Report: Celtics boss Danny Ainge meets with agent for Kevin Love, Harrison Barnes, Brandon Ingram

WEEI

By John Tomase

According to a Twitter report from Andrew Perna of RealGM, Celtics president Danny Ainge met with the agent for Cavaliers forward Kevin Love and impending free agent Harrison Barnes this week in New York.

Perna reports that Ainge spoke with agent Jeff Schwartz, who also represents potential top-two pick Brandon Ingram of Duke. The report doesn’t specify what was discussed, but notes that such meetings are common.

Ainge could’ve been inquiring on Barnes, who is expected to receive in the neighborhood of a max contract this offseason after filling an everyman role for the Golden State Warriors.

He also, more intriguingly, could’ve been feeling out Schwartz informally on the potential availability of Love this summer after two relatively lackluster seasons with the Cavaliers in the shadow of LeBron James.

Love has never meshed perfectly in Cleveland, and the Celtics have shown interest in the 27-year-old in the past, including two years ago, when he was spotted at a Red Sox game with then-Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo. The Celtics were unable to swing a deal with Minnesota at that time, though, and Love was instead traded to Cleveland to form a new Big Three with James and Kyrie Irving.

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Something is cooking with Danny. I think he is finding out where all the pieces on the chess board lie. From there he can start connecting the right dots to the puzzle so he then has a framework to work with come free agency, cap room, and who is demanding what.

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I am sure that lots of things are cooking for Ainge. The guy probably averages about 5 hours of sleep per night and that number is likely to shrink as draft night approaches in 11 days.

I would just love to see his flow chart and how many veins it might have on it.

I would not like to see Kevin Love in a Cs uniform, however, so perhaps that flow chart under "K.Love" is very short. This guy is too expensive in both his salary and the cost of obtaining him. He is also clearly on his way downhill in the NBA after not having done much except accumulate some good numbers when in Minnesota.

please....Love is NOT all we need.. Sorry, Beatles.

Summer of 1969!

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They all have the same agent, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports Management.

They also represent Blake Griffin (who has been mentioned in trade rumors), free agent BisMACK BiiYOMMMMBOOOOO!!!! and Aaron Afflalo (who has a player option for $8M and might opt out and become a free agent). And our old friend, Jerryd Bayless. You want shooting? His contract that just expired was for $3M.

Having regular contact and good relations with agents is just as much a part of Danny's job as having regular contact and good relations with other GMs. Expressing interest, or at least admiration, for one of their clients who will someday become free agents is smart management.

Nothing to see here, move along, move along.


bob


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