Kevin Love trade rumors: T-Wolves forward tours Boston
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love visited Boston, which of course got Boston Celtics fans excited.
Timberwolves forward Kevin Love won't be able to vacation in an NBA city in peace with his name steeping in trade rumors, so it was no surprise this weekend that a visit to Boston led to quite the excitement for Celtics fans.
Love won’t be a free agent until the summer of 2015, but if Minnesota fears he won’t re-sign and wants compensation for him, it could trade him to a number of teams this offseason. Among those teams are the Celtics, who multiple reports indicate have serious interest -- and enough assets -- to potentially put together an intriguing package in exchange for Love.
Love’s tour of Boston gained attention when a picture taken by a Harvard graduate was posted on Twitter. And it went from there.
#Celtics fan Marc Atiyeh was walking down Boylston on Saturday when he spotted Kevin Love http://t.co/3zE6VG9zfi pic.twitter.com/swScd8tinu
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) June 1, 2014 Love did a good deal of public touring. He watched the Boston Red Sox defeat Tampa Bay alongside agent Jeff Schwartz and also chatted with The Greatest Bar owner Bill Fairweather about the Celtics, reports the Boston Globe. Fairweather said Love discussed his admiration for former Celtics great Larry Bird, adding he wanted to speak with fellow UCLA alum Bill Walton about his time with Boston. Fairweather told the Globe Love was clear that while he didn’t know what his future holds, he just wants to win.
During the visit to Fairweather's bar, Love also complimented current Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo, who he met during the Red Sox game.
Need to see these guys together @kevinlove @RajonRondo #collectingdimes #breakingbackboards pic.twitter.com/aJz1aEvEqJ
— Big Dub (@BigDub74) June 1, 2014 Rondo wasn’t the only Boston sports figure to reach out to Love. A blurry snapshot of Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski speaking to Love was apparently taken at a rooftop party that Love attended.
FWIW, was told by people at the rooftop party that Kevin Love & Gronk chatted, as this photo indicates: pic.twitter.com/GI0DQ247ip
— Baxter Holmes (@BaxterHolmes) June 2, 2014 And on Twitter, Red Sox slugger David Ortiz also offered advice to Love. Ortiz moved to Boston after playing for the Minnesota Twins.
Back in Minnesota, Timberwolves president Flip Saunders brushed Love’s visit to Boston aside.
More Flip on Love and his trip to BOS: "I expect him to be playing for us next year. I don't dictate where guys go on vacation."
— Jon Krawczynski (@APkrawczynski) June 1, 2014 Flip when asked if Celtics fans should calm down: "I've been there. They're never going to calm down. I think they still think they got...
— Jerry Zgoda (@JerryZgoda) June 1, 2014 "Tim Duncan in the draft"!
— Jerry Zgoda (@JerryZgoda) June 1, 2014 Love’s visit may have been a vacation or a trip to learn about the city of Boston. Whatever the case, Love won’t be taking visits to major cities without getting noticed.
