NEW: Celtics Continue to Push for Kevin Love with 3-Team Trade

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Wednesday, July 09, 2014

Jack Andrade, GoLocal Sports Reporter

The Boston Celtics cashed in on Paul Pierce’s trade exception Wednesday, acquiring assets that could help the rebuilding franchise make a trade for All-Star Kevin Love.

The Celtics were involved in a 3-team trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Brooklyn Nets, with Boston acquiring Tyler Zeller, Marcus Thornton, and a 1^st round pick from the Cavs in exchange for Pierce’s $10.3 million trade exception and a conditional 2^nd round pick.

Zeller, a 24-year-old big man, was the 17^th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft and has been a decent rotational piece for Cleveland over his first 2 seasons.

Thornton, 27, has averaged over 13 points per game for his NBA career over 5 seasons.  The shooting guard will see his contract expire after next season, freeing up cap space for the Celtics to make a free agency push.

According to Sports Illustrated, Cleveland’s first-round pick is top-10 protected in 2016, ’17 and ’18 and unprotected in 2019. In return, the Cavaliers acquired a second-round pick. 

The Cavs are going all in on bringing LeBron James back to Cleveland, and they were able to shed the contracts of Jarrett Jack (off to Brooklyn), Sergey Karasev (Brooklyn), and Zeller.

The Celtics are reportedly still trying to trade for All-Star power forward Kevin Love, and with Zeller and another 1^st round pick to add to their asset pool, the Green Team can up the bid for the Timberwolves’ superstar.

Celtics collect 3 more assets - Thornton, T Zeller & a 1st - 3-way trade with Cavs and Nets. Their pursuit of Kevin Love continues

— Jerry Zgoda (@JerryZgoda) July 9, 2014

The Celtics are pursuing Kevin Love, and I’d have to think that they’re in a better position to make an offer to Minnesota after today.

— Baxter Holmes (@BaxterHolmes) July 9, 2014

Cleveland also has expressed interest in trading for Love, provided that they convince James to re-sign with the team that drafted him first overall in the 2003 NBA Draft.

The Celtics now possess 9 first round picks in the next 4 years, and will clear over $30 million in cap space at the end of the season.  If they’re unable to acquire Love via trade, the Celtics could wait until next offseason, when they will have enough cap room to offer Love a max contract while still being able to give Rajon Rondo a raise.

Ainge is preparing for the summer of 2015 and that likely means a run at Kevin Love if he can't get him through trade #celtics

— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) July 9, 2014

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