Discussing Other Teams' Moves Part 2

[AFM]

Love is great but that seems like quite the haul. I mean they just drafted Waiters and he had a good year. Why trade him AND the 1st?

[Ruzious]

But the Cavs are also exploring trading the top pick since they’re not in love with any one player who in a “normal” year wouldn’t be a top pick. According to a source, Cleveland offered the No. 1 pick, Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters to try and land Minnesota’s Kevin Love. But new Timberwolves president Flip Saunders won’t move Love.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_ ... raft-picks



Not sure which is more unbelievable - that CLE would offer that package for Love, or that MIN would turn it down.

Exactly. I think Minny needs a makeover, and that would have done it beautifully. They'll be better next season, but what's their goal - to be a low tier playoff team? That's what it seems.

[mhd]

But the Cavs are also exploring trading the top pick since they’re not in love with any one player who in a “normal” year wouldn’t be a top pick. According to a source, Cleveland offered the No. 1 pick, Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters to try and land Minnesota’s Kevin Love. But new Timberwolves president Flip Saunders won’t move Love.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_ ... raft-picks



Not sure which is more unbelievable - that CLE would offer that package for Love, or that MIN would turn it down.

Exactly. I think Minny needs a makeover, and that would have done it beautifully. They'll be better next season, but what's their goal - to be a low tier playoff team? That's what it seems.

No way would Minny not do that deal. Its usual BS from the Cavs trying to drum up interest in their pick. Minny could take Oladipo with the 1st pick, Zeller with the 9th pick, and role with:

PG: Rubio/Ridnour
SG: Oladipo/Waiters
SF: Williams/Buddinger
PF: Thompson/Zeller
C: Pekovich/Thompson

[LyricalRico]

^ I realize it's probably moot since it's only a rumor, but I can't imagine that MIN would take Oladipo #1 if they actually made that deal. No way, especially if they're getting Waiters in the deal already. They'd surely take Noel, and then go BPA at #9. If Shabazz dropped to that spot, he could be a heckuva 6th man. At that point they would just need an upgrade at SF, and they'd have pieces in Kirilenko and DWill to get that done.

[closg00]

^ Good move? I"m not so sure. By promoting from within, I would imagine they are basically going to keep the same system. If that's the case, why fire Hollins in the first place? Seems like they just wanted to save money by dumping the higher profile guy and paying the "first time head coach" discount rate.

Well, their decision to cut costs by trading Gay ended with them almost going to the Finals, so maybe they know what they're doing. LOL

I appreciated the irony anyway.

[LyricalRico]

^ Good move? I"m not so sure. By promoting from within, I would imagine they are basically going to keep the same system. If that's the case, why fire Hollins in the first place? Seems like they just wanted to save money by dumping the higher profile guy and paying the "first time head coach" discount rate.

Well, their decision to cut costs by trading Gay ended with them almost going to the Finals, so maybe they know what they're doing. LOL

I appreciated the irony anyway.

Apples and oranges, my friend. Apples and oranges.

[Upper Decker]

But the Cavs are also exploring trading the top pick since they’re not in love with any one player who in a “normal” year wouldn’t be a top pick. According to a source, Cleveland offered the No. 1 pick, Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters to try and land Minnesota’s Kevin Love. But new Timberwolves president Flip Saunders won’t move Love.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_ ... raft-picks



Not sure which is more unbelievable - that CLE would offer that package for Love, or that MIN would turn it down.

I'd do this if I were Flip. I don't believe in Kevin Love. I think it was Rich Bucher who said he's not a max worthy player because you can't run your offense through him. How many title-contending teams had a three-point-shooting, offensive-rebounding PF as their best player? If Kevin Love was really the best PF in the game don't you think Minny would have been even remotely close to a playoff team at any point during his career? KG was the best PF in the game and he drug some turrrbull teams into the playoffs when the west was more stacked during the 2000's.

[montestewart]

But the Cavs are also exploring trading the top pick since they’re not in love with any one player who in a “normal” year wouldn’t be a top pick. According to a source, Cleveland offered the No. 1 pick, Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters to try and land Minnesota’s Kevin Love. But new Timberwolves president Flip Saunders won’t move Love.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_ ... raft-picks



Not sure which is more unbelievable - that CLE would offer that package for Love, or that MIN would turn it down.

I'd do this if I were Flip. I don't believe in Kevin Love. I think it was Rich Bucher who said he's not a max worthy player because you can't run your offense through him. How many title-contending teams had a three-point-shooting, offensive-rebounding PF as their best player? If Kevin Love was really the best PF in the game don't you think Minny would have been even remotely close to a playoff team at any point during his career? KG was the best PF in the game and he drug some turrrbull teams into the playoffs when the west was more stacked during the 2000's.

Yeah. Maybe it's overstating it a little, but Love seems like a turbocharged Jamison, which, while turbo-charged, is also Jamison.

[LyricalRico]

From WireTap:

The Houston Rockets reportedly have deals on the table to send Thomas Robinson to the Chicago Bulls or Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers would send the No. 19 pick to the Rockets for Robinson, or the Bulls would trade No. 20.

Focusing on CHI, trading a draft pick for TRob seems odd since they already owe big money to Boozer and Gibson. It's still a year early to amnesty Boozer IMO, and Gibson will be tough to trade since he's entering the first year of an extension. And don't they need more help in the backcourt right now?

[LyricalRico]

Marc Stein: Follow-up trade rumble: Bulls intend to flip Thomas Robinson in subsequent (or connected) deal if they take him from Rockets for No. 20 pick Twitter @ESPNSteinLine

I guess that would explain my CHI/T-Rob question above.

[Ruzious]

Wiretap also says Orlando is trying to trade down from #2. That could mess up the Wiz if they're counting on Porter at 3.

[LyricalRico]

Wiretap also says Orlando is trying to trade down from #2. That could mess up the Wiz if they're counting on Porter at 3.

Yep, and NOH would seem like a good fit. They give up 6+Rivers for 2+filler, and they get Porter to fill their gaping hole at SF. ORL gets one guard prospect in the deal, and could also end up with Burke at #6. Then they don't have to worry about trading for Bledsoe and paying him next year.

[LyricalRico]

Word is, (LeMarcus) Aldridge wants to escape from Portland's rebuilding project and has made it known that he'd like to land in Chicago.

Deng for Aldridge won't get it done. The Blazers want Joakim Noah in return and the Bulls don't want to give up the superior defensive big man.

Here's one way to get Portland's attention: Offer Deng and Charlotte's future No. 1 pick. The Bulls are counting on that Bobcats' pick (acquired for Thomas, ironically), to pay off big, because it's unprotected in 2016.

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/2013 ... 706259711/

It's a Chicago site, so not sure how plugged in they are to what's going on in Portland. Also this guy is whack for suggesting that 1) the Bulls wouldn't give up Noah for Aldridge (of course they would), and 2) Portland would be interested in any package involving Deng when they already have Batum.

But I thought that the possibility of LMA wanting out was interesting enough to post.

[verbal8]

Interesting about LMA wanting out.

Noah for LMA seems about right value-wise. However it really messes up the bulls balance. The end up with 3 Pfs and no real center.

I think Batum/deng could work with one of them sliding to sg or pf.

[nate33]

Sources: Dwight Howard unlikely to re-sign with the Lakers. Dallas and Houston the favorites. Main issue w/Lakers is Mike D'Antoni's system

This may cause a lot of dominoes to fall. Does Chris Paul join him in Dallas? Does Houston move Asik to make room for Howard? Will the Lakers trade Gasol and tank for Wiggins? What does Atlanta do with all that cap room?

[Dat2U]

Sources: Dwight Howard unlikely to re-sign with the Lakers. Dallas and Houston the favorites. Main issue w/Lakers is Mike D'Antoni's system

This may cause a lot of dominoes to fall. Does Chris Paul join him in Dallas? Does Houston move Asik to make room for Howard? Will the Lakers trade Gasol and tank for Wiggins? What does Atlanta do with all that cap room?

I guess this puts the Lakers as the odds on favorite for the #1 pick in the 2014 draft.

[fishercob]

Sources: Dwight Howard unlikely to re-sign with the Lakers. Dallas and Houston the favorites. Main issue w/Lakers is Mike D'Antoni's system

This may cause a lot of dominoes to fall. Does Chris Paul join him in Dallas? Does Houston move Asik to make room for Howard? Will the Lakers trade Gasol and tank for Wiggins? What does Atlanta do with all that cap room?

If his issue is with MDA's offensive system, did he watch Houston play a single game this year? He's a disaster and a douche.

LA better rebuild quickly. Phoenix has their 2015 first rounder with only top 5 protection.

Would be pretty hilarious if Paul left Doc Rivers alone in LA.

Houston would get a good haul of picks and cap room for Asik. Again, Cleveland would be a prime trade partner.

[verbal8]

Houston would get a good haul of picks and cap room for Asik. Again, Cleveland would be a prime trade partner.

Despite not winning many games the cavs have put themselves in a pretty good position.

[Deeptu McPullup]

Wojo be breakin' it, y'all:

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/350297402273574913[/tweet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/350298629044576258[/tweet]

I'll offer that I doubt Gerald Wallace gets included in a deal.

[LyricalRico]

^ Agreed, I can't see BOS interested in Wallace. Not sure how else it would work financially, though.