is the first, but it's not clear that he's the second.

I mean, did you consider Pierce to be a go-to offensive option back when he was putting up similar stats for teams with no hope of winning a title? If we're not sure that Kevin Love can be a go-to guy, your metric for "first option" is essentially "Lebron or Durant, plus maybe sometimes Carmelo, and that's it".

You mean when Pierce was bringing his team back from 20 plus down in the Eastern Conference finals? 

I feel as if I am just repeating myself So I'm gonna tap out.  Hey, hopefully I am wrong and Kevin Love leads to another 8 straight championships.  I just think there are better uses for the assets.  If he was going to come cheap (or a free agent) I would feel differently. 

[86MaxwellSmart]

Am I the only one who hopes it rains at Fenway tomorrow, some spills beer all over him and steals his wallet?

you don't want us to get a Top 10 player?

I want them to spend their resources upgrading positions of need rather then upgrading position they are already good at.

Having four players at one position that are all good backups doesn't exactly equate to being all set at that position.

Well, for one I think Olynyk is going to be more then just a back up.  But I did say Love would be an upgrade.  I just think there are better places to use the assets.

I doubt it, both in terms of Olynyk being more than a decent backup and there being better places to use the assets. Olynyk's got a nice jumpshot for a guy his size, so he'll be useful as a floor-spacer, but he's a bad defender, doesn't have fantastic post moves, isn't a great rebounder, and isn't much younger than Love to begin with. Olynyk's decent. He's not good enough that you pass on a top-20 player because he plays the same position.

As far as there being better places to use the assets - where? Unless you think Carmelo could be had in a trade, I don't really see another first option being available at any position right now.

I don't know who to use the assets on as I don't know who is available.  I want nothing to do with Melo.  I also don't think there is a rush to use them.  Don't make a trade because it's the only one available.  If there isn't  a trade to be made that brings in a rim protector or a go to guy then make the picks this year and see what happens next year.  Making trades just to make trades is going to get them mired in the middle of the league.

Trading for Love isn't making trades just to make them. Trading for Love is trading for the go-to guy that you said yourself the team needs. The primary problem I'd have with going to get Love is the potential for him to walk in a year, if he picks up his option or gives a handshake promise to re-sign so long as the team doesn't somehow fall to shambles then he's the best option out there right now. Guys that are legitimate first options only come available every year or two, you don't get a ton of cracks at them.

Go to guy?? Minny was awful in close games last year.  They really could have used a go to guy.

By any reasonable analysis, Love's one of the 10-20 best scorers in the league, and you absolutely need at least one of those guys to be relevant. Right now Boston has none of them. Again: who else are you really going to get?

There's a difference between being a solid scorer and being a go-to offensive option. Kevin Love is the first, but it's not clear that he's the second.

I mean, did you consider Pierce to be a go-to offensive option back when he was putting up similar stats for teams with no hope of winning a title? If we're not sure that Kevin Love can be a go-to guy, your metric for "first option" is essentially "Lebron or Durant, plus maybe sometimes Carmelo, and that's it".

You mean when Pierce was bringing his team back from 20 plus down in the Eastern Conference finals? 

Celtics lost the Next 3 Games of that ECF---and what were they doing being Down 20 points in the first place--?

[bogg]

Am I the only one who hopes it rains at Fenway tomorrow, some spills beer all over him and steals his wallet?

you don't want us to get a Top 10 player?

I want them to spend their resources upgrading positions of need rather then upgrading position they are already good at.

Having four players at one position that are all good backups doesn't exactly equate to being all set at that position.

Well, for one I think Olynyk is going to be more then just a back up.  But I did say Love would be an upgrade.  I just think there are better places to use the assets.

I doubt it, both in terms of Olynyk being more than a decent backup and there being better places to use the assets. Olynyk's got a nice jumpshot for a guy his size, so he'll be useful as a floor-spacer, but he's a bad defender, doesn't have fantastic post moves, isn't a great rebounder, and isn't much younger than Love to begin with. Olynyk's decent. He's not good enough that you pass on a top-20 player because he plays the same position.

As far as there being better places to use the assets - where? Unless you think Carmelo could be had in a trade, I don't really see another first option being available at any position right now.

I don't know who to use the assets on as I don't know who is available.  I want nothing to do with Melo.  I also don't think there is a rush to use them.  Don't make a trade because it's the only one available.  If there isn't  a trade to be made that brings in a rim protector or a go to guy then make the picks this year and see what happens next year.  Making trades just to make trades is going to get them mired in the middle of the league.

Trading for Love isn't making trades just to make them. Trading for Love is trading for the go-to guy that you said yourself the team needs. The primary problem I'd have with going to get Love is the potential for him to walk in a year, if he picks up his option or gives a handshake promise to re-sign so long as the team doesn't somehow fall to shambles then he's the best option out there right now. Guys that are legitimate first options only come available every year or two, you don't get a ton of cracks at them.

Go to guy?? Minny was awful in close games last year.  They really could have used a go to guy.

By any reasonable analysis, Love's one of the 10-20 best scorers in the league, and you absolutely need at least one of those guys to be relevant. Right now Boston has none of them. Again: who else are you really going to get?

There's a difference between being a solid scorer and being a go-to offensive option. Kevin Love is the first, but it's not clear that he's the second.

I mean, did you consider Pierce to be a go-to offensive option back when he was putting up similar stats for teams with no hope of winning a title? If we're not sure that Kevin Love can be a go-to guy, your metric for "first option" is essentially "Lebron or Durant, plus maybe sometimes Carmelo, and that's it".

You mean when Pierce was bringing his team back from 20 plus down in the Eastern Conference finals? 

I feel as if I am just repeating myself So I'm gonna tap out.  Hey, hopefully I am wrong and Kevin Love leads to another 8 straight championships.  I just think there are better uses for the assets.  If he was going to come cheap (or a free agent) I would feel differently.

Put that Boston team in this year's West and they don't make the playoffs, either. You're making the exact same arguments that people were making about Pierce, Allen, and KG back in 2007.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Am I the only one who hopes it rains at Fenway tomorrow, some spills beer all over him and steals his wallet?

you don't want us to get a Top 10 player?

I want them to spend their resources upgrading positions of need rather then upgrading position they are already good at.

Having four players at one position that are all good backups doesn't exactly equate to being all set at that position.

Well, for one I think Olynyk is going to be more then just a back up.  But I did say Love would be an upgrade.  I just think there are better places to use the assets.

I doubt it, both in terms of Olynyk being more than a decent backup and there being better places to use the assets. Olynyk's got a nice jumpshot for a guy his size, so he'll be useful as a floor-spacer, but he's a bad defender, doesn't have fantastic post moves, isn't a great rebounder, and isn't much younger than Love to begin with. Olynyk's decent. He's not good enough that you pass on a top-20 player because he plays the same position.

As far as there being better places to use the assets - where? Unless you think Carmelo could be had in a trade, I don't really see another first option being available at any position right now.

I don't know who to use the assets on as I don't know who is available.  I want nothing to do with Melo.  I also don't think there is a rush to use them.  Don't make a trade because it's the only one available.  If there isn't  a trade to be made that brings in a rim protector or a go to guy then make the picks this year and see what happens next year.  Making trades just to make trades is going to get them mired in the middle of the league.

Trading for Love isn't making trades just to make them. Trading for Love is trading for the go-to guy that you said yourself the team needs. The primary problem I'd have with going to get Love is the potential for him to walk in a year, if he picks up his option or gives a handshake promise to re-sign so long as the team doesn't somehow fall to shambles then he's the best option out there right now. Guys that are legitimate first options only come available every year or two, you don't get a ton of cracks at them.

Go to guy?? Minny was awful in close games last year.  They really could have used a go to guy.

By any reasonable analysis, Love's one of the 10-20 best scorers in the league, and you absolutely need at least one of those guys to be relevant. Right now Boston has none of them. Again: who else are you really going to get?

There's a difference between being a solid scorer and being a go-to offensive option. Kevin Love is the first, but it's not clear that he's the second.

I mean, did you consider Pierce to be a go-to offensive option back when he was putting up similar stats for teams with no hope of winning a title? If we're not sure that Kevin Love can be a go-to guy, your metric for "first option" is essentially "Lebron or Durant, plus maybe sometimes Carmelo, and that's it".

You mean when Pierce was bringing his team back from 20 plus down in the Eastern Conference finals? 

I feel as if I am just repeating myself So I'm gonna tap out.  Hey, hopefully I am wrong and Kevin Love leads to another 8 straight championships.  I just think there are better uses for the assets.  If he was going to come cheap (or a free agent) I would feel differently.

Put that Boston team in this year's West and they don't make the playoffs, either. You're making the exact same arguments that people were making about Pierce, Allen, and KG back in 2007.

I don't see what relevance any of this has when the disagreement is over Love being considered a go-to scorer or not, and Pierce, regardless of what teams he was on or not, has always been seen as a go-to scorer. In part because he's also been one of the best clutch players in the recent era of the NBA.

So, regardless of the argument of a team being successful or not... Pierce is a go-to scorer type of player. It's quite irrelevant to use him in any sort of comparison to Love's situation and capabilities.

[Evantime34]

My thoughts on this (all assuming we get Love) :
1. Hooray!
2. We will be a top tier rebounding team with him next year, (especially if they get Asik to play next to him)
3. If we can keep Olynyk, him and Love will really spread the floor and allow a ton of driving room for Rondo.
4. I expect them to move Wallace and Green at some point to have cap space after the year to add a third star (probably a Center like DeAndre Jordan or Marc Gasol)
5. I hope we can trade our picks rather than the nets picks (I think they could end up being bad in the coming years. If they end up having to rebuild, we could be supplementing our new big 3 with lottery talent.
6. I think Pierce comes back, assuming KG retires at the end of the year.
7. I think just adding Love and no other changes (I know there will be other changes but bare with me) the Celtics are a top 5 team in the East.
8. Curious to see if Minnesota wants to clear extra cap space to start over without Love, Kevin Martin has a big contract and would be a huge upgrade at the 2 spot.

[bogg]

I don't see what relevance any of this has when the disagreement is over Love being considered a go-to scorer or not, and Pierce, regardless of what teams he was on or not, has always been seen as a go-to scorer. In part because he's also been one of the best clutch players in the recent era of the NBA.

So, regardless of the argument of a team being successful or not... Pierce is a go-to scorer type of player. It's quite irrelevant to use him in any sort of comparison to Love's situation and capabilities.

The point is that Pierce was never a "get you 30 a night, every night" kind of a guy like Lebron or Durant are, and when he was contending for titles Paul was "only" putting up around 20 a night, but Celtics fans pretty universally consider Pierce to have been a legitimate first option even though he never put up individual scoring seasons like Kobe did. If Pierce topped out around 26 a night on non-contenders, I don't understand why someone would argue that Love is a significantly worse player when he's putting up similar stats right now.

[ChefEricT]

There are a lot of things for Kevin to fall in Love with in Boston.  Great city...  This time of year.  Good thing this visit wasn't during January or February.  Although, he has been playing in Minnesota, but with Golden State, LA, and Phoenix in the hunt I hope he's ok with long brutal winters.

[GreenWarrior]

Am I the only one who hopes it rains at Fenway tomorrow, some spills beer all over him and steals his wallet?

you don't want us to get a Top 10 player?

I want them to spend their resources upgrading positions of need rather then upgrading position they are already good at.

I know...huh! I mean who needs Love when you have Sullinger and Olynyk!!!! 

Completely shaking my head

i'm done trying to convince the peeps against trading for Love. if there argument is "we have sully and olynyk" then no amount of reasoning is going to convince them.

[greg683x]

Before anyone starts wondering why Rondo or no other Celtics players have been reported hanging with him, keep in mind Love is still under contract and tampering charges could come into play.

With that said, this is incredibly intriguing. Being from NY and going to school in Boston I can say the city is special. Its not flashy like some of the other cities, but it will win you over. Here's hoping he likes what he sees.

Rondo, or any other celtic, could hang out with Love all he wants and not be worried about tampering charges.  We just heard a story about Colin Kaepernick hanging out with Seattle Seahawks players when his assault accusation came into play.  The NBA cant force players not to hang out with each other just because theyre on other teams.

If Love was out for a day on the town with Danny and Wyc, then yeah ok, the NBA might step in.

[rondohondo]

Saw this on realgm

For what its worth, LarryBirdsFingr is a poster on the Celtics board and he knows people within the organization, he had this to say:
Hearing from 3/3 sources Kevin love is here for basketball reasons. In the past 14 days the Boston Celtics are now emerging as the #1 candidate for landing Kevin love. Love and his agents are actively involved in trade talks, which prompted this trip after determining that Boston was the #1 option as of this past 14 days."

It seemed pretty obvious why he is here before reading that , just more confirmation , kinda ...

[DraftSmart33]

Before anyone starts wondering why Rondo or no other Celtics players have been reported hanging with him, keep in mind Love is still under contract and tampering charges could come into play.

With that said, this is incredibly intriguing. Being from NY and going to school in Boston I can say the city is special. Its not flashy like some of the other cities, but it will win you over. Here's hoping he likes what he sees.

Rondo, or any other celtic, could hang out with Love all he wants and not be worried about tampering charges.  We just heard a story about Colin Kaepernick hanging out with Seattle Seahawks players when his assault accusation came into play.  The NBA cant force players not to hang out with each other just because theyre on other teams.

If Love was out for a day on the town with Danny and Wyc, then yeah ok, the NBA might step in.

The Globe reported that K.Love was hanging out with D.Revis last night...let's hope he shared some positive words about the area.

[furball]

I don't see what relevance any of this has when the disagreement is over Love being considered a go-to scorer or not, and Pierce, regardless of what teams he was on or not, has always been seen as a go-to scorer. In part because he's also been one of the best clutch players in the recent era of the NBA.

So, regardless of the argument of a team being successful or not... Pierce is a go-to scorer type of player. It's quite irrelevant to use him in any sort of comparison to Love's situation and capabilities.

The point is that Pierce was never a "get you 30 a night, every night" kind of a guy like Lebron or Durant are, and when he was contending for titles Paul was "only" putting up around 20 a night, but Celtics fans pretty universally consider Pierce to have been a legitimate first option even though he never put up individual scoring seasons like Kobe did. If Pierce topped out around 26 a night on non-contenders, I don't understand why someone would argue that Love is a significantly worse player when he's putting up similar stats right now.

Ok I'm tagging back in.  Being a go to guy isn't about throwing in 30 a night.  It's about scoring when the team needs you to.  Whether it's about stopping a 8-0 run by the other team or making big shots at the end of the game.  That was a major problem the Celtics had last year was they had no one to go to when they needed a big hoop.  Pierce was that player for most of his career.  Hell, the Nets were still relying on him for that this season.  Even with Love, the Celtics are going to have to find this guy. 

[footey]

Would rather trade players than picks; but perhaps the 17th pick can get us a back up PG. Still need rim protection! Think there are more players in this draft that you can build around than on the current roster. With our two picks we are guaranteed to get two strong contributors. Gordon could end up being huge. Not as wild about Saric, Randle and Volneh. Exum is another story. Like our options at 17 between Napier, Ennis, LaVine a lot more.

Payton or Napier likely to be available at 17.  I like both of them.