Kevin Love #42 of the Utah Jazz could eb a trade target for the Celtics.
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Kevin Love #42 of the Utah Jazz could eb a trade target for the Celtics.
One of the names that is very much on the NBA trade market but has not generated much buzz on the rumor mill to this point is one that longtime Celtics fans know well: Utah Jazz forward Kevin Love, who has been connected to a stint in Boston for more than a decade now. It was back in 2014, before Love was eventually dealt to the Cavaliers, that he made an appearance in Boston amid trade chatter.
Love did want to come to the Celtics. Ultimately, though, no deal was worked out–Boston low-balled Minnesota on an offer, and both sides walked away.
Now, Love is in Utah, and more than a little surprised to be there after he was traded by the Heat this offseason. The Jazz are rebuilding, after all, and Love is 37 years old. He is averaging 7.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in 17.3 minutes, and is very much available on the trade market. According to execs around the NBA, there is some reluctance to trade for Love because there’s a feeling he could be bought out after the trade deadline.
But buyouts are no sure thing. And at salary of $4.1 million, Love is not a very significant expenditure.
Kevin Love Would Be an Ideal Fit
That’s why the Celtics have come up as a possible landing spot for Love. He would in a way, be an ideal fit if the Celtics can’t find a younger, better option to help bolster their big-man depth. Marvin Bagley Jr. from the Wizards is a possibility, but the Wizards might well decide to keep him, perhaps on a longer-term deal going forward.
The Celtics have played well, much better than expected after losing Jayson Tatum to a torn Achilles tendon in last year’s playoffs. Boston is No. 2 in the East, at 27-16, and could use a depth piece to bolster the bench and help bridge frontcourt injuries. Love has earned a reputation as a solid locker room presence, and the feeling is he would fit in in nicely with the Celtics–not demanding minutes or requiring touches, but perfectly capable of giving coach Joe Mazzulla just that if he needs it.
One league source compared a potential Love role to that of Blake Griffin with the Celtics in 2022-23.
Celtics Limited in What They Can Do on the Market
The big issue for the Celtics, of course, is that they would like to be buyers at the deadline, but have precious little to work with in terms of financial flexibility and tradeable contracts. But a deal like that of Love is eminently attainable.
The notion that the Celtics’ winning ways lately have given them to the idea of suddenly adding pieces is not quite true–they’ve always been open to tinkering with the roster, but can’t do anything major.
“They’ve been good but nothing’s changed there,” the league source said. “They’d add another big man if they can, so you could say they are buyers. But they’re in the bargain basement and there’s not much to pick from there. They can’t add payroll and they don’t have many pieces they’d give up.”