The Boston Celtics are heading into the back stretch of the offseason with Rajon Rondo still on the roster and while a trade could be coming at some point after the team drafted Marcus Smart this summer, there is a chance that the team will try and jump back into the Kevin Love trade talks again and players like Jared Sullinger, Brandon Bass, Kelly Olynyk, Avery Bradley or Kris Humphries could be traded for Danny Ainge as he tries and puts deals together for 2014-15.
The Celtics are coming into the season fully stocked with young players and draft picks and that includes Marcus Smart, who the team picked number six in the draft this year. According to MassLive.com, the Celtics have been looking at trades this offseason, including with Brandon Bass and Jared Sullinger and those could be connected to the Kevin Love talks. The team was engaged with the Celtics near the draft before that broke off, but Pro Basketball Talk reported later in the summer that Danny Ainge could consider a deal again for the Timberwolves if they were willing to trade.
ESPN.com reports that Love is "intrigued" by the Cavaliers now that they have LeBron James, while the Celtics are stocked with first round picks, which is likely what the Wolves want. The team picked up another first round pick in the three team deal with the Nets and now they could be poised to make other moves. MassLive writes that Bass was a potential trade piece to the Golden State Warriors, as they would have taken him and his salary on their trade exception, but Grantland writes that the exception deadline passed last week.
Bass is a trade target since he is in the last year of his deal and at 29 years old he is older than players Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk, who lineup in his same position. If a Kevin Love trade went down, it's very likely Ainge would have to give up at least one of the players in Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk and he would probably have to give more than that to the Wolves. The team can afford to make some moves, as they have added another draft pick along with Tyler Zeller and he could be an option to take over if one of the other players is traded.
Zeller came over in the three team trade and he has been averaging 5.9 points and 4.9 rebounds for the Cavaliers in limited action and this could be his big chance. The Celtics have moves to make and they would like to clear cap space to either sign Rondo long term or pull off another big move and that comes as the team is also interested in Evan Turner on the free agent market. Brad Stevens is trying to build a winner and he comes in after the team went 25-57 and he said that he feels the young talent is there to achieve and if Ainge makes moves, it could happen even faster. The Celtics have plenty of young players to work out and now they have draft picks to build with as well.
