RealGM

This idea was floated by eitanr, who is one of the strongest posters on the Trade Board.

eitanr wrote: In the grand scheme of things it would make more sense if DET is at 5 and those top 4 go like planned, to perhaps deal with Minny and try and get multiple picks back in the deal. Something like Wilcox and 5 FOR Sessions, Brewer, 17, 24 could gauge some interest on both sides.

I have to say, this has me VERY interested. However, I think it can be improved, if we include Pekovic. He seems like a really good fit for DET, a team that wants Al, and we don't have the minutes to carry both Al and Pek. This would ironically be the third draft in a row we traded for the #5 pick.

Pekovic + #15 + #25 for #5 + Wilcox?

Zero interest out of Detroit

The chances of getting someone interesting at 15 and 25 is lower than it would be at 5 and Pekovic isn't of much interest

Furthermore, Wilcox is an expiring. To even consider a deal like this its Charlie V's deal that would be dangled

I would do it, but I can't see Detroit doing it.

I don't think most people outside of MIN know Pekovic.

shrink wrote:I don't think most people outside of MIN know Pekovic.

So why propose a trade where he is the centerpiece?

I really think this is a case of a player having more value to his team than elsewhere....

princeofpalace wrote:

shrink wrote:I don't think most people outside of MIN know Pekovic.

So why propose a trade where he is the centerpiece?

I really think this is a case of a player having more value to his team than elsewhere....

I disagree with both statements. Pekovic is known by wolves fans, but he doesn't have as much value here because he doesn't fit if we still have Al Jefferson. However, that's a position of need for DET. I think there is too much duplication of talent with eitanr's original trade, since I don't think the Pistons really need Sessions or Brewer.

And why propose a trade? I don't propose trades to be popular - I propose trades that I think make sense to both teams. There is value in speaking what a poster thinks is the truth, and hoping that others will not oppose it out of ignorance, but instead educate themselves to it.

shrink wrote:

princeofpalace wrote:

shrink wrote:I don't think most people outside of MIN know Pekovic.

So why propose a trade where he is the centerpiece?

I really think this is a case of a player having more value to his team than elsewhere....

I disagree with both statements. Pekovic is known by wolves fans, but he doesn't have as much value here because he doesn't fit if we still have Al Jefferson. However, that's a position of need for DET. I think there is too much duplication of talent with eitanr's original trade, since I don't think the Pistons really need Sessions or Brewer.

And why propose a trade? I don't propose trades to be popular - I propose trades that I think make sense to both teams. There is value in speaking what a poster thinks is the truth, and hoping that others will not oppose it out of ignorance, but instead educate themselves to it.

I think you misunderstand

Pekovic has more value to Wolves than other teams such as Detroit. Yes Detroit needs a big but there is no reason that Pekovic is a more interesting prospect than a guy like Cole Aldrich or Hassan Whiteside. You are high on him because you own him but I see no reason to value him more than any of the bigs currently in the draft. Scola got traded for a 2nd round pick yet Pekovic can be the centerpiece in a trade for the 5th pick? Id rather take a look at Tiago Splitter but even then not in a package for the 5th pick

If Wolves landed the 5th pick would you really trade him for a decent foreign prospect and 2 later firsts?

princeofpalace wrote: If Wolves landed the 5th pick would you really trade him for a decent foreign prospect and 2 later firsts?

First, thanks for not going off on me for my clumsy wording last post. I wasn't trying to call you ignorant as a perjorative term, but that people in general don't have knowledge about Pekovic. The word "ignorant" now is used more as an insult, and I didn't mean it that way, and should have used a different term. Thanks for not going off on me for it.

Let me restate your question. If the "decent foreign prospect" was Rubio + two later 1sts? Well, MIN traded the #5 for Rubio without even getting the future 1sts.

The question then becomes whether Pekovic is in the Rubio class. Hollinger would probably say "yes." He would have drafted him #3 (ahead of Kevin Love and OJ Mayo) if he was coming over next season. Pek certainly doesn't have Rubio's hype, and he should be valued lower, but I think he's closer to Rubio than just being called a "decent foreign prospect." Two years ago, DraftExpress had him listed as #3 on their list of best foreign players owned by NBA teams, and Pekovic has increased his value since then with championships and mvps.

A lot of posters here are willing to move Al Jefferson because they have the security blanket of creating minutes for Pekovic. We're familiar with both, and if I'm DET, I think that makes Pekovic worth researching.

If Po'P doesn't know anything about him than he's obviously not worth a damn to anyone.

I think one of the most interesting developments this offseason will be seeing how much we can get back for Pekovic. I, for one, am starting to lean towards keeping both Al and Love and resigning Darko, and taking that big man rotation to the bank, then using all other assets to improve our wing play. That said, I would definitely like this trade (shrink's idea). However, it will be really hard to guage Pekovic's value on these boards because no other fan base really knows anything about Pekovic's value. I would like to think that front offices value Pekovic more highly than fan bases, but I guess we have no way of knowing that and will have to wait and see. But I am in favor of moving Pekovic, and I have a hunch that Kahn is too, so we'll see....

LOBO 7 wrote:I, for one, am starting to lean towards keeping both Al and Love and resigning Darko, and taking that big man rotation to the bank, then using all other assets to improve our wing play.

Is this opinion a little tainted by the fact that we played Sacramento last night and all three of them had double doubles, or were you thinking about it before the last 24 hours?

I thought the same thing last night that those 3 could man the 4/5 position. Rubio + (Sessions or Flynn) could man the 1. That would just leave us needing two starting level wing players to go with Brewer (and some Ellington) which seems like an obtainable goal for the offseason.

Get real guys. A Darko/Jeff/Love rotation is a no go. The minute we let Kevin know he's a long term bench player on this team is the minute his agent demands a trade.

From what I hear (baring in mind I've seen little of him except for highlights), I might want to try rolling with Darko, Love and Pekovic and trade Al.

Signing Pekovic Pros:
He could match Al's offensive game from this year (17 ppg)
He doesn't need 8 seconds to set up his shot.
He might have an easier transition with the Wolves' style of play.
He'll be much cheaper than Al.

Cons:
Wolves will likely lose some rebounding production
We don't know if Pekovic can be as productive on an NBA level
We might be selling Al low.

The issue is selling Detroit on the idea of Al and finding a way for them to move some of their salary so it's not such a financial burden. Meanwhile not sticking MN with bad contracts.

Gordon, Villanueva, Prince and/or Hamilton need to be moved.

Villanueva would have no place on the Wolves IMO. Too much logjam.
Gordon could be a fit, it all depends on if we end up with the #2 pick or not. High price for his current production.
Prince has been discussed enough. Looking for something different.
Not really interested in Hamilton.

LordBaldric wrote:Get real guys. A Darko/Jeff/Love rotation is a no go. The minute we let Kevin know he's a long term bench player on this team is the minute his agent demands a trade.

+1

C.lupus wrote:

LordBaldric wrote:Get real guys. A Darko/Jeff/Love rotation is a no go. The minute we let Kevin know he's a long term bench player on this team is the minute his agent demands a trade.

+1

So either we trade him before or after his agent makes a demand. Doesn't really matter in the long run.

LordBaldric wrote:
The minute we let Kevin know he's a long term bench player on this team is the minute his agent demands a trade.

No. He doesn't have that type of leverage. What is he gonna do, sit out the next 3 seasons?

A Darko/Love/Pekovic front court is a no go for me. We would still be lacking athleticism and have no one to guard athletic PF's, which is a player more than half the league has.

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

funkatron101 wrote:From what I hear (baring in mind I've seen little of him except for highlights), I might want to try rolling with Darko, Love and Pekovic and trade Al.

Signing Pekovic Pros:
He could match Al's offensive game from this year (17 ppg)
He doesn't need 8 seconds to set up his shot.
He might have an easier transition with the Wolves' style of play.
He'll be much cheaper than Al.

Cons:
Wolves will likely lose some rebounding production
We don't know if Pekovic can be as productive on an NBA level
We might be selling Al low.

The issue is selling Detroit on the idea of Al and finding a way for them to move some of their salary so it's not such a financial burden. Meanwhile not sticking MN with bad contracts.

Gordon, Villanueva, Prince and/or Hamilton need to be moved.

Villanueva would have no place on the Wolves IMO. Too much logjam.
Gordon could be a fit, it all depends on if we end up with the #2 pick or not. High price for his current production.
Prince has been discussed enough. Looking for something different.
Not really interested in Hamilton.

Also another con is Pek is currently only a 20 minute a night type player. We'd also have to know that Darko and Pek would be willing to co-exist as teammates. Theres a decent amount of animosity between certain Yugo nationalities, and we wouldn't want to get stuck in the middle of something bad.

If as a basketball team, we determine that we are going to be better with Pek on the court than Jefferson, I don't see anything wrong with selling low on Jefferson. I would try to keep from taking bad contracts back in return however.

Worm Guts wrote:

LordBaldric wrote:
The minute we let Kevin know he's a long term bench player on this team is the minute his agent demands a trade.

No. He doesn't have that type of leverage. What is he gonna do, sit out the next 3 seasons?

First of all, he can say that he will refuse to resign here, which torpedoes his value to us. Second, as our player with by far the most media exposure on our team, he will have countless opportunities to stir up trouble.

In the NBA, malcontented players tend to get their wish of being traded.

Refusing to sign doesn't do much at this point, he's under contract for the next 2 season, then he's a restricted free agent. Anyway, I don't think he'd demand a trade over not starting ,at least not next year, he might over not playing maybe. He'd bitch about it, but demanding trade seems unlikely to me.