The three-team team trade between the Nets, Celtics and Cavaliers may have the biggest implications of any move this offseason. It allows the Cavaliers enough cap space to sign LeBron, explained in greater length on Fansided, and it grants the Celtics more assets to chase Kevin Love.
In the deal, Boston gets Marcus Thornton, Tyler Zeller, the Cavs 2016 protected first-round pick, a top 10 pick in ’16, ’17 or ’18 and an unprotected in ’19, according to Adrian Wojnarowski. The only thing they traded away was a second-round selection.
The trade can’t be officially consummated until Thursday, when a league-wide moratorium on signings and trades is lifted at 12:01 a.m.
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If nothing else, Boston lands a solid center in Zeller, who has developed nicely and should continue to do so. Thornton can be a role player off the bench.
The unspoken terms of the deal, however, are far more important. The Celtics can now better their offer with draft picks and — dare I say it — Rajon Rondo to land Kevin Love. They are standing on a knife-edge, however. The other possible fallout of this trade could be that LeBron goes to Cleveland and coaxes Love to follow. Cleveland ends up with superstars, and Boston ends up with an enormous amount of assets for their rebuilding process. It’s not exactly terrible, but they would have accidentally shot themselves in the foot.