Could Kevin Love Be Drawn to Scrappy Celtics?

There’s no need to rehash the ups and downs of Kevin Love‘s relationships with the Cleveland Cavaliers or LeBron James. The sports media has used K-Love the way a strip club owner uses naked girls to sell overpriced drinks. Everything he has said and done this year has been hashed, rehashed, and analyzed in ways that the best political minds could only admire. Despite the fact that he’s said repeatedly that he intends to be in Cleveland for the foreseeable future, rumors persist that his exit is imminent. Even a deep run into the postseason, which is all but assured by the next two or three games in Boston, won’t quell the speculation. It seems that only a title will finally put an end to things.

Or will it?

The Kevin Love open market began in earnest last summer, and Boston was one of the major players. At the time, they were willing to offer the moon and the stars in terms of cap space and draft picks. They even had complimentary pieces in the form of a proven point guard, Rajon Rondo, and a prophetic coach, Brad Steven. What they didn’t have was a King.

Months later, the Cavs and the Celtics have been completely overhauled. The proven point guard ultimately proved to be uncoachable–even by a coach that some in the Association feel should have gotten C.O.Y. honors. Rondo’s trade to Dallas ushered in a slew of new talent, perhaps the most prominent being a player that probably would have earned Sixth Man honors if he’d been with the C’s since October: Isaiah Thomas. And if that were the end of the story, Love would probably be departing at the end of the year. Fortunately for Cleveland, Boston wasn’t the only team at the auction block.

“I heard some people calling me that but I know I’m not a stretch-four,” Love told the Cleveland Plain Dealer in March. “I’m a post player that can shoot. Right now I’m just doing what I’m called to do.”

J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, and Timofey Mozgov were just as vital to the Cavs as Thomas was to Boston. The team that started the season at 19-20 went on a 12-game win streak and ultimately compiled the best post-All Star break record. (The Celtics were second.) Still, Love’s role hasn’t changed much at all. In David Blatt’s system, he is utilized primarily as a spacer and perimeter scorer despite his emphatic admonition that he is not, in fact, a stretch four. Where he’s made his 26-point and 12-rebound bread and butter is in the post.

Which brings us to Boston.

Most analysts, even (or perhaps especially) those in Boston, felt the Cavs were the worst choice of the Celtics’ early round matchups. The Cavs can change speeds at will. They can play grinding defense and (via Kevin Love) space the floor.

Oh yeah, and they have LeBron James as well as FIBA and All Star MVP Kyrie Irving.

Boston is playing good fundamental basketball. After the game, LeBron said twice to Rachel Nichols that “they’re a very well-coached team.” Unfortunately for Boston, their talent pool is just overmatched–particularly below the rim. As much as I rooted for Tyler Zeller last year, he’s no match for Mozgov; Kelly Olyneck is right now a poor man’s Kevin Love; and Jared Sullinger hasn’t come into his own. This team is screaming for Kevin Love, the actual Kevin Love, the Kevin Love of every single year except for this one. And with each game, maybe Kevin Love is hearing them.

After being the first option for years in Minnesota, Love is now Cleveland’s third option. Sometimes when J.R. Smith is hot, Love is the fourth option. He’s been diplomatic when speaking of his diminished role, even stating back in October that he would sweep the floors if it would bring him a ring. But if Chris Bosh’s comments earlier in the season are any indication, it’s never fun to go from first to third. And it’s definitely never fun to go from first to fourth, something not even Bosh had to contend with.

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None of this would matter so much if Love wasn’t getting and up close an personal glimpse of what could happen next year were he to sign with Boston. It would also be a different story if his new role primarily as a stretch four had earned him a trip back to the All Stars. A title will probably do much to assuage any grass-is-always-greener thinking, but what about an Eastern Conference Championship? Would that be enough? Would Kevin Love realize that his prophetic gifts could be better used by a prophetic coach who has taken a scrappy team with minimal talent to the playoffs? Would he recognize that his All Star talents might once again find the All Star stage?

Time will tell. A title will most definitely tell. Anything less could be worrisome especially now that Kevin Love has seen the green grass of Boston.

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