I have an honest question. Why does it seem everyone wants Kevin Love?

[mef730]

We have a power forward that spaces the floor, and isn't that good at defense. There seems to be a big group of people on here that want to keep Kelly around. Kevin Love is 5 times as good as Kelly. So why all the hate for Kevin Love?

The Celtics aren't in position to be picky with signing big time free agents. If Kevin Love would sign here the Celtics need to act.

Based STRICTLY on PER (which I don't like) Kevin Love is the 13th best PF in the NBA this year.

1   Anthony Davis
2   Pau Gasol
3   LaMarcus Aldridge
4   Blake Griffin
5   Derrick Favors
6   Tim Duncan
7   Greg Monroe
8   Brandan Wright
9   Ed Davis
10   Paul Millsap
11   Zach Randolph
12   Dirk Nowitzki
13    Kevin Love

If you do these ratings based on overall players he obviously moves ahead of Wright and Davis. At this point in his career I think he's better than Dirk. You could make an argument for 1 or 2 more.

So the point, and my honest question, why does everyone NOT want to sign a top 10 PF in the NBA?

Source:http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/statistics/_/position/pf

For me, it's not a question of whether I want him.  Of course I do. 

The bigger question is, how much am I going to pay him?  He's not going to sign a long-term deal at the end of this season; he would be crazy to do so.  So I guess I could give him a big one-year contract, but where do I go from there?  You want 5 years for $100m?  We can talk.  You want one year at the max with the expectation that you will be getting 4/$120m after that?  Nope.  DA isn't downright Belichickian, but he is a value guy.

It's the same issue when we see threads where somebody recommends trading James Young/Jared Sullinger/Marcus Smart/etc.  Person A recommends trading them.  Persons B through F says they are untouchable.  Guess what?  Nobody is untouchable.  But everyone has a price.

Mike

[Celtics4ever]

Not all guys appreciate defense and mental toughness and are wowed by his rebounds and points.   I think it would be pure folly to build around him.

[celticsclay]

The Wolves went 40-42 last year, traded Love for future Superstar and present day great player Wiggins and basically stayed put otherwise.  This year they are 16-58!  That is all Love.

The Cavs struggled at the beginning of the season, then found out how to use Love and all of a sudden have won like 85% of their games. 

The idea he is just a bad team / good stats guy is totally overblown.  The Wolves are TERRIBLE and nobody else should be touching the ball.  The West is so stacked that it takes more than one great player to make the playoffs.  He averaged 26 / 10 / 2 last year and he can shoot the 3, thus clearing the paint for our wings.  He would be huge.  If we got him and Kawhi, we'd be in contention for taking the East even with LeBron.

Is the Wolves record comparison a serious post?

Last year the Wolves had:
Rubio for 82 games (5th leading scorer, leader in assists)
Pekovic for 54 (3rd leading scorer, 2nd leading rebounder)
Kevin Martin for 68 (2nd leading scoring)
Corey Brewer for 81 (4th leading scorer, very good wing defender)
JJ Barea for 70 (5th leading scorer, 3rd in assists)

That is a combined 355 games from legit NBA veterans

This year they have had those 5 guys for a combined
110 games

There are only veteran additions of note were Thaddeus young and Mo Williams who played half the season. They have been giving heavy minutes to very green players like Lavine and Payne who wouldn't (and in Payne's case didn't) see the floor on better teams. Comparing these two timberwolves teams and saying there record difference is attributed to Love is ridiculous.

[Rosco917]

Not all guys appreciate defense and mental toughness and are wowed by his rebounds and points.   I think it would be pure folly to build around him.

I'm gonna agree here, the only thing this present Celtic team shows right now is mental toughness and defense. With only mediocre results. Unfortunately it's the two very things Love isn't.

I'm not saying he's not a solid offensive talent, or a good rebounder, or a good teammate. i suspect that he is a soft uncaring defensive player. In my book the power forward should be the teams second line of defense while protecting the rim and stopping the opposing teams invasion into the paint. I like defensive minded centers and power forwards that can move and run. They're invaluable. Players off the bench or wings can be instant offensive types, that's fine.

it's just a personal feeling.

[tarheelsxxiii]

Not all guys appreciate defense and mental toughness and are wowed by his rebounds and points.   I think it would be pure folly to build around him.

TP. Someone that has watched and is taking into account the glaring holes in his game. Love is a win-now move that would, ironically, place us into mediocrity-land - consistent low-to-mid seed in a terrible EC. Guys like Love fill a void with a specific skill set. He is what CLE hoped he would be (and probably could be if his game fit better with another team) - the 3rd of a big 3. He isn't a superstar to build around, way too many holes in his game.

[tarheelsxxiii]

because they don't watch him play

Great point! I typically never watch players that I'm interested in. I don't watch Love get misused on his current team and I definetly didn't watch him put up MVP numbers in Minney.

I don't watch his advanced postgame. I cover my eyes when he throws those pinpoint outpost passes. I hate to see the excellent form on his jumpshot, and I just cant watch when be completely seals off the area where the rebound is coming.

Maybe someday I'll watch Kevin Love play then I'll be entitled to have an opionion like TarheelsxxIII here.

Having a bad day?

You just shared your opinion in the same way I shared mine. I don't think that categorizes either of us as "entitled," or believing we are entitled. Our opinions just differ. If you want to build around someone with as many holes as strengths, that's your preference. Just isn't mine.

[gpap]

Why does everyone seem to want Kevin Love?  If looking at strictly a basketball sense does he really fit what the Celtics have built right now, NO.  We don't need a scoring Power Forward, that also doesn't play defense.  We need a true Center that can block shots and rebound, to also move Sully back to playing his natural position at Power Forward.  We need a true scoring and defending Small Forward.  Why is everybody jumping up and down wanting Kevin Love in Boston?

1.)Who said he doesn't fit what the Celtics are trying to build right now?

He's a proven double double player and a player you can build around to bring you closer to a championship.

2.)As for Sully, I think he's proven that he can't be relied upon and getting Love would be a HUGE upgrade.

I just don't understand why some people can't seem to understand this.

What I don't understand is why so many people DON'T want Love, who would be a star player on a team full of role players

Because if he's your only star player your team still sucks, and he's good enough to move the needle to turning this team into an actual treadmill squad, which means that you're unlikely to get the assets (or the cap space) necessary to become a legitimately good team.

I could see the argument while we still had Rondo + Green. When you're talking about Love paired with Turner + Thomas? not so much.

I am not saying the Celtics should stop there.

Of course they should go out and acquire another star player. But he helps move your team in the right direction.

[Alleyoopster]

The Wolves went 40-42 last year, traded Love for future Superstar and present day great player Wiggins and basically stayed put otherwise.  This year they are 16-58!  That is all Love.

That's just not true. Injuries to Rubio, Martin, and Pekovic pretty much derailed Flip Saunders' intentions to compete for a playoff spot midway through this season.

I've only seen one Minnesota game and that was when they played the Celtics. Martin was healthy at the time.  They basically destroyed us much like the Clippers did the other night. 

I doubt Love has any interest in playing for the Celtics.  Didn't he say he wanted to play for a West Coast team and for a contender?  (Maybe I'm wrong.) 

My guess the reason everyone wants him is because he shoots so well. His rebounding is pretty good too.  Look at all the teams that usually play pretty well against the Celtics, e.g., Houston, the Clippers, San Antonio and Atlanta.  They all have lights-out 3 point shooters.  The Celtics have some pretty shooters.  They just aren't in that same elite class.  Thus, Love would be a good counter-attack weapon against such teams. 

Even with all that said I'm not sure Love is a good fit for Boston.  He's had injury issues.  He'd rather play elsewhere from what I understand.  He's been cranky about his role in Cleveland.   And, he would be costly.   

[tarheelsxxiii]

The Wolves went 40-42 last year, traded Love for future Superstar and present day great player Wiggins and basically stayed put otherwise.  This year they are 16-58!  That is all Love.

That's just not true. Injuries to Rubio, Martin, and Pekovic pretty much derailed Flip Saunders' intentions to compete for a playoff spot midway through this season.

I've only seen one Minnesota game and that was when they played the Celtics. Martin was healthy at the time.  They basically destroyed us much like the Clippers did the other night. 

I doubt Love has any interest in playing for the Celtics.  Didn't he say he wanted to play for a West Coast team and for a contender?  (Maybe I'm wrong.) 

My guess the reason everyone wants him is because he shoots so well. His rebounding is pretty good too.  Look at all the teams that usually play pretty well against the Celtics, e.g., Houston, the Clippers, San Antonio and Atlanta.  They all have lights-out 3 point shooters.  The Celtics have some pretty shooters.  They just aren't in that same elite class.  Thus, Love would be a good counter-attack weapon against such teams. 

Even with all that said I'm not sure Love is a good fit for Boston.  He's had injury issues.  He'd rather play elsewhere from what I understand.  He's been cranky about his role in Cleveland.   And, he would be costly.

I think the majority here would agree that our biggest need is a rim protector. Love's interior defense is awful. If we were lucky enough to land a rim protector, he'd prob make his job harder. We don't need a spread 4 that can make long, pretty outlet passes. A big FA isn't going to say, "Geez, I really want to pair up with Love... easy road to a chip, man."

[YeezusChrist]

I really don't think we should go after either. Love doesn't fit stevens offense he doesn't work as a catch and shoot player as he has showed this year and I don't feel like we should waste the cap to upgrade a position that isn't a priority for us. The center and SF spot should come first before upgrading any other parts. Plus Sully put up 14/8 this year that's not shabby for playing center half of those mins so do we want to break the bank for a player who averages 4 pts and 3 rbs more a game but comes with the same defensive problems??

[celticsclay]

The Wolves went 40-42 last year, traded Love for future Superstar and present day great player Wiggins and basically stayed put otherwise.  This year they are 16-58!  That is all Love.

That's just not true. Injuries to Rubio, Martin, and Pekovic pretty much derailed Flip Saunders' intentions to compete for a playoff spot midway through this season.

This is what I was saying basically in my posts above with the number of games they played. The T-Wolves basically lost their 2nd to 5th best players from last years team for all but a handful of games this year (and the few games they have played they have been limited). The addition of Wiggins, with a little Mo Williams and Thaddeus Young sprinkled in pre-all star break does not make up for that....

[Quetzalcoatl]

That's just not true. Injuries to Rubio, Martin, and Pekovic pretty much derailed Flip Saunders' intentions to compete for a playoff spot midway through this season.

This is what I was saying basically in my posts above with the number of games they played. The T-Wolves basically lost their 2nd to 5th best players from last years team for all but a handful of games this year (and the few games they have played they have been limited). The addition of Wiggins, with a little Mo Williams and Thaddeus Young sprinkled in pre-all star break does not make up for that....

Yeah okay, I stand corrected.  I haven't bothered to really pay attention to them that closely and I didn't realize how bad it was.  I really didn't realize that Rubio played every game last season.  I even watch their games here and there, I just don't follow the roster fluctuations that closely.  TPs to both of you.

[Lucky17]

That's just not true. Injuries to Rubio, Martin, and Pekovic pretty much derailed Flip Saunders' intentions to compete for a playoff spot midway through this season.

This is what I was saying basically in my posts above with the number of games they played. The T-Wolves basically lost their 2nd to 5th best players from last years team for all but a handful of games this year (and the few games they have played they have been limited). The addition of Wiggins, with a little Mo Williams and Thaddeus Young sprinkled in pre-all star break does not make up for that....

Yeah okay, I stand corrected.  I haven't bothered to really pay attention to them that closely and I didn't realize how bad it was.  I really didn't realize that Rubio played every game last season.  I even watch their games here and there, I just don't follow the roster fluctuations that closely.  TPs to both of you.

No worries, man. TP back to you.

For the record, I was totally on board bringing in Love last off-season, adding him to Rondo, Green, and Asik for a rapid rebuild. That ship has sailed, and although I am not as keen on revisiting the idea as others are, I am also not dead set against it.

Acquiring Love would be A step towards a rebuild, not the only step. More would need to happen.

[sh_touttahere]

Does anyone actually believe we could have won a championship with love and rondo? hell even throw carmelo in and they dont chip imo

[celticsclay]

That's just not true. Injuries to Rubio, Martin, and Pekovic pretty much derailed Flip Saunders' intentions to compete for a playoff spot midway through this season.

This is what I was saying basically in my posts above with the number of games they played. The T-Wolves basically lost their 2nd to 5th best players from last years team for all but a handful of games this year (and the few games they have played they have been limited). The addition of Wiggins, with a little Mo Williams and Thaddeus Young sprinkled in pre-all star break does not make up for that....

Yeah okay, I stand corrected.  I haven't bothered to really pay attention to them that closely and I didn't realize how bad it was.  I really didn't realize that Rubio played every game last season.  I even watch their games here and there, I just don't follow the roster fluctuations that closely.  TPs to both of you.

I really  respect you not taking the common Celtics blog approach of digging your heels in forming a ridiculous counter argument when you say something that is incorrect. TP back at you. Hope a few other posters can follow your lead.