Not long ago, the Celtics were the leading contender for Kevin Love.
Allegedly
Considering a follow-up report said Boston’s offer wasn’t good enough, the Timberwolves were probably just trying to drum up interest.
Since, interest in Love has really heated up. The Cavaliers, willing to offer Andrew Wiggins, are the main contender – and they’re growing stronger. The Warriors, as long as they have Klay Thompson, remain in the mix. And the Bulls aren’t going away either.
So the Celtics – whose offer is based primarily on draft picks that may or may not interest the win-now Timberwolves – see the writing on the wall.
A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN Northwest:There’s no waiving of the white flag just yet, but the Boston Celtics appear to be ready to move on from their pursuit of Minnesota star Kevin Love, league sources tell CSNNE.com.
“The more teams step up and show interest in Love, the further Boston falls in the pack,” a source said on Wednesday. “Danny’s a smart guy. He knows when to keep pushing for something and when to move on.”
Remember, a report said the Celtics would trade Rajon Rondo if they couldn’t get Love. That prospect certainly gets a lot more interesting now.
Rondo becomes a free agent next summer, and the Celtics probably aren’t much closer to winning than they were last season. This is the time to get value for Rondo. Another year of rebuilding won’t endear Boston to Rondo and just increases the chances of him walking.
First-round picks Marcus Smart and James Young and the unguaranteed contracts of Keith Bogans, Chris Johnson, Chris Babb and Phill Pressey give the Celtics flexibility to go in any direction. With Love no longer central to their plans – though they could still get involved if the Love trade adds a third team – it’ll be interesting to see which path they choose.