Kevin Love Free Agency/Trade Thread

[DarkAzcura]

Yeah, but they still had KG and Pierce back then. IMO after what happened with Dwight and Iggy last summer GMs will be more reluctant to trade for Love if there's a doubt if they can re-sign him.

And they still have Rondo plus assets after this trade.

Perhaps I'm underestimating Celtics players/assets but I can't see how they would build a contender for next year. They really have very little talent on the roster.

Yeaaah, I think you are a bit. Rondo + Green + Kevin Love will be enough for .500. The Celtics with a defensive center (maybe Asik?) added to that will bring them to 50 wins pretty quickly, imo. The Celtics actually have quite a bit of talent. It's just terribly balanced with no scorer and no rim protection. The C's have good play makers, good transition players, good perimeter defenders, and solid coaching. They have no one who can score 18+ PPG and no one who can defend the paint worth a dime. Ainge completely mis-balanced and sabotaged the C's roster this past season on purpose. Full of talent, but none of it syncs up.

[JonFromVA]

Have you guys considered what you'd want (if anything) from the Cavs (who'd want to keep Irving to pair with Love and attract James).

We're talking the #9 pick in this draft, Anthony Bennett, Dion Waiters, Sergey Karasev, Tyler, Zeller, Tristan Thompson, Anderson Varejao, future #1's, and a future Memphis #1 that's protected from falling out of the lottery.

Perhaps even Luol Deng or Spencer Hawes if the TWolves wanted to overpay them in a complicated multi-stage S&T.

I understand that a top-5 pick that hasn't yet entered the league is always going to look better than a top-5 pick that's already had his flaws exposed, but, there are no guarantees that a top-5 pick in this draft will actually turn out better than Bennett, Waiters, or Thompson.

[gaspar]

And they still have Rondo plus assets after this trade.

Perhaps I'm underestimating Celtics players/assets but I can't see how they would build a contender for next year. They really have very little talent on the roster.

Rondo, Love alone makes the playoffs and probably close to home court advantage.

No, not really. It, isn't that simple. Raptors, Nets, Wizards and Hawks are better teams than their records last year showed. Celtics with Rondo went 6-24 last season... As you have seen last year, having a defensive center to play alongside Love and a good deep bench is very important. The Celtics have none of that and it won't be easy to fix that.

It's not really that important. EOT from my side, don't want to derail your trade thread anymore, guys

[AQuintus]

#9, Waiters, Thompson, and Varejao could be interesting (and would work financially), but I doubt that Cleveland would offer that much, though, since it's very unlikely that Love would stick around in Cleveland.

[Krapinsky]

#9, Waiters, Thompson, and Varejao could be interesting (and would work financially), but I doubt that Cleveland would offer that much, though, since it's very unlikely that Love would stick around in Cleveland.

If they keep Deng and Love gets input on the new coach? I could see it. Gilbert is just crazy enough to try.

[kmgarnett21]

I'm going to state the obvious, even though many people aren't seeing it as obvious...IMO, I don't think ANYONE makes the trade for Love without getting him to agree to an extension.

[HomoSapien]

For what it's worth:

Bill Simmons ‏@BillSimmons 15m

Hearing that, if the Grizz totally clean house, the Memphis owner will look to trade for Tom Thibodeau + give him an SVG/Pistons-type deal.

Bill Simmons ‏@BillSimmons 13m
PS: Bulls need assets for a run at Kevin Love, an extra 1st round pick would help. They'd hire Fred Hoiberg if Thibs got traded. Stay tuned.

Did Love and Hoiberg have any overlap in Minnesota? If so, anyone know if they have a positive relationship?

[AQuintus]

Bill Simmons ‏@BillSimmons 13m
PS: Bulls need assets for a run at Kevin Love, an extra 1st round pick would help.

Not answering your question, but I think that this is only true if the 1st round pick is high in the 1st round (top 10).

Another mid-to-late round pick (like Memphis' pick) likely does nothing.

[HomoSapien]

Bill Simmons ‏@BillSimmons 13m
PS: Bulls need assets for a run at Kevin Love, an extra 1st round pick would help.

Not answering your question, but I think that this is only true if the 1st round pick is high in the 1st round (top 10).

Another mid-to-late round pick (like Memphis' pick) likely does nothing.

Yeah, I think it'd just be there to sweeten the pot or to try and move up in the draft. It likely wouldn't end up being the difference.

[Slartibartfast]

#9, Waiters, Thompson, and Varejao could be interesting (and would work financially), but I doubt that Cleveland would offer that much, though, since it's very unlikely that Love would stick around in Cleveland.

If they resigned Deng and Hawes they would probably be a playoff team in the East. But yes, it's hard to see Love signing up with an unproven/sketchy management team and an owner that has already blown it with the best player in the game.

As for the Wolves, it would all come down to what you think of Waiters.

[C.lupus]

For what it's worth:

Bill Simmons ‏@BillSimmons 15m

Hearing that, if the Grizz totally clean house, the Memphis owner will look to trade for Tom Thibodeau + give him an SVG/Pistons-type deal.

Bill Simmons ‏@BillSimmons 13m
PS: Bulls need assets for a run at Kevin Love, an extra 1st round pick would help. They'd hire Fred Hoiberg if Thibs got traded. Stay tuned.

Did Love and Hoiberg have any overlap in Minnesota? If so, anyone know if they have a positive relationship?

They didn't overlap to my recollection. To answer your other question, this is all I got:
[tweet]https://twitter.com/kevinlove/status/449218840095129600[/tweet]

Hoiberg seems pretty comfortable at ISU right now but that doesn't mean big bucks and a chance to coach Love, Noah, and Rose wouldn't lure him away.

[Mattya]

Perhaps I'm underestimating Celtics players/assets but I can't see how they would build a contender for next year. They really have very little talent on the roster.

Rondo, Love alone makes the playoffs and probably close to home court advantage.

No, not really. It, isn't that simple. Raptors, Nets, Wizards and Hawks are better teams than their records last year showed. Celtics with Rondo went 6-24 last season... As you have seen last year, having a defensive center to play alongside Love and a good deep bench is very important. The Celtics have none of that and it won't be easy to fix that.

It's not really that important. EOT from my side, don't want to derail your trade thread anymore, guys

They would be better than the Wizards, and Hawks. Easily. You're underestimating the east.

[wolves_fan_82au]

more chance of gs deal happening than boston unless boston can make some moves to make itself a contender
i would perfer the boston deal though a top 5 pick plus sullinger too good to pass up

[JimmyBuckets89]

I agree with these 3 teams being the frontrunners to land Love, Boston seemed odd at first but they do have assets, but I don't agree with the compensation for Love. No way GS gives up both Thompson and Barnes. Barnes is conceivable, but Thompson isn't going anywhere. The Splash bros will be together for some time.
I'm high on Barnes too, but don't think any deal revolving around him is going to be enough to bring in Love.

I disagree. Thompson and Barnes is the equivalent of Gallinari and Chandler. Barnes was dreadful this past year, and one would argue (and argue correctly) that Greene has more trade value than Barnes.

Another reason that Thompson would have to be in the deal -- $. Bogut, Love, Iggy, Curry would make a combined ~ $55 million. Thompson is due for a big pay raise. Ultimately, Love >>>>>> Thompson, and I don't see the Warriors giving up the opportunity to get a top 5-7 NBA player.

I think you'll see the Warriors start out saying Thompson isn't going anywhere (from a negotiation standpoint), but then ultimately relent.

Even at the time of that deal Gallinari is nowhere near the player Thompson is. As far as $ I guarantee GS has every intention of paying Thompson when the time comes, Lee's contract will prob be off the books by then and they'll have at least 10-14 million to throw at him.

Chicago to me, seems like the team to deal with. With assets like Gibson, Butler, Mirotic rights and picks there's a lot to choose from. A deal like Gibson, CHA pick, future pick and rights to Mirotic will get it done. As a Bulls fan I might be overvaluing our players a bit, but in Gibson and Mirotic you bring in two potential starters right away. Gibson is in the prime of his career, he's on one of the most cap friendly contracts in the league and he's still got another 3 to 4 solid years ahead of him. Mirotic would prob begin his career as a 6th man, but an ideal one at that. Mirotic can score, plain and simple I really have no concerns over whether or not his game can translate to the NBA. A core of Rubio, Martin, Brewer, Gibson, Pekovic, Mirotic, Barea/Shabazz looks solid. It may take a year to build some chemistry but this is team could develop nicely.

I think it's the third best deal out there, but I think your overselling here. Gibson isn't one of the most cap friendly contracts. He's pretty adequately paid if you ask me. Butler is due for a big pay raise. None of the picks project to be more than late lotto. All in all this trade makes Wolves fans collectively yawn.

This may not be the most attractive of the deals but it really seems the most logical. I feel like Minnesota will take the Orlando route and sell their star for cap space, draft picks and young potential. As far as Gibson is concerned, have you seen his contract? He's a starting caliber power forward making under 9 million the next 3 years.

[AQuintus]

I feel like Minnesota will take the Orlando route and sell their star for cap space, draft picks and young potential.

Probably, and that's why they'll trade him to Boston - a better pick (quality >>>>> quantity), a young guy with more potential, and more cap space.

[165bows]

Sullinger, Bogans (expiring), Anthony (expiring) for Love matches closely.

Doesn't work.

Sullinger, Bogans, and Anthony make a combined $10.2 Million. Love makes $14.7 million.

Just as a side note, Boston also has three current rookies on non-guaranteed deals next year as well.

Chris Johnson, Chris Babb and Phil Pressey. Pressey is a half decent 3rd PG, but nobody in the group that couldn't be replaced. With those three, Celtics have essentially $8M in fully waivable deals this offseason.

Add those three guys and their salary total is a hair over $13M next year, which I believe would be enough straight up (if that was a deal the teams wanted to make).

Not sure how motivated MIN is to move some of the guys you mentioned.

[Krapinsky]

I feel like Minnesota will take the Orlando route and sell their star for cap space, draft picks and young potential.

Probably, and that's why they'll trade him to Boston - a better pick (quality >>>>> quantity), a young guy with more potential, and more cap space.

Yep. This route makes the most sense for a team that finished 10th in the West. If we were a good playoff team like the Nuggets when they traded Melo then more of a 'win now' package like the Bulls could offer would be more logical IMO.

[JonFromVA]

#9, Waiters, Thompson, and Varejao could be interesting (and would work financially), but I doubt that Cleveland would offer that much, though, since it's very unlikely that Love would stick around in Cleveland.

Dream big, because if Cleveland gets involved, it's because they're doing the same and willing to bet the house that they can get James back. Of course they'd offer more if Love was willing to commit to an extension, but Dan Gilbert isn't adverse to taking a risk.

[AQuintus]

Not sure how motivated MIN is to move some of the guys you mentioned.

That's a very good question. Budinger and Martin are both Adelman guys, so that alone might make the FO want to move them (since Adelman's gone). With that said, while both are arguably overpaid, they're also both quality rotation players when healthy, so the FO might want to keep them around.

[Klomp]

Did Love and Hoiberg have any overlap in Minnesota? If so, anyone know if they have a positive relationship?

They didn't overlap to my recollection. To answer your other question, this is all I got:
[tweet]https://twitter.com/kevinlove/status/449218840095129600[/tweet]

Hoiberg seems pretty comfortable at ISU right now but that doesn't mean big bucks and a chance to coach Love, Noah, and Rose wouldn't lure him away.

Hoiberg was in the Timberwolves front office from 2006-2010, so their time in Minnesota overlapped for two seasons.