Throughout the offseason, there will be reports and whispers about players that the Celtics might be interested in. Each time a name bubbles up, we'll ask an ESPN Boston writer to react to the rumor. Next up: Chris Haynes of CSNNW is reporting that Boston has shown interest in Portland Trailblazers guard Jamal Crawford. Like a summer romance, could this love truly last?

From CSNNW: The Portland Trailblazers are fielding offers for guard Jamal Crawford and the Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Boston Celtics are among the teams actively pursuing the scoring specialist intensely, a league source tells CSNNW.com.

ESPN Boston reaction: Crawford's always been an attractive player due to his flashy scoring ability, and the Celtics certainly wouldn't mind an accomplished scorer coming off of their bench -- someone who can fill up the stat sheet more consistently than the likes of Mickael Pietrus and Keyon Dooling did last season. But it's certainly a trade off, as Crawford has never been lauded for his efforts on the defensive end, and he's a very poor rebounder on top of that. What's more concerning is the drop-off in Crawford's shooting percentages last year. While he might have shot a career-high 92.7 percent from the free throw line, he shot a career-worst 30.8 percent from 3-point nation, and just 38.4 percent from the field overall, his worst mark since his rookie season back in 2000. All of this is to say that the Celtics should entertain the idea of adding the 32-year old Crawford, but perhaps shouldn't look to break the bank or hand away any significant players in order to acquire his services (he could be available via trade until June 28 and then signed as an unrestricted free agent after that). If the Celtics can get him for cheap (which is unlikely, given the other teams reportedly pursuing him), they should look to add him. If the asking price is too high, they should look elsewhere.