Rumors are swirling around the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers, but could the Cleveland Cavaliers enter the discussion on a possible big deal?
The Boston Celtics have been engaged in trade talks with the Los Angeles Clippers over a possible trade for Blake Griffin, according to Sporting News‘ Sean Deveney.
The Sacramento Kings have also been included in talks of a three-team deal that would send Rudy Gay to the Clippers. No other information has been reported in respect to this possible three-team deal.
However, no deal seems to be imminent and there hasn’t been a lot of traction surrounding a possible Griffin-to-Celtics deal.
The Vertical’s Chris Mannix did say on CSNNE that the Celtics could make a massive deal over the weekend, according to 98.5 The Sports Hub‘s Dan Lifshatz. That includes Chicago Bulls’ star Jimmy Butler and Philadelphia 76ers big man Jahlil Okafor.
So apparently Mannix said that Butler/Okafor/Others still on table and Griffin/Westbrook not right now. Didn't hear that part
— Dan Lifshatz (@DanLifshatz) July 14, 2016
Turning the page, the Cleveland Cavaliers could easily find themselves in discussions with the Celtics for a deal surrounding Kevin Love, even as part of a three-team deal. Is Love available? Nobody can really say, but logistically it isn’t likely since the Cavs are coming off of a championship-winning season.
Love would probably enjoy playing in an offense where he would get more touches, and the Celtics likely offer that, despite having a good point guard in Isaiah Thomas and newly-signed center Al Horford. If the Celtics were to acquire Love, it would give them a formidable big three to compete with the Cavs in the East.
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Boston has a couple of players that the Cavs could have interest in. Small forward Jae Crowder is a solid two-way player that could help improve Cleveland on the defensive end as an upgrade over Love, and he can space the floor.
The Cavs could also target one of the Celtics’ talented combo guards in Avery Bradley or Marcus Smart. Both are capable ball-handlers to run the point and create, or spot up as shooters playing off the ball. Smart has gobs of potential being the sixth overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
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Let’s face it, the Celtics have a crush on Love. They were in heavy pursuit of him when he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves. In fact, Love was touring around Boston after the Celtics had lost 57 games in head coach Brad Stevens’ first season, according to ESPN.
As the NBA neared it’s annual trade deadline, the Celtics offered a low-ball package to the Cavs for Love, according to ESPN‘s Zach Lowe. General manager Danny Ainge has clearly had some sort of obsession for Love since the Timberwolves made him available.
Now could be the time for Ainge to finally land Love. With the Celtics looking to make a splash, general manager David Griffin, who has been adamant about keeping the core together as he said on ESPN’s NBA Insiders as transcribed by Fear The Sword, could make a big splash and land a nice package to add more depth.
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While the Celtics are positioning themselves to make a big move, possibly as soon as this weekend, the Cavs certainly shouldn’t be ruled out as possible trade partners.