Should we pursue Kevin Love now?

[CoachBo]

Cleveland is desperate for guard defense. They have none.

Any deal likely starts with Smart, and I'm good with that.

[kozlodoev]

Love is still a great offensive rebounder and a good perimeter shooter. The popular idea that he's garbage in this board makes about as much sense as this board's infatuation with the Euromistake.

If Ainge wants him, make a quality offer. It's CERTAINLY a better use of the 3 than Dragan No D.

Is he really still a great offensive rebounder? His Offensive rebounding numbers have been just OK for the last 3 years.

His rebounding has really gone down the crapper since the injury, which is the main reason I couldn't convince myself he was worth mortgaging the house for last offseason.

Smart, 16, and one of our future firsts, I may be convinced. However, it seems you can't have a deal without including Johnson and Jerebko for salary purposes, which sucks.

[PaulAllen]

a plethora of second round picks, nothing more.

[kozlodoev]

a plethora of second round picks, nothing more.

[TheSundanceKid]

Love is still a great offensive rebounder and a good perimeter shooter. The popular idea that he's garbage in this board makes about as much sense as this board's infatuation with the Euromistake.

If Ainge wants him, make a quality offer. It's CERTAINLY a better use of the 3 than Dragan No D.

Is he really still a great offensive rebounder? His Offensive rebounding numbers have been just OK for the last 3 years.

His rebounding has really gone down the crapper since the injury, which is the main reason I couldn't convince myself he was worth mortgaging the house for last offseason.

Smart, 16, and one of our future firsts, I may be convinced. However, it seems you can't have a deal without including Johnson and Jerebko for salary purposes, which sucks.

Depends when the deal is done. If Cleveland agreed on draft night but the trade was completed after the moratorium we could use our cap space to absorb the difference in contracts

[wiley]

Love is still a great offensive rebounder and a good perimeter shooter. The popular idea that he's garbage in this board makes about as much sense as this board's infatuation with the Euromistake.

If Ainge wants him, make a quality offer. It's CERTAINLY a better use of the 3 than Dragan No D.

Is he really still a great offensive rebounder? His Offensive rebounding numbers have been just OK for the last 3 years.

His rebounding has really gone down the crapper since the injury, which is the main reason I couldn't convince myself he was worth mortgaging the house for last offseason.

Smart, 16, and one of our future firsts, I may be convinced. However, it seems you can't have a deal without including Johnson and Jerebko for salary purposes, which sucks.

Regret regret regret.  That's what would happen if that deal went down.  MUUUCH rather have Smart and Damion Jones at that future first.  Much rather have Smart, T. Prince and that future first.  Much rather have Smart, Sabonis and that future first...

I admit, I'd rather have Smart by himself than Love.  Smart helps Cleveland more than Love helps the Celtics.  I'm tired of the crappy defense from our bigs. 

I am in the don't help Cleveland camp.  Almost any deal with the Cleveland would absolutely help them and make it even harder to beat them in the next couple years. 

Let them improve themselves with some other team's stud.  I'd rather they beat us that way than with Marcus, Bradley, etc..

Love will deliver the Celtics.....nowhere. 

[Bobshot]

Love is a main man offensive type, and he's been overshadowed by James in Cleveland. Good perimeter shooter/passer, fair defensive rebounder. An upgrade over any of their 4-5s, for sure.  He would be their big go to guy on offense, and maybe push IT back into the 6th man role, where many think he belongs. So he has value to the Celtics.

I wouldn't value him at the #3 level because of his salary. At this point, he is overpaid. Ainge might be interested in a deal for one or two of the lower #1 picks, and one or two players not part of their core, as suggested in an earlier post. Olynyk would be expendable.

[Rosco917]

Love doesn't have anywhere near the value he had before the Cleveland trade. His reputation has really suffered, his game has been exposed as soft, with mostly padded stats in reference to his Minnesota days. Lets not even talk about his defense.

True enough, on offense he's a good fit with what Stevens and DA envision for the Celtics, but he'll never lead you to a championship. I wonder how many other NBA stars will want to hitch their wagon to this version of Kevin Love and the Celtics.

Are we really this desperate for a "star"

[Lucky17]

Love doesn't have anywhere near the value he had before the Cleveland trade. His reputation has really suffered, his game has been exposed as soft, with mostly padded stats in reference to his Minnesota days. Lets not even talk about his defense.

True enough, on offense he's a good fit with what Stevens and DA envision for the Celtics, but he'll never lead you to a championship. I wonder how many other NBA stars will want to hitch their wagon to this version of Kevin Love and the Celtics.

Are we really this desperate for a "star"

"Stars" aside, I think we're desperate for another starting-caliber player who can actually put the ball in the hoop.

[Vermont Green]

I just can't get excited about Kevin Love.  Even if we got him in an inexpensive trade, I am not sure he is the guy we want taking up $$$ and minutes.  All this talk about how he fits on Cleveland seems misdirected to me.  When he was the guy, he was the guy on a bad team.  Now he is on a good team and they aren't using him right.

You shoot, rebound, and defend (OK, pass and set picks and a few other things too).  If he is that good, he should be able to do all of these things well on Cleveland.  It shouldn't matter how he is being used.  He gets to defend someone every time down the court.  Same with defensive rebounds.    For shooting, he got 12.7 shot attempts per game in 31.5 minutes and made 41.9%.  And we should get him and build our offense around him?

[Lucky17]

Love averaged 19/12 in the first two rounds of the playoffs this year, up from his regular season averages of 16/10.

Rebounding took a dip in the series vs. TOR, but he still managed 15 points a game on 10 shots.

Golden State poses such a matchup problem for most bigs around the league. I think the Love we see in the Finals is more exception than rule.

[Tr1boy]

No. Y does this topic never end. Love is overrated.

Lebron is dumb to trade away wiggins for him

[jambr380]

I just can't get excited about Kevin Love.  Even if we got him in an inexpensive trade, I am not sure he is the guy we want taking up $$$ and minutes.  All this talk about how he fits on Cleveland seems misdirected to me.  When he was the guy, he was the guy on a bad team.  Now he is on a good team and they aren't using him right.

You shoot, rebound, and defend (OK, pass and set picks and a few other things too).  If he is that good, he should be able to do all of these things well on Cleveland.  It shouldn't matter how he is being used.  He gets to defend someone every time down the court.  Same with defensive rebounds.    For shooting, he got 12.7 shot attempts per game in 31.5 minutes and made 41.9%.  And we should get him and build our offense around him?

I totally understand where you are coming from and wouldn't include the #3 for him (or more than AB), but I think it is more a matter of attitude and fit than actual talent. On one hand, that sucks, since you don't want somebody who maybe a bit pouty and doesn't give full effort when things aren't going his way (especially when the team is winning). On the other hand, it's likely he still has star ability in him, he just needs to not be playing with Lebron and Kyrie.

He's a very good player, making last year's max and we would be better with him on the team. I think he was convinced to give it another go with Cleveland and wanted the extra money, but if he had it to do again, he would have signed elsewhere...same goes with Butler.

[Tr1boy]

I just can't get excited about Kevin Love.  Even if we got him in an inexpensive trade, I am not sure he is the guy we want taking up $$$ and minutes.  All this talk about how he fits on Cleveland seems misdirected to me.  When he was the guy, he was the guy on a bad team.  Now he is on a good team and they aren't using him right.

You shoot, rebound, and defend (OK, pass and set picks and a few other things too).  If he is that good, he should be able to do all of these things well on Cleveland.  It shouldn't matter how he is being used.  He gets to defend someone every time down the court.  Same with defensive rebounds.    For shooting, he got 12.7 shot attempts per game in 31.5 minutes and made 41.9%.  And we should get him and build our offense around him?

I totally understand where you are coming from and wouldn't include the #3 for him (or more than AB), but I think it is more a matter of attitude and fit than actual talent. On one hand, that sucks, since you don't want somebody who maybe a bit pouty and doesn't give full effort when things aren't going his way (especially when the team is winning). On the other hand, it's likely he still has star ability in him, he just needs to not be playing with Lebron and Kyrie.

He's a very good player, making last year's max and we would be better with him on the team. I think he was convinced to give it another go with Cleveland and wanted the extra money, but if he had it to do again, he would have signed elsewhere...same goes with Butler.

He is not a player that should be making the money he is now. And even a worse defender

[footey]

I cannot imagine Danny would even be considering Love any longer. That ship sailed after he was traded to Cleveland, and his declining/over-rated value became readily apparent.  If Cleveland plays better without him in the lineup, why wouldn't we?