If Horford leaving is true then Love would be interesting to Boston.

Sources: Horford to seek deal outside of Boston
play
8:41 PM ET
Adrian Wojnarowski

Boston Celtics All-Star center Al Horford will decline to exercise his $30.1 million option for the 2019-20 season and seek to leave the franchise as an unrestricted free agent this summer, league sources told ESPN.

Talks on a new deal with the Celtics have perished, with too great of a gulf between what the Celtics are willing to offer and what Horford wants on a long-term deal, league sources said.


A strong market is expected for Horford, 33, who could be a strong candidate for the LA Clippers should they be able to lure Toronto's Kawhi Leonard. The Clippers have two maximum contract slots.

Celtics general manager Danny Ainge and Horford's agent, Jason Glushon, aren't expected to restart talks again, league sources said. Horford is entering free agency with the full expectation that his three-year Celtics career has ended, sources said.

Horford, a five-time All-Star, was a key member of the Celtics' core and a favorite of management, coaches and teammates.

Horford averaged 13.6 and 6.7 rebounds for the Celtics a season ago, his third with Boston since leaving Atlanta for a four-year, $113 million free-agent deal with the Celtics. Horford has been to the Eastern Conference playoffs 11 times in his 12-year pro career. He won two national championships at the University of Florida.

Sheesh, the NBA offseason just blows the other sports out of the water.

Sorry, I have 3 words for you.

Odell Beckham Junior

Seriously though, I do believe the NFL offseason is far better than others.

When I was younger I used to love the baseball hot stove.

Never paid any attention to NBA offseason.

And would look at the newspaper on Monday after draft to see who Browns selected. Once in a while get news of a big signing. (Andre Risen!)

But now, the NFL has built their offseason into its own spectator sport. The first day of free agency, hell, even the day leading up to the start, I have NFL Network on all day. I never miss the scouting combine. People tune into pro days! And the draft is can’t miss. Next month I am looking forward to Training Camp Daily, a daily show on STO that recaps that days practice.

NBA has passed up baseball hot stove but nothing matches the NFL, IMO.

Cleveland Cavaliers NBA draft scribbles: Is trading Kevin Love to New Orleans a smart move? — Terry Pluto
Updated 6:07 AM; Today 5:00 AM


By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The NBA draft is Thursday (ESPN, 7:30 p.m.) and the Cavaliers have a young and bold front office willing to take risks. They have an owner with money.

All of that has me scribbling away:

1. What would a Cavaliers summer be without a Kevin Love rumor? As one NBA source told me, “Griff loves Kevin.” Griff is New Orleans GM David Griffin, the same David Griffin who brought Love to the Cavs in 2014.


2. Griffin has the No. 4 pick in the draft, right in front of the Cavs at No. 5. He also has a riverboat load of first round picks after his big trade with the Lakers for Anthony Davis. And Griffin is a bit of riverboat gambler, as Cavs fans know, when it comes to trades.

3. The thinking on Love to New Orleans is Griffin decides to pair top pick Zion Williamson and all the young players he added from the Lakers (Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart) with Love and returning guard Jrue Holiday and make a move for the playoffs within the next two seasons.

4. The Cavs would keep adding draft assets and young players. They’d go extremely young with the No. 4 and No. 5 picks and who knows what else. Suppose they like both Darius Garland and De’Andre Hunter – and I think they do. This would allow them to grab both players.

5. As I reported Monday, the Cavs sent at least five people to watch a private workout set up by agent Rich Paul for Garland in Los Angeles. That was over the weekend. Garland also worked out for the Lakers, but that was before the Lakers traded the No. 4 pick to New Orleans. He played only five games before his season ended with meniscus knee surgery. He has scheduled a workout with the Knicks, who have the No. 3 pick.


6. This would not be a straight Kevin Love for the No. 4 pick deal. There are major salary cap considerations. Other players and picks would be involved. I also know Cavs GM Koby Altman also likes Love. Coach John Beilein told me in a casual conversation how he can’t wait to coach Love.

7. I have heard from several NBA sources that Griffin is “running an auction” for the No. 4 pick. He has Williamson at No. 1. He has lots of other young players. Many in the NBA believe Griffin will do something with the No. 4 pick – and the Cavs are said to be interested in it.

8. I’d love to see the Cavs’ young players on the court with a reasonably healthy Love – even for 65 games in 2019-2020. After Love came back from his foot surgery last season, the Cavs had a 7-9 record in games where he played at least 15 minutes. He makes a huge difference, not just in winning – but also player development. Collin Sexton thrived when on the court with Love.

9. Love has not played 65 games in a season since 2015-16 when he was on the court for 77. In the last three seasons, he’s played 60-59-22 games. He will be 31 on September 7, so he’s not that old. The Cavs and other teams have to consider his injury history.


10. If the Cavs stay at No. 5, I’d take Hunter. The 6-foot-7 Virginia forward/shooting guard is a tough defender, a solid shooter, a terrific “culture guy” as the Cavs call players they like. I have watched a few replays of games on ESPN featuring Texas Tech’s Jarrett Culver, and his outside shot is very suspect. That worries me.

11. I have little to say about Garland, the 6-foot-3 guard who played only 129 minutes in college. I found a few things to watch on-line. He has a very nice 3-point shot with NBA range. That’s important. He also looks skinny and needs work driving to the rim. But he’s only 19 and won’t be 20 until January 26.

12. The young age of these players makes it so hard to evaluate. It’s why Sexton’s rookie season was impressive, playing all 82 games and averaging 16.1 points. He opened the year at the age of 19. Hunter is 21 years old and played two years at Virginia.

13. Finally: I don’t know that Griffin wants Love at this stage. I do know he is a Love fan and the two men have a terrific relationship off the court. But I do know Griffin wants to deal around the draft, and so do the Cavs. And they do have several things in common, including a close, personal relationship between the two front offices.

Geez, where have we heard this speculation before ??????? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm !

The Nets have reportedly expressed interest in unrestricted free agent Al Horford. Horford is said to be eying his exit from Boston, and there's a chance he'll team up with his former teammate Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn.

The Nets are reportedly only interested in signing Irving if they can bring in another star player, as they aren't convinced he can successfully be a one-man show, so if they're not able to convince Kevin Durant to leave Golden State they could look to Horford as a backup plan.

Kyrie is going to New Jersey with or without anyone. Brooklyn did not clear all of that cap space and wipe out future drafts because Kyrie may or may not come. They know for sure. They also know a second player is coming.

Agree rusty because we know how good D'Angelo Russell was last year.

To me, you don't let Russell walk unless you know Kyrie and someone huge is coming.

I would not be surprised to see Horford sign again with Boston. Good possibility this is a game that his agent and Boston are playing.

If Cavs want to trade Kevin Love this is certainly sizing up as the time to get it done.

Totally, and there is no reason to carry his injury prone self (and his contract especially) if they can move it.

I get it that it would be nice to have him mentor the kids but it's too pricey for that.

For my fellow Buckeyes fans ... from Adrian Wojnarowski ...


The Memphis Grizzlies have traded guard Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz for Grayson Allen, Kyle Korver and Jae Crowder, the 23rd pick in Thursday's draft and a future first-round pick, league sources told ESPN.

The Jazz will send a protected 2020 first-round pick to the Grizzlies, league sources told ESPN. That pick will convey as a late lottery pick in 2020 or 2021, or become a lightly protected pick from 2022 to '24. The deal will be complete on July 6.

Conley, 31, who has played all 12 seasons of his NBA career in Memphis, averaged 21.1 points, 6.4 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game this past season.

Reports of Chris Paul wanting out of Houston too. He and Harden have fallen out.

Too bad Lakers gave away their team already. I’m sure CP3 and LeBron would love to play together.

Cavs are still in cat bird seat if Pelicans do not trade with Atlanta and Culver is still available at #5. Atlanta wants Culver.