Wanting Kevin Love and actually getting him are two completely different things. The Boston Celtics are very interested in the Minnesota Timberwolves player, but even with their many draft picks and young players to offer, there doesn’t seem to be a package good enough to convince a team to give up on their biggest star.
Love isn’t happy with the Timberwolves. Life isn’t bad in Minnesota, but being the only player on the 2012 team to the Olympics without playoff experience, something that hasn’t changed two years later, makes him see things differently. The issue with his contract extension around the same time didn’t help make things better between him and the front office. Kevin Love, arguably the best power forward in the league, wants success and respect. He doesn’t feel like he can get it in Minnesota.
With one more year on his contract, the Timberwolves obviously have options. They can trade Love by February 2015, and the sooner the better because they can get more for him, or they can simply let him ride out his contract and then probably lose him, although a good season in 2014-2015, with the Timberwolves possibly breaking their playoff drought which has gone on for exactly 10 seasons, might change his mind.
But what can the Celtics offer to Love? Slightly better weather? Going to baseball games with Rajon Rondo? That might be enough when he is a free agent in 2015, but the Celtics won’t be the only team on the board looking to add players then. The New York Knicks, the Los Angeles Lakers and others will be pursuing him, just like they will be going after LaMarcus Aldridge. The Chicago Bulls, depending on their moves this summer, are also going to be in contention.
The Celtics won’t give up on Rajon Rondo who also has one more season on his deal. Without getting a proven veteran player, it’s hard to believe the Timberwolves are going to want letting go of Love, no matter who many first-second year players the Celtics offer them, and even with an extra first round pick, which is number 6 overall in 2014. Love is an automatic 25-12 guy who shoots 40% from beyond the arc and might be the best passing big man in the game. It’s hard to put a price on that.
More than anything, the Timberwolves don’t want to go into another rebuild. After Kevin Garnett left to Boston, it took them some time before they got back on the horse. If it wasn’t for Rubio getting injured in 2012, the Timberwolves would have probably made the playoffs. Who knows how that would have changed things. They have a good, but maybe not good enough, team in a very crowded Western conference. They have the 13th overall pick. Blowing things up now isn’t the smartest thing to do.
The Celtics are a proud organization, but not as great and appealing at the moment as they would like to think. The same goes for the Los Angeles Lakers, only they have a lot more cap space, but no assets to offer at the moment. It’s going to take something very special or desperation for the Minnesota Timberwolves to give up on Kevin Love. Right now, they’re not getting any special offers, or feeling that kind of desperation.
6 responses to “NBA Rumors – Boston Celtics Want But Can’t Get Kevin Love”
[…] Boston Magazine The Spurs & Heat Played a Sweaty Homage to the 1980s Boston GardenBleacher Report Boston Celtics Drafting Aaron Gordon Would Be Wrong Move for RebuildBasketball Insiders NBA Free Agency: Who’s Staying and Who’s Going?USA Today NBA Finals format is good for basketball businessSports World Report Rajon Rondo Trade Rumors: Rockets Option As Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, Jared Sullinger Traded For Kevin Love?Fansided NBA Draft Rumors 2014: Rodney Hood to work out for Celtics, Kings, Hawks & Hornets Sportige NBA Rumors – Boston Celtics Want But Can’t Get Kevin Love […]
[…] Boston Magazine The Spurs & Heat Played a Sweaty Homage to the 1980s Boston GardenBleacher Report Boston Celtics Drafting Aaron Gordon Would Be Wrong Move for RebuildBasketball Insiders NBA Free Agency: Who’s Staying and Who’s Going?USA Today NBA Finals format is good for basketball businessSports World Report Rajon Rondo Trade Rumors: Rockets Option As Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, Jared Sullinger Traded For Kevin Love?Fansided NBA Draft Rumors 2014: Rodney Hood to work out for Celtics, Kings, Hawks & Hornets Sportige NBA Rumors – Boston Celtics Want But Can’t Get Kevin Love […]
[…] Boston Magazine The Spurs & Heat Played a Sweaty Homage to the 1980s Boston GardenBleacher Report Boston Celtics Drafting Aaron Gordon Would Be Wrong Move for RebuildBasketball Insiders NBA Free Agency: Who’s Staying and Who’s Going?USA Today NBA Finals format is good for basketball businessSports World Report Rajon Rondo Trade Rumors: Rockets Option As Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, Jared Sullinger Traded For Kevin Love?Fansided NBA Draft Rumors 2014: Rodney Hood to work out for Celtics, Kings, Hawks & Hornets Sportige NBA Rumors – Boston Celtics Want But Can’t Get Kevin Love […]
[…] Boston Magazine The Spurs & Heat Played a Sweaty Homage to the 1980s Boston GardenBleacher Report Boston Celtics Drafting Aaron Gordon Would Be Wrong Move for RebuildBasketball Insiders NBA Free Agency: Who’s Staying and Who’s Going?USA Today NBA Finals format is good for basketball businessSports World Report Rajon Rondo Trade Rumors: Rockets Option As Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, Jared Sullinger Traded For Kevin Love?Fansided NBA Draft Rumors 2014: Rodney Hood to work out for Celtics, Kings, Hawks & Hornets Sportige NBA Rumors – Boston Celtics Want But Can’t Get Kevin Love […]
[…] Boston Magazine The Spurs & Heat Played a Sweaty Homage to the 1980s Boston GardenBleacher Report Boston Celtics Drafting Aaron Gordon Would Be Wrong Move for RebuildBasketball Insiders NBA Free Agency: Who’s Staying and Who’s Going?USA Today NBA Finals format is good for basketball businessSports World Report Rajon Rondo Trade Rumors: Rockets Option As Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, Jared Sullinger Traded For Kevin Love?Fansided NBA Draft Rumors 2014: Rodney Hood to work out for Celtics, Kings, Hawks & Hornets Sportige NBA Rumors – Boston Celtics Want But Can’t Get Kevin Love […]
[…] Boston Magazine The Spurs & Heat Played a Sweaty Homage to the 1980s Boston GardenBleacher Report Boston Celtics Drafting Aaron Gordon Would Be Wrong Move for RebuildBasketball Insiders NBA Free Agency: Who’s Staying and Who’s Going?USA Today NBA Finals format is good for basketball businessSports World Report Rajon Rondo Trade Rumors: Rockets Option As Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, Jared Sullinger Traded For Kevin Love?Fansided NBA Draft Rumors 2014: Rodney Hood to work out for Celtics, Kings, Hawks & Hornets Sportige NBA Rumors – Boston Celtics Want But Can’t Get Kevin Love […]