Love in town to "see what it's like"

[Shamrock]

This is really gonna suck if Love doesn't come to Boston... Love having his agent with him right now is strange

[pfm]

Personally, interrupting someone while they are sat down at a meal is incredibly rude.

[Bar Fight]

It'll be such a letdown if this doesn't happen after all this hype. There's still a long way to go before the trigger can be pulled, so there's plenty of room for this to fall through. I'm almost expecting it with the luck we've had the past few years.

[Bill Lumbergh]

It'll be such a letdown if this doesn't happen after all this hype. There's still a long way to go before the trigger can be pulled, so there's plenty of room for this to fall through.

Speaking of which, when's the first day that trading can re-commence? Some time after the Finals are over?

[15th overall]

Sox just tied an MLB record for the longest winning streak immediately following a double digit losing streak. This is a good sign. Also, the weather's been nice as F.

God is a Celtics fan. Just further proof for what we all already knew to be true.

[LarryBirdsFingr]

Bucket hat commmando rondo. Stealth.

[DarkAzcura]

It'll be such a letdown if this doesn't happen after all this hype. There's still a long way to go before the trigger can be pulled, so there's plenty of room for this to fall through.

Speaking of which, when's the first day that trading can re-commence? Some time after the Finals are over?

I'm sure you can agree to principle on any deal right after Finals end. If anything, I know draft day is a day when deals can at least be agreed upon.

[Bohemian]

It'll be such a letdown if this doesn't happen after all this hype. There's still a long way to go before the trigger can be pulled, so there's plenty of room for this to fall through.

Speaking of which, when's the first day that trading can re-commence? Some time after the Finals are over?

I'm sure you can agree to principle on any deal right after Finals end. If anything, I know draft day is a day when deals can at least be agreed upon.

Deals can be done whenever after the season has finished for the teams involved in the trade. Therefore, the teams may have talked already and do anything even now.

[pfm]

If Love is traded to the C's it's pretty likely it would be a draft day deal. That would allow us a lot more versatility in including picks this year and next.

[Captain_Caveman]

If Love plays along, we could really start putting the screws to Minny here. Basically tell them to take a weak deal or get stuffed, after Love kills trades all year and we tank for another top 10 pick before signing him as a free agent next summer, while retaining Rondo and all current picks and prospects.

[EJay33]

All that's left is the Woj Bomb (or maybe Spears with his ties to the Celtics). Seems like he is forcing Flip's hand. This is quite the tease if they can't get this done.

[LuckyLeprichan]

I think the Love trade to Boston is happening, but can't see how they'll get Melo. Just can't see Phil cooperating on a trade, and Boston doesn't have enough cap space to add Melo, unless they can clear Green to a team w/ cap room.

If Melo makes it clear he isn't going to stay, Phil will take the best deal and like it. He's a smart guy. He knows the Knicks have no assets and no future right now. He's not going to turn down the best offer he gets if it just happens to come from the division. That's more an issue in fans minds than in GMs minds.

That being said, I'm not certain we'll have the best offer by then depending on what we'd hypothetically give up for Love. Sounds like the Knicks are targeting the Bucks or Sixers draft pick in a trade. Maybe they figure they can trade Melo away and get back Wiggins or Parker.

[soxfan2003]

This isn't exactly a FA recruitment here.

Personally, I hope it is an early-stage FA recruitment. Love for cheap >> Love for Sully & multiple firsts.

That would be my preference as well but I suspect Love is forcing the Wolves hand this summer since
1) he is sick of missing the playoffs with MN. Missing the playoffs with another team in a rebuilding situation that has a history of success not as bad. He has already basically said this.
2) He probably wants the increased money/contract length available to him after next season if he is traded now instead of leaves via FA.

I think Ainge's strong preference would be to have another rebuilding year and then target a player like Love via FA but he can't guarantee a player like him will be available to the Celtics.

In this situation, I hope Ainge splits the difference and really negotiates hard and is very willing to let another team win the Kevin Love sweepstakes.

[Captain_Caveman]

I think the Love trade to Boston is happening, but can't see how they'll get Melo. Just can't see Phil cooperating on a trade, and Boston doesn't have enough cap space to add Melo, unless they can clear Green to a team w/ cap room.

If Melo makes it clear he isn't going to stay, Phil will take the best deal and like it. He's a smart guy. He knows the Knicks have no assets and no future right now. He's not going to turn down the best offer he gets if it just happens to come from the division. That's more an issue in fans minds than in GMs minds.

That being said, I'm not certain we'll have the best offer by then depending on what we'd hypothetically give up for Love. Sounds like the Knicks are targeting the Bucks or Sixers draft pick in a trade. Maybe they figure they can trade Melo away and get back Wiggins or Parker.

Melo can really force the issue, though. Tell Knicks to trade him to Boston for picks and expirings or he signs with someone else and leaves them with nothing. We can even take Felton for them, helping them to clear the decks for cap room next summer. Sign-and-trade gets balanced by resigning Hump to 1yr/13m, which he would probably be happy to take.

[pfm]

I think hoping for Love in FA is getting greedy at this point.

While we might have the best package, there are definitely other suitors out there like Chicago and GSW, where Love would likely be happy at anyways. Flip would just pull the trigger on those deals.

As nice of an idea as it is, you get the start when you have the chance.

[soxfan2003]

I think the Love trade to Boston is happening, but can't see how they'll get Melo. Just can't see Phil cooperating on a trade, and Boston doesn't have enough cap space to add Melo, unless they can clear Green to a team w/ cap room.

If Melo makes it clear he isn't going to stay, Phil will take the best deal and like it. He's a smart guy. He knows the Knicks have no assets and no future right now. He's not going to turn down the best offer he gets if it just happens to come from the division. That's more an issue in fans minds than in GMs minds.

That being said, I'm not certain we'll have the best offer by then depending on what we'd hypothetically give up for Love. Sounds like the Knicks are targeting the Bucks or Sixers draft pick in a trade. Maybe they figure they can trade Melo away and get back Wiggins or Parker.

I would think Phil Jackson would love to trade the Anthony for the draft rights to Andrew Wiggins or perhaps Embiid. Big risk but what Wiggins brings to the table on defense probably reminds him a little of Jordan/Pippen. And while Embiid is no Shaq, a top 5 center cures a lot of ills.

Worse case scenario Wiggins/Embiid sucks and NY has tons of cap room in 1-2 years to target better stars then an aging Carmelo. Frankly I think Jackson probably wants Carmelo gone/traded but can't outright say it.

If Jackson get a top 3 pick for an aging Carmelo he is worthy of that asinine salary.

[15th overall]

I think the Love trade to Boston is happening, but can't see how they'll get Melo. Just can't see Phil cooperating on a trade, and Boston doesn't have enough cap space to add Melo, unless they can clear Green to a team w/ cap room.

If Melo makes it clear he isn't going to stay, Phil will take the best deal and like it. He's a smart guy. He knows the Knicks have no assets and no future right now. He's not going to turn down the best offer he gets if it just happens to come from the division. That's more an issue in fans minds than in GMs minds.

That being said, I'm not certain we'll have the best offer by then depending on what we'd hypothetically give up for Love. Sounds like the Knicks are targeting the Bucks or Sixers draft pick in a trade. Maybe they figure they can trade Melo away and get back Wiggins or Parker.

Also, screwing over NYK's best player over some childish grudge wouldn't be the best way to kick off The Era of PJax. So basically, however that scenario played out, Phil's gonna come out looking like a tool. Win-win for us.

EDIT: The MIL/PHI draft pick rumor is in regards to NYK looking to get a 2nd round pick, not a lottery pick. The logic is that those teams have so many draft picks this year that they could potentially sell off a 2nd rounder.

[Captain_Caveman]

I think hoping for Love in FA is getting greedy at this point.

While we might have the best package, there are definitely other suitors out there like Chicago and GSW, where Love would likely be happy at anyways. Flip would just pull the trigger on those deals.

As nice of an idea as it is, you get the start when you have the chance.

There's no way GS offers Klay Thompson if Love tells them he won't resign there. ****, it's why Chris Paul doesn't play there right now.

The whole free agency thing is just leverage to help force Minnys hand. They cannot let it get to that point.

[pfm]

There's no way GS offers Klay Thompson if Love tells them he won't resign there. ****, it's why Chris Paul doesn't play there right now.

The whole free agency thing is just leverage to help force Minnys hand. They cannot let it get to that point.

I think we are saying the same thing. My post was directed at those who were saying we should wait on a Love trade and somehow hope that he signs with us in 2015.

[Banks2Pierce]

What's crazy about the Melo potential is that we are probably best stocked assets-wise as far as the teams in the running for a s&t as well.