Woj: Love on the block

benhogan

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Nov 2, 2007
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I think Love is a significant upgrade over anyone we currently start at the 5 yes. Our recent draft picks who aren’t part of our rotation are filler who can be easily replaced with future draft picks. We maintain Love’s salary slot. In addition we add a better rotation big than what we currently have. I struggle to see the downside others do.
With Love in hand at the 5, maybe Danny can get MaMo back here to play the 4?
Then we can regain the magic of 2018-19 :eek:

This Celtic team, led by Kemba & the Jay's, has their mojo back from 2 seasons ago and its more than a cute story. Infecting it with Lebron flunkies has failed before and would fail again.

Besides the obvious decline in Love's offensive skills, his bad contract, injury history and defensive ineptness. I'm not sure the pressure of playing in Boston is the best spot for players with self-admitted mental health issues on big contracts.

Kevin Love on the Celtics is an absolutely awful fit.
 
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Devizier

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There is no chance the Celtics acquire Love, absent a buyout. I’ll have Rocco make good on his promise from 2008 if they actually trade for him.
 

Pilgrim

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Mar 24, 2006
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If Hayward can play the second half at the level he was playing the early season, that’s awesome. If not, it’s a problem, but you can make a ton of improvements to an already good team using his 30 million in cap space.

The real fear is that he’s on and off the DL all year, and you don’t get either benefit. They should be very careful of that. It’s dangerous to assume he will ever get healthy.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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If Hayward can play the second half at the level he was playing the early season, that’s awesome. If not, it’s a problem, but you can make a ton of improvements to an already good team using his 30 million in cap space.

The real fear is that he’s on and off the DL all year, and you don’t get either benefit. They should be very careful of that. It’s dangerous to assume he will ever get healthy.
Agreed on all your points.

The difference of opinion seems to be whether an injured, but not quite expiring Hayward (if he is really hurt he likely doesn't opt out and its obviously a lot of money) plus some "filler" nets the Celtics anything of real value.

I know we like to joke about the stupidity of other NBA front offices but, for me at least, it takes the most green tinted of glasses to envision another team trading anything useful to Danny Ainge in exchange for one of his biggest FA signings because the Cs are so worried about his health and the risk of Hayward picking up his option.

The problem with Hayward is that he his value is pretty binary. An acquiring team needs to have some comfort with either outcome - he actually goes to FA or sticks around and actually plays for them next season. That seems like a very narrow market to me.
 

TripleOT

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Jul 4, 2007
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I've come around on Kevin Love recently, with this latest Hayward injury news. Plugging a double figure rebounder who can shoot the threeball into a lineup with some of the drive-iest players in the league has a lot of merit. A wide open lane would be extremely inviting to Brown, Tatum, and Kemba. AS HRB mentioned above, this deal makes the Cs a true contender right now. Against MIL or PHI, Love can pull Lopez and Embiid away from the basket. TT is a banger who has a ton of playoff experience, unlike the bigger banger he would be replacing, Kanter. If ownership is ok with paying Love around 30 mil for three more years, over ages 32-35, so am I.

TT and Love for Hayward, Kanter, and VP or Edwards works moneywise. The Cs can sent three first round picks to the Cavs, the Bucks pick and their first from 2020 and 2022, and hold onto the MEM pick, which shouldn't be made available unless it can bring in an all star type. If Love had only one more year on his deal, he'd fetch a much better haul in a trade, but with three more years, he's a salary dump for a team that's going to be in deep rebuild for at least two more years of his deal. The Cavs have a strong history of acquiring broken down Celtics assets, so they'd have to look at GH as an expiring or S and T fodder, assuming any FA would want to sign with the Cavs.
 

Jimbodandy

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Jan 31, 2006
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Holy shit. Not only do we want to add picks to bring in Love's albatross, but people think that he can cover a legit 5. I can't believe this thread.
 

lovegtm

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Apr 30, 2013
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For the record, I’m only interested in Hayward trades if Hayward looks healthy and is valued as an asset going out. I don’t agree with giving up significant draft assets or young players to increase this year’s odds slightly: that’s how you end up with Philly’s recent trade history.

If Hayward is cooked, he can opt in and be dealt as an expiring next year, which is also the last year before Tatum’s max kicks in.
 

amarshal2

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Oct 25, 2005
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Love as a 5 vs Embiid??? What is this board smoking? I havent researched it but my gut is I’d rather play Kanter.

A Kevin Love trade would be catastrophic. What a terrible way to use the cap space. They’re going to go into the super penalty for an 90 year old Kevin love who can’t stay on the court? That is a move a desperate franchise makes and nobody else.

If Hayward is really hurt I can see a trade for TT. But absent Hayward’s career being over he’s far too good to be traded for a guy who should be making $10M/yr.
 
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nighthob

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Jul 15, 2005
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Unless the Cavs are including their firsts from 2021-2024 no way am I taking that guy’s contract.
 

benhogan

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Nov 2, 2007
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Unless the Cavs are including their firsts from 2021-2024 no way am I taking that guy’s contract.
Ted Stepien back in charge?

we can put to bed all those mind-numbingly dumb Kevin Love rumors...at this stage of his career he's a terrible fit in Boston
 

lovegtm

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Apr 30, 2013
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Yeah, I feel bad for the guy. Cleveland put a gun to his head and made him sign that extension.

Seriously, fuck you buddy. You want the guaranteed security, suck it up and play out your career on a shitty team. You want to play for a contender, nobody is giving you that contract.

(Yes, I understand that this is his best option for forcing a move, and I'd probably do the same as him.)
 
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