Boston Celtics rumors: Larry Nance, not Kevin Love, a possible Cavs trade target

All along the Houdini has pegged Kevin Love as the top Boston Celtics from the Cleveland Cavaliers. As it turns out, that may instead be Larry Nance.

John Hollinger recently dropped a major nugget in a piece for The Athletic on what the Boston Celtics may plan to discuss this offseason at the negotiating table with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Shockingly, it does not involve the name Kevin Love at all.

Instead, it appears that Larry Nance is the name the Cs plan on targeting:

"“A better but riskier path might be an all-in-one type arrangement, where they trade the 14th pick, Kanter and Poirier, and get back a legitimate frontcourt player in return,” Hollinger wrote. “The most obvious target for such a deal would be Cleveland’s Larry Nance, who could play 4 and 5 for them and who makes $11.7 million, $10.7 million and $9.7 million over the next three seasons.”"

It isn’t shocking to hear that Boston is willing to tie draft picks to the contracts of Enes Kanter and Vincent Poirier to bring in an impact player in return. Kanter and Poirier don’t figure to have pronounced roles next season, with Kanter being unplayable in the postseason and Poirier essentially being unplayable all year.

What is shocking to hear is that the Celtics aren’t willing to include that same pick in a deal attached to Gordon Hayward’s deal to bring in Kevin Love and a utility player like Cedi Osman. Given the team’s struggles from the 3-point line this season, Love’s career 37 percent conversion rate would be an asset for the Cs.

Then again, Love is 32 and is on the books for three more seasons. His deal may age poorly given his injury history, and with Boston already so deep in salary cap purgatory, perhaps Nance’s $30 million remaining on his deal over the next three years is a wiser investment.

What do you think Boston Celtics fans? Should the team pursue Larry Nance, Kevin Love, both, or none of them?

Let us know in the comments section below!