RealGM

I am an Atlanta Hawks Fan. I get tried of these unrealistic trade suggestions, but I think I have one that is good for both teams.

Hawks trade Josh Smith to Minn. for Al Jefferson. It works with trade checker. My reasoning is as follows:

Love and Jefferson don't complement each other, both are C's, Josh Smith is a PF with defensive mindset that would be a better fit next to Love. Josh and Jefferson are same age and make same money. The Hawks need size and need to move Al Horford to his natural position PF; so tell me what you think.

I've actually been thinking about that swap myself lately; I'm 50/50 on it, I'd do it late in the offseason probably.

As a wolves fan, I would definately do this. But he would have to play SF, as Love would obviously be the PF.

Also thinking about possibly adding Gomes for something else ( if ATL wants to shed some more money to try and resign JJ) but maybe it is better off straight up?

I think I'd pass. The value is there but the team already has a PF with Love and I don't think Smith can play SF full time, so they'd be adding to the logjam rather then getting rid of it. And neither of Love or Jefferson are Cs, they're both PFs. Just so you know.

I would definitely do this.

Darko Milicic / Kevin Love / Josh Smith / Wes Johnson / Ricky Rubio

Great length and size with athleticism, good defense on wings and post, great rebounding, decent offense, great passing.

I like it. Would definitely need a "super 6th man" in the post though.

I'd do it, but follow it up by trading Love. All three are PF's, but of the three I prefer Smith. Of course, I don't watch him play much, so I might not have a great handle on his game.

mandurugo wrote:I'd do it, but follow it up by trading Love. All three are PF's, but of the three I prefer Smith. Of course, I don't watch him play much, so I might not have a great handle on his game.

I'm all in favor of trading one of either AL/Love, but definitely not both.

How do you play Josh Smith and Kevin Love at the same time?

I actually like this alot. A 3-big rotation of Darko/Love/Smith with Smith splitting time at the 3 and 4 is really attractive for a running team that wants to improve defensively. If Pek Stays in MN, I think our Frontcourt would be pretty set.

With Smith and Darko, we'd probably be top 3 in blocked shots as well.

Rubio/Flynn
Brewer/(Draft someone who can shoot the 3)
Smith/Johnson
Love/Smith
Darko/Pek/Hollins

and if we are ever runnin and gunnin with a small ball lineup, I think Love could play C in limited minutes.

I extended this idea into a bigger trade

Wolves trade Al, Sessions & #16 for #3, Harris, Yi

Nets trade #3, Harris Yi for Smith, Sessions & #16

Hawks trade Smith for Al.

Then we proceed to draft Favors & Johnson. Harris is a stopgap till Rubio and a trade asset afterwards.

I have listed player comparisons between Al Jefferson, Kevin Love, Dwight Howard and Josh Smith. AL, Kevin, Dwight are C's and Smith is PF; if you look at there size and weight you will see what I mean. Minnesota has tried to play both Love and Jefferson together but neither can defend mobile PF. Josh can defend PF but he can't defend quicker small forwards, he is a shot blocker which Love and to some extent Jefferson is not. Furthermore, if the Wolves go after Rudy Gay 6' 8" SF that is a nice front line.

Al Jefferson
Minnesota
Position: Center-Forward
Height: 6-10 Weight: 265
Player file | Team stats
2009-10 Statistics
PPG 17.1
RPG 9.3
BPG 1.3

Kevin Love
Position: Forward-Center
Height: 6-10 Weight: 260
Player file | Team stats
2009-10 Statistics
PPG 14.0
RPG 11.0
BPG 0.4

Dwight Howard
Orlando
Position: Center
Height: 6-11 Weight: 265
Player file | Team stats
2010 Playoffs Statistics
PPG 18.1
RPG 11.1
BPG 3.5

Josh Smith
Atlanta
Position: Forward
Height: 6-9 Weight: 240
Player file | Team stats
2010 Playoffs Statistics
PPG 14.1
RPG 9.0
BPG 1.7

Smith played less than 1% of Atlanta's SF minutes last year. I don't see it.

I would do it, I don't think the Hawks would.

Turnover_21 wrote:Nets trade #3, Harris Yi for Smith, Sessions & #16

I don't know too much about The Net's future plans but I can't see way they would do this trade.

Upgrade at PF
Downgrade at the point
give up 3 for 16

They can just draft a PF at 3 and not have to give up Harris and Yi.

stiles21 wrote:

Turnover_21 wrote:Nets trade #3, Harris Yi for Smith, Sessions & #16

I don't know too much about The Net's future plans but I can't see way they would do this trade.

Upgrade at PF
Downgrade at the point
give up 3 for 16

They can just draft a PF at 3 and not have to give up Harris and Yi.

I suppose it depends on how they value Smith.

jade_hippo wrote:a Love/Smith/Gay lineup suffers from the same problem the Jefferson/Love/Gomes lineup does its absolutely positively too short. The funny thing about Love and Jefferson, is they are really short and stumpy, I don't think either have a standing reach over 9ft (doesn't Gomes have the biggest standing reach of them all?). . They are not centers. This is partly why Darko was a godsend.

?

Jefferson's standing reach is 9'2''. Love(who is a bit on the stumpy side) and Gomes are both 8'10''

jade_hippo wrote:a Love/Smith/Gay lineup suffers from the same problem the Jefferson/Love/Gomes lineup does its absolutely positively too short. The funny thing about Love and Jefferson, is they are really short and stumpy, I don't think either have a standing reach over 9ft (doesn't Gomes have the biggest standing reach of them all?). . They are not centers. This is partly why Darko was a godsend.

Al has reach of 9'2'', he's not short. I thought every real wolves fan knew that. Guess not.

dang, should have checked that, still stumpy

I LOLered at the thought of Kevin Love being a center. He's 6'9"with shoes and about 400pounds with the same vertical as an elephant.

With matchups taken into consideration, I don't see how Love wouldn't be able to play C if the other C was David Lee, Nenad Krstic, etc.
I think we all witnessed Love get swatted by many a True Center (and some PFs, and some SFs- poor guy got blocked more than any other PF in the league) to believe he could play anymore than limited minutes in the right situation as a Center.