Biggest Blockbuster Trade Ever?

[rugbyrugger23]

Assumptions:
-Neither Clips or Cavs win 2015 title.
-Love opts-in or does 1+1.
-Jordan re-signs with Clips.

Clippers Trade: Blake + Paul
Clippers Receive: Love + Westbrook + PJ3 plus OKC filler*
*OKC has quite a bit of filler to add here (PJ3 or Lamb or McGary or Waiters or other), combinations are truly endless. Clips could even send out some additional players like Crawford NG or Hawes bad contract in combination.
Clippers Why:
-Get LA kids to build around in Love and Westbrook
-Love moves up to 2nd banana next to friend/college roommate Westbrook while backed by Jordan rim protecting
-Stregthen their weakest need in bench players or assets acquired to improve bench with additional moves
C: Jordan/Hawes
F: Love/Hawes
F: By committee or additional roster move
G: Redick/Crawford
G: Westbrook/Rivers

OKC Trades: Ibaka + Westbrook + Kanter (s&t) + Filler to Clips
OKC Receives: Griffin + Paul + Mozgov + Haywood NG
OKC Why:
-Get hometown hero Blake Griffin
-If any Westbrook/KD relationship "whatever" was true or not but worried Presti for whatever reason, he moves Westbrook for the best pass first PG in the NBA to keep KD ultimatly happy and in OKC
-Get below lux tax threshold
C: Mosgov/Adams/Collison
F: Griffin/McGary/Collison
F: KD/Roberson/#14
G: Waiters or Morrow or Lamb or Roberson
G: Paul/DJ/Waiters

Cavs Trade: Love + Mosgov + Haywood NG
Cavs Receive: Ibaka + Kanter (s&t) + Novak
Cavs Why:
-Get out from Love drama while not left holding bag in Wiggins trade and IMO get a PF in Ibaka better at playing third banana
-Ibaka may prove better fit on roster and much better rotation next to TT who LBJ is about to overpay
C: Kanter/Ibaka/AV
F: Ibaka/TT/AV
F: LBJ/MM/Novak
G: Shumpert/Smith
G: Irving/Dell

[Mr Swagtastic]

Can't see OKC trading this much for Griffin and Paul. They would have no defense outside Paul and Mozgov. To me this is a bit of a overpay, Russell is a very, very good scorer and playmaker and I think the "fued" between KD and Westbrook is overblown. You also have them trading a very good defensive 4 in Ibaka add well which I just can't see.

I just think this is a trade no team here would do right now but if I had to say who would say yes first it would be Cleveland

[Texas Chuck]

I honestly don't understand the point of OP's like this. I'm going to leave the thread open for now, but its on a short leash due to how wildly unrealistic this is.

[bondom34]

Yeah, I really don't have any input here. Its just too unreal to even debate.

[HornetJail]

Disregarding the fact that this will never, ever happen even if value is perfect- Cleveland gets cut out and the Clippers take Ibaka+Kanter for themselves.

[rugbyrugger23]

Can't see OKC trading this much for Griffin and Paul. They would have no defense outside Paul and Mozgov. To me this is a bit of a overpay, Russell is a very, very good scorer and playmaker and I think the "fued" between KD and Westbrook is overblown. You also have them trading a very good defensive 4 in Ibaka add well which I just can't see.

I just think this is a trade no team here would do right now but if I had to say who would say yes first it would be Cleveland

The way I see it for OKC is Blake > Ibaka. Maybe even >>. But Blake needs a rim protector next to him, enter Mosgov. Mozgov is playoffs top rim protector and was pretty good in reg season. Plus Mosgov still gives OKC options with Adams getting PT and still future C for Thunder.

Westbrook > Paul. And yes media blows up whole feud thing, but one has to admit KD would love to play with a pass first PG. This could improve his efficiency and increase his production vs. playing with Westbrook. Nice little perk for OKC franchise player to have going for him.

And Presti getting below lux tax threshold by trading bench depth he has in abundance, mainly with players about to end their rookie deals, who are not getting PT on stacked team, seems like a good value trade to me.

Mozgov = Kanter...and here value really depends on roster needs. And in this trade both end up in ideal frontcourts. For OKC, at least Mozgov is much cheaper for 1 year.

And I agree Cavs give up more here, well depending on one's view of Mosgov vs. Kanter and Love vs. Ibaka. But to gain such piece of mind (Love bolting concerns) and Ibaka's fit next to TT (and Kanter) is ideal (assuming LBJ gets TT to sign for rumored 11-13 per).

Disregarding the fact that this will never, ever happen even if value is perfect- Cleveland gets cut out and the Clippers take Ibaka+Kanter for themselves.

I thought about not adding Cavs, but just don't see Clips not re-signing Jordan. And a frontcourt of Ibaka and Jordan with Kanter (and Hawes) off the bench doesn't seem well fitting and sure ties up cap for just 2 positions.

[Laimbeer]

No way do the Clippers trade Paul and Griffin for Westbrook and Love. Paul is about Westbrook's equal but I think Blake is going to a level Love never will.

I like it for OKC. Paul can play the role of sometimes facilitator/sometimes scorer that Westbrook does and Griffin's game is at another level from Ibaka. I realize Ibaka provides rim protection but they are getting Mozgov and Adams is still around. It's well worth getting Blake's inside presence.

Good for the Cavs too. I've always liked the idea of a Love/Ibaka swap for them. Ibaka's ability to space the floor, not demand the ball, and protect the rim make him ideal for them.

[Laimbeer]

Disregarding the fact that this will never, ever happen even if value is perfect- Cleveland gets cut out and the Clippers take Ibaka+Kanter for themselves.

Exactly what trade are you proposing?

[Smitty731]

It wouldn't happen. The Cavs portion is pretty terrible. Love is a better all around player than Ibaka. Mozgov fits what Cleveland needs far more than Kanter. And Haywood's large non-guaranteed contract is far more valuable than Novak.

As my fellow Mods said, this whole thing is a non-starter. But yes, it would be the largest blockbuster ever.

[Scoot McGroot]

It wouldn't happen. The Cavs portion is pretty terrible. Love is a better all around player than Ibaka. Mozgov fits what Cleveland needs far more than Kanter. And Haywood's large non-guaranteed contract is far more valuable than Novak.

As my fellow Mods said, this whole thing is a non-starter. But yes, it would be the largest blockbuster ever.

Yeah. On big deals like this, I zone out and tend to just zoom in on teams aspect of it. In this case, Cleveland.

I see no reason why Cleveland would include a Mozgov/Kanter swap. If you have Kyrie/Lebron, why wouldn't you focus completely on rim defense and rebounding at the 4/5 (if you're dealing Love)? Why add Kanter at a very high salary when you have Mozgov locked in cheap for next year? I can understand a Love/Ibaka swap argument for both teams. I don't see why anything else is added in for Cleveland.

[rugbyrugger23]

No way do the Clippers trade Paul and Griffin for Westbrook and Love. Paul is about Westbrook's equal but I think Blake is going to a level Love never will.

I like it for OKC. Paul can play the role of sometimes facilitator/sometimes scorer that Westbrook does and Griffin's game is at another level from Ibaka. I realize Ibaka provides rim protection but they are getting Mozgov and Adams is still around. It's well worth getting Blake's inside presence.

Good for the Cavs too. I've always liked the idea of a Love/Ibaka swap for them. Ibaka's ability to space the floor, not demand the ball, and protect the rim make him ideal for them.

Love v. Griffin. Oh so many threads in itself. I give edge to Griffin too, but just a slight edge. How would Griffin produce as third pillar of big three? He is a 2nd pillar right now, arguably the 1st, with the other guy being the NBA's best pass first PG. Plus, Love has never had the luxury of being backed by Jordan at the rim (well until his very short time period with Mosgov). No doubt Love's production being 2nd option and backed by Jordan at the rim would see a very nice, to huge spike, in all production numbers.

Also for Clips they have almost no ability to upgrade their glaring weakness, the bench. As it stands now they are capped out with very little assets to deal. This trade results in an improved bench or assets to do just that.

So to me for Clips:
Westbrook + Love = Paul + Griffin...+Clips add some bench player(s)/tradeable assets (hence fixing a weakness)

It wouldn't happen. The Cavs portion is pretty terrible. Love is a better all around player than Ibaka. Mozgov fits what Cleveland needs far more than Kanter. And Haywood's large non-guaranteed contract is far more valuable than Novak.

As my fellow Mods said, this whole thing is a non-starter. But yes, it would be the largest blockbuster ever.

Cavs might be giving more value vs. receiving, I would say much more arguable than you state, but if Cavs feel they are at risk of getting nothing for Love, this is a huge score. And I have seen articles, statements, etc. coming from Cleveland that at minimum must mean where their is smoke, theirs fire.

No way OKC does a Love for Ibaka straight swap. Love and Kanter would be terrible big pairing. If such a swap would ever be entertained, or three teamer like this trade, Mosgov and Kanter are being swapped too. Both teams would prefer such a pairing.

[yosemiteben]

I actually think it's a surprisingly reasonable trade.

[mademan]

Cavs get destroyed in this trade. Swapping Love out for Ibaka is a downgrade in talent, though i understand the fit argument (though i dont agree). Trading Mozgov/Haywood for Enes Kanter just kills the trade


I edited out the baiting portion for you. No need for that please -- Chuck