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http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=marc-stein&id=1929&src=desktop

Which inevitably leads you to ask: What next?

The suggestion is already in circulation that the Lakers will attempt to use their forthcoming high lottery pick in June to assemble the sort of trade package that finally convinces the Wolves to part with Love and end the uncertainty that hangs over this franchise even before the 25-year-old enters the final year of his contract. Yet there is just as much defiance emanating from Minnesota, as we speak, about the Wolves' ability to keep Love in town.

You continue to hear that Wolves owner Glen Taylor remains determined to try to convince Love to stick around and will keep resisting trade offers until, as one insider puts it, he "has no choice." The Wolves are quietly optimistic about the marketing profile that the Taco Bell-endorsing All-Star starter has established for himself in a supposed small market as well as the relationship new team president Flip Saunders has forged with Love, who would have to be willing to leave some $30 million on the table, Dwight Howard-style, if he wants to force his way out

Think we're in a tough spot here. It at least be something that strongly needs to be considered on both team sides

It would be Billy King level incompetence to trade something as valuable as a lottery pick in a loaded draft for a player we can sign outright in free agency in a season. I can't imagine Mitch doing this. Do the right thing, tank another season, develop your lottery pick and prospects like Hill/Henry and beef up in 2015.

That wouldn't be wise. Lakers need to remain patient.

Slava wrote:It would be Billy King level incompetence to trade something as valuable as a lottery pick in a loaded draft for a player we can sign outright in free agency in a season. I can't imagine Mitch doing this. Do the right thing, tank another season, develop your lottery pick and prospects like Hill/Henry and beef up in 2015.

I agreed with everything up until " tank another season", how would that benefit us if we don't own our draft pick. I get theres only so much lakers can do next season but at the very least I expect us to make the playoffs. Wouldn't you?

plz don't do that dummies

stunnar0b wrote:

Slava wrote:It would be Billy King level incompetence to trade something as valuable as a lottery pick in a loaded draft for a player we can sign outright in free agency in a season. I can't imagine Mitch doing this. Do the right thing, tank another season, develop your lottery pick and prospects like Hill/Henry and beef up in 2015.

I agreed with everything up until " tank another season", how would that benefit us if we don't even own our draft pick. I get it theres only so much lakers can do next season but at the very least I expect us to make the playoffs. Wouldn't you?

We can keep our pick in the top 5. If we make the playoffs, well and good but we'd still be strengthening our division rival by sending them a pick. I just don't see how a similar team with an even older Kobe & Nash being the only major additions can be considered a 50 win team, which is what it would take to make the playoffs in the west. I can't even see this team making the playoffs with a Nash/Kobe/Love/Pau core to be honest if that trade somehow went through.

If we have a top 4 pick I would definitely say no. However, if we have the 6/7th pick and we can trade it for KLove + their pick (13th) I would be very tempted to do it. We could net something like KLove + WCS/Ennis. It's less net gain but would be a safer play than to wait for him in free agency where we also run the risk of the TWolves either trading him away to a team he might enjoy playing for (possible) or him signing outright with another team (unlikely). Mitch and Jim are gamblers though so I don't see them playing it safe.

Tanking next season is pretty unreasonable Slava, currently were in the midst of our worst season ever and were barely in the top 6. But yet were banking on being top 5 next season when the 76ers, Kings, Bucks, Magic and Jazz will possibly look just as bad next year?

On top of that our television ratings have dropped 49% and we have failed to sell out several games this season. We can’t afford to keep losing revenue because people refuse to watch or attend games, especially with the CBA costing us reportedly $50 Million a season in revenue sharing alone. We won’t be trading our pick but we won’t be actively tanking either.

GeorgeDillion wrote:Tanking next season is pretty unreasonable Slava, currently were in the midst of our worst season ever and were barely in the top 6. But yet were banking on being top 5 next season when the 76ers, Kings, Bucks, Magic and Jazz will possibly look just as bad next year?

On top of that our television ratings have dropped 49% and we have failed to sell out several games this season. We can’t afford to keep losing revenue because people refuse to watch or attend games, especially with the CBA costing us reportedly $50 Million a season in revenue sharing alone. We won’t be trading our pick but we won’t be actively tanking either.

I agree. My issue is if the pick can't land us Wiggins or Parker anddddd MAYBEEEEEE Exum . I'd be ok with moving the pick to secure love a season earlier. Its gonna be important for not just Lakers but the entire NBA that we field at least a competitive team next season that can make the playoffs. It wayyyy to risky to gamble on the only top 5 protected in 2015 Lottery. But I can understand those that feel like Slava and RoBaller do also.

ArC_man wrote:If we have a top 4 pick I would definitely say no. However, if we have the 6/7th pick and we can trade it for KLove + their pick (13th) I would be very tempted to do it. We could net something like KLove + WCS/Ennis. It's less net gain but would be a safer play than to wait for him in free agency where we also run the risk of the TWolves either trading him away to a team he might enjoy playing for (possible) or him signing outright with another team (unlikely). Mitch and Jim are gamblers though so I don't see them playing it safe.

Even if it is a top 6/7 pick I would rather develop that player than take a gamble on Kevin Love. A top 6/7 player will most likely be better than most of the players we have on the roster while costing about the same. One of the luxuries to having a player on a rookie deal is that he will be locked up for a few seasons. Chances are you aren't going to find a solid contributor for cheap through free agency while locking him up for a couple of seasons.

Taking a gamble on Kevin Love would be idiotic. We already saw Dwight Howard screw over one franchise and then proceed to screw over another in a years time. We could see Carmelo leave this summer for another team if it means going to a winner. Whats to stop Kevin Love from leaving us when he won't have much ties to this team similar to Dwight? You have to remember there is a ton of pressure on Kevin Love to win. The guy hasn't sniffed the playoffs since being drafted in 2008 so I'm not sure if Kevin Love is going to be thinking about the long term picture when free agency rolls around. If Minny fails to make the playoffs again next year he is probably looking to go somewhere he knows will be guaranteed to make the playoffs without him doing all the work.

The Skyhook wrote:

ArC_man wrote:If we have a top 4 pick I would definitely say no. However, if we have the 6/7th pick and we can trade it for KLove + their pick (13th) I would be very tempted to do it. We could net something like KLove + WCS/Ennis. It's less net gain but would be a safer play than to wait for him in free agency where we also run the risk of the TWolves either trading him away to a team he might enjoy playing for (possible) or him signing outright with another team (unlikely). Mitch and Jim are gamblers though so I don't see them playing it safe.

Even if it is a top 6/7 pick I would rather develop that player than take a gamble on Kevin Love. A top 6/7 player will most likely be better than most of the players we have on the roster while costing about the same. One of the luxuries to having a player on a rookie deal is that he will be locked up for a few seasons. Chances are you aren't going to find a solid contributor for cheap through free agency while locking him up for a couple of seasons.

Taking a gamble on Kevin Love would be idiotic. We already saw Dwight Howard screw over one franchise and then proceed to screw over another in a years time. We could see Carmelo leave this summer for another team if it means going to a winner. Whats to stop Kevin Love from leaving us when he won't have much ties to this team similar to Dwight? You have to remember there is a ton of pressure on Kevin Love to win. The guy hasn't sniffed the playoffs since being drafted in 2008 so I'm not sure if Kevin Love is going to be thinking about the long term picture when free agency rolls around. If Minny fails to make the playoffs again next year he is probably looking to go somewhere he knows will be guaranteed to make the playoffs without him doing all the work.

Lets just call it what it is though Sky.... Dwight didnt want to be in a Lakers jersey from the start.... And from what is out there Kevin Love wants to be. 2 different people.

leeprettyp wrote:

The Skyhook wrote:

ArC_man wrote:If we have a top 4 pick I would definitely say no. However, if we have the 6/7th pick and we can trade it for KLove + their pick (13th) I would be very tempted to do it. We could net something like KLove + WCS/Ennis. It's less net gain but would be a safer play than to wait for him in free agency where we also run the risk of the TWolves either trading him away to a team he might enjoy playing for (possible) or him signing outright with another team (unlikely). Mitch and Jim are gamblers though so I don't see them playing it safe.

Even if it is a top 6/7 pick I would rather develop that player than take a gamble on Kevin Love. A top 6/7 player will most likely be better than most of the players we have on the roster while costing about the same. One of the luxuries to having a player on a rookie deal is that he will be locked up for a few seasons. Chances are you aren't going to find a solid contributor for cheap through free agency while locking him up for a couple of seasons.

Taking a gamble on Kevin Love would be idiotic. We already saw Dwight Howard screw over one franchise and then proceed to screw over another in a years time. We could see Carmelo leave this summer for another team if it means going to a winner. Whats to stop Kevin Love from leaving us when he won't have much ties to this team similar to Dwight? You have to remember there is a ton of pressure on Kevin Love to win. The guy hasn't sniffed the playoffs since being drafted in 2008 so I'm not sure if Kevin Love is going to be thinking about the long term picture when free agency rolls around. If Minny fails to make the playoffs again next year he is probably looking to go somewhere he knows will be guaranteed to make the playoffs without him doing all the work.

Lets just call it what it is though Sky.... Dwight didnt want to be in a Lakers jersey from the start.... And from what is out there Kevin Love wants to be. 2 different people.

You're right but there is so much damn pressure on the guy to make the playoffs. Theres a lot going against us. Steve Nash is a corpse, Pau might walk because of how poorly he has been treated over the years, and we don't know how Kobe will look when he eventually returns to the court.

GeorgeDillion wrote:Tanking next season is pretty unreasonable Slava, currently were in the midst of our worst season ever and were barely in the top 6. But yet were banking on being top 5 next season when the 76ers, Kings, Bucks, Magic and Jazz will possibly look just as bad next year?

On top of that our television ratings have dropped 49% and we have failed to sell out several games this season. We can’t afford to keep losing revenue because people refuse to watch or attend games, especially with the CBA costing us reportedly $50 Million a season in revenue sharing alone. We won’t be trading our pick but we won’t be actively tanking either.

I can tell you right now that there's very little possibility of us making the playoffs next season if we substitute Gasol for Love with the same team, which is what would happen if we trade that pick unless Kobe returns to pre-achilles condition and we also end up singing someone like Lowry.

We are so very reliant on Kobe that it would make all kinds of sense to test him and see what level he is at before making any drastic decisions to trade a cheap, young player we will be getting from the draft whereas there is a very high probability for us to return to relevance in a shorter time span if we stay patient for just one more season.

I rather hang on to our pick. KLove has already made it clear he wants to join the Lakers. Let keep our pick and take a chance on him to come to LA.

Would you guys be open for say per instance a S&T with

Pau and the 1st for Love?

Or maybe

Jordan Hill (S&T)
Nash
1st
for
Love


And maybe sign Okafor this offseason for a cheap price? Rumors are also out there Bulls may amensity Boozer. Maybe we could place a cheap bid on him also. Would help that our record is so bad. Man I so wanted Wiggins or Parker in purp in gold though. The 76ers and Bucks practically ruined our dreams smh!!!

depends on high/low the pick is

Where would love take us? Dude can't even take the wolves to the playoffs and they he has a better situation there. Vastly overrated dude for how great his impact on a game is. I'd rather keep my pick and develop a young rookie

+23ppg +12rpg is not overrated fellas lol

Slava wrote:

GeorgeDillion wrote:Tanking next season is pretty unreasonable Slava, currently were in the midst of our worst season ever and were barely in the top 6. But yet were banking on being top 5 next season when the 76ers, Kings, Bucks, Magic and Jazz will possibly look just as bad next year?

On top of that our television ratings have dropped 49% and we have failed to sell out several games this season. We can’t afford to keep losing revenue because people refuse to watch or attend games, especially with the CBA costing us reportedly $50 Million a season in revenue sharing alone. We won’t be trading our pick but we won’t be actively tanking either.

I can tell you right now that there's very little possibility of us making the playoffs next season if we substitute Gasol for Love with the same team, which is what would happen if we trade that pick unless Kobe returns to pre-achilles condition and we also end up singing someone like Lowry.

We are so very reliant on Kobe that it would make all kinds of sense to test him and see what level he is at before making any drastic decisions to trade a cheap, young player we will be getting from the draft whereas there is a very high probability for us to return to relevance in a shorter time span if we stay patient for just one more season.

Kobe and love and room for another max player? And Kobe and Love's deals ending at the same time?

Screw the pick and tanking next season, that's a pretty solid core depending on who we can grab in the off season.

Tanking next year would be idiotic as our pick is only top 5 protected and Kobe will be back.
Trading assets for a player we can have in FA also dumb

I don't think Love is overrated, I just think you need a very good defensive front court to make up for his non existent at all D.