DET - MIN again

[LOBO 7]

I'm not dead-set on a Al, Darko, Love frontcourt, but I am starting to think it might be given a run next year. Before the arrival of Darko, we were all 97% convinced either Al or Love would need to be traded. Now, I am only about 47% convinced.

Sure, that froncourt isn't the most athletic in the league, but overall, it is probably a top 5 frontcourt rotation, making up for its weaknesses in other areas. The main concern is Love's attitude, whether he's willing to accept a long term bench role. But, as has been stated here before, he is actually more productive on a per-minute basis when his minutes are below 30 or so. Also, this rotation would be manipulated depending on matchups and production on any given night, so Love would see some nights where he's playing really well and would be rewarded with 30 + minutes. Plus, maybe he could learn to get some satisfaction in knowing that he's one of the top 3 or 4 (bench) players in the league?

I don't know, I'm just thinking that Darko has become a game-changer for us, and all of us have had it so ingrained either Love or Al was a goner, and I just think that now that might not necessarily be the case.

With the combination of Pekovic, picks, and cap space we could do a lot to improve our wing play, while hanging on to this intruiguing frontcourt. Just a thought...

[Worm Guts]

I still think we should probably trade Al or Love, and if we land pick 3 or 4, it will really be pushed to the forefront.

[Krapinsky]

I'm not dead-set on a Al, Darko, Love frontcourt, but I am starting to think it might be given a run next year. Before the arrival of Darko, we were all 97% convinced either Al or Love would need to be traded. Now, I am only about 47% convinced.

Sure, that froncourt isn't the most athletic in the league, but overall, it is probably a top 5 frontcourt rotation, making up for its weaknesses in other areas. The main concern is Love's attitude, whether he's willing to accept a long term bench role. But, as has been stated here before, he is actually more productive on a per-minute basis when his minutes are below 30 or so. Also, this rotation would be manipulated depending on matchups and production on any given night, so Love would see some nights where he's playing really well and would be rewarded with 30 + minutes. Plus, maybe he could learn to get some satisfaction in knowing that he's one of the top 3 or 4 (bench) players in the league?

I don't know, I'm just thinking that Darko has become a game-changer for us, and all of us have had it so ingrained either Love or Al was a goner, and I just think that now that might not necessarily be the case.

With the combination of Pekovic, picks, and cap space we could do a lot to improve our wing play, while hanging on to this intruiguing frontcourt. Just a thought...

B/c we're 1 and 17 with Darko? I like Darko too, but let's not get carried away with the euphemisms.

[Worm Guts]

Hey, it's 2-17 now.

[LOBO 7]

I still think we should probably trade Al or Love, and if we land pick 3 or 4, it will really be pushed to the forefront.

Yeah, it does depend a lot on how the draft shakes out, of course. I have to learn to stop picturing Turner in a wolves jersey.

But, hypothetically, I think there are scenarios that could pan out where we land two very solid wings in the draft, and wind up giving this backcourt a full season test run.

[TrentTuckerForever]

I'm still down to trade Love for Randolph. A Randolph/Jefferson/Darko front court would be sweet.

More complementary, sure, and better able to match up with some of the long frontcourts in the West (Bynum/Gasol/Odom, Duncan/McDyess, Nowitzki/Dampier, Martin/Nene/Birdman.) Randolph seems like a risk to me, though. Love has the lower ceiling but seems more likely to fulfill his potential, IMO. Tough to say - I would say the likelihood of a Love/Randolph trade hinges on Nellie's future in Golden State. If they say goodbye to him and want to go with a more "conventional" lineup, I can see this trade going down.

[LOBO 7]

I'm not dead-set on a Al, Darko, Love frontcourt, but I am starting to think it might be given a run next year. Before the arrival of Darko, we were all 97% convinced either Al or Love would need to be traded. Now, I am only about 47% convinced.

Sure, that froncourt isn't the most athletic in the league, but overall, it is probably a top 5 frontcourt rotation, making up for its weaknesses in other areas. The main concern is Love's attitude, whether he's willing to accept a long term bench role. But, as has been stated here before, he is actually more productive on a per-minute basis when his minutes are below 30 or so. Also, this rotation would be manipulated depending on matchups and production on any given night, so Love would see some nights where he's playing really well and would be rewarded with 30 + minutes. Plus, maybe he could learn to get some satisfaction in knowing that he's one of the top 3 or 4 (bench) players in the league?

I don't know, I'm just thinking that Darko has become a game-changer for us, and all of us have had it so ingrained either Love or Al was a goner, and I just think that now that might not necessarily be the case.

With the combination of Pekovic, picks, and cap space we could do a lot to improve our wing play, while hanging on to this intruiguing frontcourt. Just a thought...

B/c we're 1 and 17 with Darko? I like Darko too, but let's not get carried away with the euphemisms.

I meant that he had become a game changer in the way we view our frontcourt needs, not necessarily that he was changing the outcomes of actual games. Actual games are firmly rooted in reality, where 10 large men run around really fast. I know nothing about that reality, but I'm good at NBA 2K10, and so is Darko.

[C.lupus]

I think Darko is somewhat of a game changer, too. Not because he has a Michael Jordan impact on winning but because BD (before Darko) Al seemed the most likely candidate to be moved. AD (after Darko) it seems like Love may be more likely because a Love/Darko frontcourt doesn't seem to fit together. Darko/Al/athletic PF/C seems the most likely route now. My wet dream scenario now is moving Love plus whatever for Favors.

[Worm Guts]

Why doesn't a Love/Darko frontcourt fit?

[C.lupus]

IDK, they seem to similar to me. I think both are better with a low post scorer next to them.

[Krapinsky]

Why doesn't a Love/Darko frontcourt fit?

It fits for me as long as we have a third big to guard more athletic, face up front court players. It seems Rambis often limits Love in those kind of match ups.

[Worm Guts]

I don't know, maybe, but Love seems to fit better with the running style we want to run. He can throw the outlet, and hopefully someday hit the trailer 3 on the fast break.

[C.lupus]

I agree on that. It's all getting confusing to me. We have potentially four talented bigs with pieces of what we need but they don't all fit together or we have two that fit together well but don't fit the style of play that the FO wants to install. The only thing that seems clear to me is that two of them need to be replaced with an athletic big. I'll probably be waffling on this until it's settled. All I can say right now is the Darko/Al frontcourt combo is the first time in several years that I've thought "hey those two guys actually fit together and could be a legit frontcourt that compliments each other".

[funkatron101]

Why doesn't a Love/Darko frontcourt fit?

It fits for me as long as we have a third big to guard more athletic, face up front court players. It seems Rambis often limits Love in those kind of match ups.

This draft seems to be rich with Athletic bigs and SFs. I would think trading Al would net us the pick needed to get that.

If Pekovic is primarily a 20 min. a game player, there still should be enough minutes to go around.

[Worm Guts]

I tend to think Love and Milicic would work fine, as long as there's someone on the floor who can break down the defense. I don't think it needs to be a post player, but Al is currently the only Wolf who can force help defense.

[LordBaldric]

I tend to think Love and Milicic would work fine, as long as there's someone on the floor who can break down the defense. I don't think it needs to be a post player, but Al is currently the only Wolf who can force help defense.

Which means squat because Al can't take advantage of that fact and make the right play. Eddie Curry used to be good at drawing help defense too.

[Worm Guts]

While trying to avoid your negativity towards Al, I agree that I'd prefer to keep Love

[LOBO 7]

While trying to avoid your negativity towards Al, I agree that I'd prefer to keep Love

If pressed, I would probably prefer to keep Love long-term as well, but I'm starting to think more and more that we might see the 3 headed monster frontcourt of DarkALove for at least the beginning of next season, with any moves involving Al or Love coming at next year's deadline. So much depends on the draft though, its almost pointless to speculate.

[moss_is_1]

I tend to think Love and Milicic would work fine, as long as there's someone on the floor who can break down the defense. I don't think it needs to be a post player, but Al is currently the only Wolf who can force help defense.

Which means squat because Al can't take advantage of that fact and make the right play. Eddie Curry used to be good at drawing help defense too.

Its a little unfair to ever mention Al and Curry together...why should Al pass the ball back out when the wings will miss? Plus he has been kicking it out more often this season. Eddy Curry is a fat slob.

[Krapinsky]

While trying to avoid your negativity towards Al, I agree that I'd prefer to keep Love

If pressed, I would probably prefer to keep Love long-term as well, but I'm starting to think more and more that we might see the 3 headed monster frontcourt of DarkALove for at least the beginning of next season, with any moves involving Al or Love coming at next year's deadline. So much depends on the draft though, its almost pointless to speculate.

It also depends what could we get for each player. Detroit posters for example, are much more infatuated with Love then they are Al. On the trade board right now, one has said yes to Love for #5, but no to Jefferson for Prince + #5, and stated that they would rather have Love than Jefferson (and didn't bring up Jefferson's contract).

What if Deng is the best we can get for Al?

Would you rather have:
Deng + Love, or
#5 (Johnson/Aminu) + Jefferson?