NBA Trade Rumors: Celtics exploring trading up in draft

Landing Kevin Love obviously isn't the only plan.  It might be the first one, but if that fails to happen there are still plenty of other courses of action.

Apparently one option is to trade up in the draft.

Celtics Notebook: Love in air after all, source says | Boston Herald

The source added that C’s president of basketball operations Danny Ainge and his staff are at least momentarily focused on investigating players who will be available at No. 6, with a series of high-profiled workouts scheduled for next Thursday and Friday. Ainge reportedly also has contacted two unspecified teams in the five slots above his pick about trading up for the most intriguing prospects in the draft. He has also taken a marginal number of calls from teams interested in the sixth pick.

To trade up in the draft, the Celtics would have to sacrifice some of their trade assets.  Most likely additional picks - either in this draft or in future ones.  If the delta between the top guys and the ones at 6 is great enough, it could very well be worth it.  Or if attaining a top 3 pick is what it takes to get Kevin Love, that also might be worth it - depending on the package of outgoing assets.

As Chad Ford outlines, there's really no telling what's going on in Danny's head.

Chat: Chat with Chad Ford - SportsNation - ESPN

Not sure anyone gets in Danny Ainge's head. And while Danny has told his fair share of tall tales this time of year, I think people are overthinking this. Danny Ainge is an opportunist. He's looking for the best deal. If he can package his assets and get an elite veteran to pair with Rondo, I think he would do it. If he can trade Rondo and get a valuable asset, I think he'd do it. However, he's not going to give away valuable assets and get a lesser asset in return which means if he can't find the right deal, he'll make these draft picks and then see what value they have after the draft. Obviously Ainge wants the Celtics to be back in the hunt for a championship, but he's not going to make a bad deal -- rarely does. So what is he planning? To make a good deal and he (and you and I) probably won't know what the best deal is to be had until draft night.

So yeah, basically anything can happen.