The Boston Celtics ultimately did not make a huge trade on Thursday, but for a time, it looked like they might. During that time, the Cleveland Cavaliers were apparently very, very nervous.
Appearing on The Lowe Post podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst described the rising nervousness in Cleveland as the rumors flew linking the Celtics to Jimmy Butler or Paul George.
“The Cavs were on pins and needles yesterday about the Celtics (possibly) getting Paul George or Jimmy Butler,” Windhorst said, via Joe Wolfond of theScore. “Pins and needles.”
Windhorst went on to speculate that, had the Celtics pulled the trigger on a big move, the Cavaliers may have felt compelled to swing something big of their own to maintain their Eastern Conference stranglehold.
“If it’s Isaiah Thomas, Al Horford, and Jimmy Butler, the Cavs might be out there saying, ‘We might have to trade Kevin Love,’” Windhorst said.
Ultimately, nothing happened on the Celtics front, leaving the Cavaliers to breathe a sigh of relief. Perhaps they’d have gone for that Kevin Love-Carmelo Anthony trade had the Celtics gotten busy.
