Kevin Love appreciation thread - looking to the future

[big3_8_19_21]

Love's rebounding is obviously off the charts, but where is his offensive ceiling? I'm hoping his range will become more and more reliable from farther out like Gomes has over the years and eventually he will be able to his NBA 3's and hopefully a 37% clip or so. What kind of numbers do you guys expect next year when he will presumably get 30+ minutes and probably more touches? What about at his peak? How will he have an affect on Al and Foye and their numbers?

Once Love really gets going I'm expecting him, Foye and Al to put up points per game numbers similar to the Boston big 3. Maybe 16 and 12 from Love, 19 and 9 from Al and 20 and 4 from Foye (depending on if we have any other legitimate perimeter scoring options at that point).

[jade_hippo]

Call me crazy, but I'm expecting Love to be in the Barkley/Rodman/Howard statusphere of rebounders and to go something more like 15 and 15 a game. I think he already is a pretty decent shooter from range, but just doesn't get to show it. He hit a pretty decent amount from 3pt range in college like 35%ish, so no reason he can't hit from mid-to-longrange like a Garnett/Googliota hybrid.

[big3_8_19_21]

welcome to the site, by the way, I see that was your first post.

I could definitely see that kind of rebounding production seeing as how he is the no. 1 rebounding rookie in the league, the no. 1 offensive rebounder per minute in the league and the no. 1 rebounder off the bench in the league. I know he has the capability to hit the mid-range shot, I think he hit a long 2/toes on the line 3 from the corner in our loss to Miami, but his range I don't believe yet stretches out to the NBA 3pt line, at least not as a shot that he can hit consistently at this point. I think he'll work on it and that will be a solid weapon for him to go to in years to come, but for the time being, he's best suited for mid-range. When will his offensive post-up game start coming around, though. He just looks overwhelmed when he's trying to score with his back to the basket.

[PeeDee]

Here's to Kevin. I was amazed last night at some of the rebounds he literally ripped away from 2 or 3 Heat players. Kid's got heart. If he can get up to 12-15 ppg, he's going to be very valuable to us.

[Devilzsidewalk]

I'd say his ceiling is around an 18/14 player. Doesn't mean he'll get there, but that's what he could be if he settles down inside and starts hitting the outside shot and maybe adds a little drive to his game. That actually should be his bread and butter, a face up game, so I hope he spends at least as much time on that as his back to the basket game. He can still be a force inside, but he's got to go to Craig the Punisher Smith school and learn how to go on the attack in the paint. People don't like to try and block your shot if it hurts.

[jade_hippo]

I remember Rasho being the same uneasy/spastic way down low when he got the ball in the post. I think working with McHale will do wonders for Love. By the time Rasho was finished with the wolves he started scoring a lot better in the post, both with the slippery eel and some power (anyone else remember refering to him as "Radnasty" towards the end?) I see the only thing limiting Love's scoring will be how many touches he gets based on Al/Foye and whatever else we get do for scoring.

[revprodeji]

I think the more scorers we have, the better Love will play. He can be the passer. He can be the high post spacer. He can score from the open jumper-crash the board or drive from the top of the key. He does not need the plays ran for him. That is a unique kind of player.

I am hoping his conditioning improves. I believe he has decent ups. He measured well in Orlando and we see it every once in a while. But it seems like he can only get up 3 times or so a game. If his conditioning improves he could increase that number. Allowing him to finish better but be a more effective shot blocker as well.

[Worm Guts]

14-15 rebounds a game sounds like too much. That's prime KG, Howard, Camby type numbers. Twelve sounds more like it. If he starts hitting his jumpers and learns to finish inside, I could easily see him averaging 20-22 ppg.

[C.lupus]

Yeah, his rebounding is impressive but what I really liked last night was the energy and ball movement when he was in. He and Carney just seemed to be sparks out there. I love his aggressive play and his outlet passes are just amazing. If we can get another athlete or two that can run and finish, he will be an awesome fast break starter.

I agree with rev that he needs more conditioning and strength training. His minutes are limited by his conditioning right now. When he gets more leg strength and wind, his outside shot will start falling more regularly.

[prefuse73]

We need another true athletic 7 footer for sure. With that said, as long as Big Al is here, Love will be the 6th man. My ideal big rotation would be Dalembert (without the contract...but that type of player), Big Al and Love.

I feel like his best numbers in this case would be something like 15 pts/ 12 rebs/ 5 ast/ 1 blk. If Al gets trade to optimize roster and place Love at starting PF then he could get up to 22/14/6/1.5. You have to remember that he is only 19, he is by all accounts very intelligent, hardworking and has nowhere to go but up as far as body composition and conditioning.

[revprodeji]

Love is a 6th man because of conditioning and other rookie things. Not because of position. Heck, Craig Smith is keeping that spot warm.

[prefuse73]

I think if Al and Love are both on the team AND we are a solid playoff contender.......that means we have an athletic 7 footer that can intimidate the paint defensively and we can smoothly rotate between the 3 with craigers getting only spot minutes.

now if you want argue particulars...sure Love could start in the scenario as well since he does have a complimentary skill set to Al on offense.

[C.lupus]

I tend to agree with prefuse73 on this one but I'm willing to see how Peks fits in as the third wheel.

btw being a 6th man is not necessarily a statement on the quality of the player. This guy named Kevin McHale was a 6th man for most of his career and he ended up a HOFer and top 50 of all time. As he would say, it's not who starts the games, but who ends the games that matter.

[big3_8_19_21]

14-15 rebounds a game sounds like too much. That's prime KG, Howard, Camby type numbers. Twelve sounds more like it. If he starts hitting his jumpers and learns to finish inside, I could easily see him averaging 20-22 ppg.

Why couldn't Love achieve those kind of rebounding numbers? He's outrebounding everyone in the league on the offensive end per minute as a rookie. Love doesn't have equivalent length or athleticism to KG, Howard or Camby, but I think he has superior rebounding instincts and positioning. Maybe he won't ever reach 15 a game, but I easily see 13 or even 14 a game.

[Zeitgeister]

14-15 rebounds a game sounds like too much. That's prime KG, Howard, Camby type numbers. Twelve sounds more like it. If he starts hitting his jumpers and learns to finish inside, I could easily see him averaging 20-22 ppg.

Right on the money, I agree with 12 rebounds per game being his peak, which is certainly very, very good. That may be good enough to win a rebounding title or two, depending on if Dwight Howard ever has a down year. 14-15 rebounds per game is approaching Dennis Rodman territory, and I don't know if he has quite that much potential.

[big3_8_19_21]

at his peak, Rodman was up to almost 19 rpg

[C.lupus]

KLove is pulling down boards at a rate of 17.3 per 48 right now, as an out of shape rookie (4th in the league). At this rate, if he was playing 10 more minutes per game, he would be grabbing 12 per game. I don't think 15 rpg is unreasonable as a ceiling with 11-12 as his floor.

[john2jer]

at his peak, Rodman was up to almost 19 rpg

Rodman's highest was 18.7 rebounds per game and he played over 40 minutes a game to get that with Detroit. I don't see Love ever playing more than 40 minutes per game.

[jade_hippo]

I don't see why 15 is unreasonable either. KG/Howard pull down so many boards for the simple fact that there is absolutely no one else in the lineup that can pull down rebounds. I see him falling into the Rodman roll perfectly if we keep a core of Al/Foye because they are going to do most of the scoring, so Love is going to get a good chance of picking up a lot of rebounds and assists. He is pulling down rebounds like a 10 year vet, is it unreasonable to think his rebounding rate won't go up as he gets experience.

One subject I haven't seen touched... what is a reasonable assists/game for Love???

[Zeitgeister]

at his peak, Rodman was up to almost 19 rpg

During Rodman's 7 year stretch where he lead the league in rebounding all 7 years, there were 2 years where he was right around that 14-15 rpg mark. He averaged 13 RPG for his career.

You look at some of the greatest rebounders of this era, how many times did they average between 14-15 rpg?

Kevin Garnett: 0
Dennis Rodman: 7 times
Charles Barkley: 1
Dwight Howard: 1
Marcus Camby: 0

Although, Dwight Howard may end up getting a couple more of those since he is so young and will only improve. Unless Kevin Love is on a fast pace team, I just don't know if there are enough possessions for him to average 14-15 rpg, especially with both him and Al Jefferson in the front court. 12 RPG is certainly a possibility though, and perhaps 13 rpg is in his grasp as well, but its too early to say.