Love for a Center

[shrink]

I've been floating this crazy idea on the trade board. I don't think it would fly, but if Kahn wants to "buy low, sell high", I think we've got few "sell high" candidates on our team. Getting pennies for Beasley or Wes Johnson may not be worth it to us, when we need talent/upside.

I looked at ESPN and CNN-SI's rankings for centers who are Top 50 players, then eliminated guys that were too old, too expensive, free agents, and a guy we'd never get (Dwight). Love averaged 18.5. This left four centers

Al Horford (25), Andrew Bynum (34), Andrew Bogut (35), Joakim Noah (36).

Horford is more of a PF that can play center - MIN has had a center like that in Al Jefferson. Horford is more of a lateral move for ATL, but may be considered a downgrade for MIN, so this is probably swimming upstream.

Bynum is tough to roll with. While LAL, with two top-50 centers, may be in a position to trade one, MIN doesn't have LA's deep pockets. They will not be competitive if they turn Love into Bynum, and that chunk of money is sitting on the bench. Unlike the Lakers, they can't just have another expensive option on the floor. It'd be quite a gamble. Age is right, and Bynum can defend. Promising.

One offer: Love + Darko for Bynum + two LAL future 1sts

Bogut has an injury history as well, and says himself that he will never be the same, but it's a lesser risk than Bynum. Age is right. MIL may be interested in cheaper pieces. They may struggle though to match trade value. Promising.

No offers yet

Noah's age is right, and he can defend. The previous poster's idea of Noah plus CHA pick seems close in the value department. It seems like it'd need to be a bigger trade. CHI would need to acquire a center themselves (with Boozer), though Amir/Darko provide some protection. MIN doesn't need picks either - they'd want to use the CHA pick to bring in a better SG. Promising.

One offer: Love + filler for Noah + CHA 1st (top 14/12/10/8/unprotected)

They'd use Boozer to get a center, we'd use the pick to get a SG.

[shrink]

If trading Love isn't extreme enough, the "sell high - buy low" method could include some other centers that may have big upside, but right now wouldn't be as expensive.

Hibbert - plus?
Gortat - plus?
One of the top-end rookies in this draft?

heck .. Oden - plus?

That means getting lots of value in the "plus" part, but it is one method to try to increase the overall talent on the team.

Now, let me say, I'm not a fan of trading Love. However, it's a direction that we really haven't explored either.

[pumunga]

Hibbert - plus?
Gortat - plus?
One of the top-end rookies in this draft?

heck .. Oden - plus?

favors

[moss_is_1]

I was somewhat intrigued by the proposal based on Hibbert and George. Of course I love Paul George and Hibbert is only decent as a center but he has great size.

[Klomp]

I wish there was a way to get Bogut and Iguodala without giving up Love or Rubio.

[shrink]

I wish there was a way to get Bogut and Iguodala without giving up Love or Rubio.

Well, that's easy. Derrick Williams and Wes Johnson.

I personally think those are overpays because of those guys' salary, but many people from both sides like it.

[Klomp]

I wish there was a way to get Bogut and Iguodala without giving up Love or Rubio.

Well, that's easy. Derrick Williams and Wes Johnson.

I personally think those are overpays because of those guys' salary, but many people from both sides like it.

Can we send Beasley instead of Williams?

[Foye]

I wish there was a way to get Bogut and Iguodala without giving up Love or Rubio.

Well, that's easy. Derrick Williams and Wes Johnson.

I personally think those are overpays because of those guys' salary, but many people from both sides like it.

Can we send Beasley instead of Williams?

No.

[younggunsmn]

No on anyone not named dwight howard, at least until love refuses to sign an extension.

We will not get pennies for beasley, we will get buttons and lint.

I'm all for adding Iggy for anyone outside of Rubio, Love, and Derrick Williams.
Bogut, no thank you.

We may have an opportunity to get Bynum cheap if the owners can cut a deal with a tougher luxury tax.

[Basti]

I wish there was a way to get Bogut and Iguodala without giving up Love or Rubio.

Well, that's easy. Derrick Williams and Wes Johnson.

I personally think those are overpays because of those guys' salary, but many people from both sides like it.

Can we send Beasley instead of Williams?

We can but the Bucks most likely won't take it. Unless Kahn has some indecent pictures of Hammond, Kohl or Skiles.

[shrink]

Darren Wolfson (Doogie) from 1500 ESPN said that before the draft, he'd heard that the Bucks approached us with an offer of Bogut + #10 for #2. Hammond said he didn't offer that. Personally, I think that's too good an offer, but Bogut alone for Williams is not enough. Bogut has never been a picture of health with his back, but this season he said injuries will keep him from ever being the player he was. Still, an 80% Bogut is still a very good center, but he's got a healthy paycheck too.

Also, while the majority of MIL posters here at RealGM.com may like a deal based on these two players, most believe that's something that Kohl would never do. He wants to compete every year, even if ending mid-pack is killing that team. However, there are rumors Kohl is trying to sell the team (it lost a ton last year), and he may try even harder if Stern's compomise CBA gets passed. If Kohl finds a buyer, I think a rational owner would be all in favor of a rebuild, and would happily move Bogut in a deal based around Williams.

Bogut for Beasley? No chance under the current regime, and only a small chance even if it changes.

[Klomp]

Well on 2k12, I just got Bogut for Randolph and Pekovic. You think that would work? lol

[shrink]

Favors + Kanter for Love?

Who wants to pray for more upside?

[Krapinsky]

Wouldn't it make more (and by more, I mean ridiculously more) sense to just trade Williams and keep the one player who is responsible for people knowing we still have a team in Minnesota?

Optimistic thought: maybe we'll get lucky and AR will be able to play center someday soon.

[Esohny]

Wouldn't it make more (and by more, I mean ridiculously more) sense to just trade Williams and keep the one player who is responsible for people knowing we still have a team in Minnesota?

Yes.

[Worm Guts]

Wouldn't it make more (and by more, I mean ridiculously more) sense to just trade Williams and keep the one player who is responsible for people knowing we still have a team in Minnesota?

Optimistic thought: maybe we'll get lucky and AR will be able to play center someday soon.

I think there's an argument. I think Williams has go to scorer potential at the 4 and that fits better with most upper echelon centers in the league. You can sacrifice some of Love's rebounding if a Bynum or Bogut is coming back and Williams probably has a higher defensive ceiling than Love.

[C.lupus]

How 'bout we just keep the better players? Love is better than an 80% Bogut, a 60% Bynum, and a 100% Noah.

[shrink]

Look, I don't disagree with you that Love can, and probably will, be retained.

However, I'm tired of looking at Beasley trades where we get pennies on the dollar, or assuming that with just a couple additions of non-superstar players, MIN will truly be able to compete for a championship. Maybe we never will, but if it's going to happen, it's going to come from one of our young people becoming a superstar. Love is fantastic, but he's a superhero complimentary player.

Here's the sad fact for MIN on superstars. We aren't going to get one in free agency, and it's doubtful we'd be able to retain one in trade. If we're going to get one, it's coming from acquiring a top lottery pick that may become a superstar in the future. Also, note that we have little time here. From the moment of the draft, we have six years for the guy to be a star and for MIN to win - as he approaches his second FA contract, he can force a move to any team he wants. We're starting year 4 of 6 for Love. And he's also going to eat into our cap after next year with his first free agent contract.

Personally, I'd rather keep Love, and it would take a pretty ingenious trade for me to think it was good for the Wolves. However, I'd still rather talk about it, than simply dismiss it's possibility. We're the wolves, in an NBA system that keeps us down, and we have to look at every possible way we could improve.

[C.lupus]

I'm not trying to limit discussion at all. I just don't see the upside in trading Love for a lesser player and a late first pick (or two). I don't see how that makes the team better and I don't see how that increases the likeihood of getting a superstar.

If you want to discuss using Love to get a superstar, then we need to either a) talk about trading Love straight up to a bad team for an unprotected first or b) not limit the discussion to centers.

[NewWolvesOrder]

I like the Noah plus Cat's pick deal. Noah is good and already signed to extention and Charlotte will suck for the forseeable future so we can get a good pick unless there's heavy protection it