The Boston Celtics is still waiting for to strike on the best trade for their team. They aimed too high on the superstar ladder and they probably might need to step one notch lower.
The recent spate of rumors that placed them on the limelight involved Blake Griffin, a legitimate star and Russell Westbrook, an even bigger star who's commonly rated as a top 5 player in the league.
In a Sports Illustrated video feature, their NBA editor Matt Dollinger outlined five possible trade scenarios that could "shake up the league." It was inevitable that one of those trades would involve the Celtics and Dollinger suggested a familiar but seemingly forgotten name.
It's not Jahlil Okafor. While he could be a good fit for the Celtics and Brad Stevens would do wonders for him, the Celtics still need a reliable scorer to complement Al Horford. How about a player who averaged 27 points and 12 rebounds per game (before taking the third wheel role in Cleveland)?
Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers was placed at the backseat of the NBA trade rumors because the team just won a title. However, with their nemesis Golden State Warriors taking the ultimate trump card move by signing Kevin Durant, the Cavs euphoria may be short lived and they may have to face the reality that they need to make improvements.
Since the team is capped out, the only way for them to make improvements is to trade. Dollinger reminded that some time in the middle of last season, Love was almost traded and even though the Cavaliers managed to get it together long enough to win the title, they were done 3-1 and only grazed the Warriors by 4 points.
As Dollinger noted, if the Cavs keep Kevin Love and not make a move, they could still easily make the Finals and possibly face Golden State again. But will the outcome be the same now that Durant is there?
The Cavs managed to exploit the Warriors' weakness in the inside, primarily because Andrew Bogut was injured and in one game, Draymond Green wasn't there. It allowed the Cavs to stretch the defense and defend the Splash brothers well enough to win.
Also, Harrison Barnes was shooting so badly the Cavs managed to sag off on his defender. Now, Barnes has been replaced with Kevin Durant and he's not a player you can assign Kevin Love to defend. That is the reason why Dollinger believes that a trade with the Celtics could be beneficial.
Jae Crowder is a player whom the Cavs can assign to chase Durant. The trade package will start with him. This trade is very workable because the Cavs are not particularly interested in the assets that the Celtics won't give up (Brooklyn Nets' picks). Cleveland wants to win now and would prefer to have real players rather than picks.
Crowder and Avery Bradley (insurance for JR Smith leaving) could be a fair package for Love. Love would form a tandem with Al Horford that could anchor the Celtics offense, and these two teams could vie for the East title already, with a trade that makes both of them stronger.