Shams: Kevin Love Signing with Miami Heat

[F N 11]

Knicks please we need stretch 5.

[ConSarnit]

really poor use of an expiring asset by the cavs.

Expiring contract is not an asset, it’s just a tool to facilitate a trade. Teams don’t covet expirings, what they covet is the ability to dump bad contracts or long term salary, the expiring they get is just a means to an end.

Normally would agree but the Cavs could have benefitted from keeping his salary slot. They are pretty asset bare right now so trading Love for a longer deal might have helped (similar to MIN trading Russell for Conley).

[DaGawd]

Knicks please we need stretch 5.

he’s probably toast if the cavs are letting him go

[Karate Diop]

Knicks please we need stretch 5.

Stretch 5 at what expense though? Brunson and Love on the floor at the same time has the recipe for worst defensive duo in the league.

[Bornstellar]

Probably going to Boston or Milwaukee. Thought he would end up with the Lakers but he wants to play for a contender so...

[Jadoogar]

Interesting move, he's definitely a lot worse this year but still putting up 8/7 in just 20 minutes. The Heat is a good place for him. Can play with Bam or back him up

[DowJones]

Tough call by Cleveland, but likely the right call. If his thumb is not right, he has little to nothing to offer.

Why give a competing team the chance of getting a good version of Love? Why eliminate any real option of bringing him back next year? Why punt on the chance of Love’s thumb healing in a few months?

Where is the upside here for Cleveland? This just doesn’t make sense.

[DowJones]

Interesting move, he's definitely a lot worse this year but still putting up 8/7 in just 20 minutes. The Heat is a good place for him. Can play with Bam or back him up

And Miami vs Cleveland is a very real 1st round possibility. It is insane that the Cavs allowed this to get to this point.

[Michael Jordan]

He should re-unite with Lebron and then they should both recruit Kyrie in the off-season

[mcfly1204]

Tough call by Cleveland, but likely the right call. If his thumb is not right, he has little to nothing to offer.

Why give a competing team the chance of getting a good version of Love? Why eliminate any real option of bringing him back next year? Why punt on the chance of Love’s thumb healing in a few months?

Where is the upside here for Cleveland? This just doesn’t make sense.

I have to assume conversations were had. Love was made aware that he would not get minutes, barring a significant injury, in favor of Wade. Love was likely also made aware that they were trying to find a trade partner at the deadline, but could not get a deal done that benefitted the team while not bumping them above the luxury tax threshold. I see this exclusively as a courtesy to Love.

[toooskies]

really poor use of an expiring asset by the cavs.

Expiring contract is not an asset, it’s just a tool to facilitate a trade. Teams don’t covet expirings, what they covet is the ability to dump bad contracts or long term salary, the expiring they get is just a means to an end.

Normally would agree but the Cavs could have benefitted from keeping his salary slot. They are pretty asset bare right now so trading Love for a longer deal might have helped (similar to MIN trading Russell for Conley).

Meh. The problem with preserving a salary slot with no actual assets to supplement it is that you can't turn it into positive salary. Okoro is the closest thing to an asset we might attach in a future trade. The soonest we can trade a first-round pick is post-draft 2024, at which time we'll be handing out a big contract to Mobley.

If the Cavs want to actually exchange an asset it's going to be one of the core four (Garland, Mitchell, Mobley, Allen) to adjust fit from two short guards and two bigs who can't shoot.

What the Cavs definitely DON'T want is negative salary that prevents the team from keeping the young guys that we like, just in favor of staying out of the tax.

The Cavs just gave Wade a raise last offseason, they can give Okoro ($12-15m?) a raise this offseason. Bring back LeVert on a market level deal (~$15m?), sign someone to the MLE ($11m), then there's plenty of not-too-old salary to swap. Bring Osman back the next year and give Mobley his long-term deal the next offseason.

[jbk1234]

Complete mismanagement by the Cavs. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he goes to Miami and gets back to his early season form.

I'm assuming he asked for a buyout after his agent got call from Riley. If he gives back enough money, the Cavs can sign another buyout candidate to replace him. Right now, they're right at the taxline. My guess is Love believes he was shooting well enough with his injured thumb (he's not) and the Cavs disagreed.

[cupcakesnake]

This is a bit disapointing.
Love has been through all the ups and downs with Cleveland. Now they're on the rise and already a fringe contender in their first year with this core. Love was going to be a part of that, until his thumb injury made him unable to shoot.

Why would another team want Love if Cleveland is basically announcing: he can't help with out playoff run this year? If Cleveland saw any chance for him to be a positive contributor, they'd keep him, rather than letting him bolster a potential playoff rival.

There are teams that need frontcourt depth. Miami and Phoenix standout. But is there any real chance that Love can provide value if he's struggling to catch and shoot?

I also want to add my puzzlement to the Lakers winning this poll. They're struggling as it is to make any ground against OKC for a play-in spot. They also have TONS of frontcourt players now with Rui, Mo Bamba and Vanderbilt joining AD and Gabriel. Lebron also plays the 4/5 whenever they want that look. I see no room for Love on this team, and no reason for him to leave a contending team to join the Lakers play-in push.

[DowJones]

Complete mismanagement by the Cavs. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he goes to Miami and gets back to his early season form.

I'm assuming he asked for a buyout after his agent got call from Riley. If he gives back enough money, the Cavs can sign another buyout candidate to replace him. Right now, they're right at the taxline. My guess is Love believes he was shooting well enough with his injured thumb (he's not) and the Cavs disagreed.

The Cavs don’t have to give him a buyout. Let him rest the thumb through All-Star break and then work him back into the lineup. The Cavs shouldn’t just give up on the guy.

[jbk1234]

Complete mismanagement by the Cavs. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he goes to Miami and gets back to his early season form.

I'm assuming he asked for a buyout after his agent got call from Riley. If he gives back enough money, the Cavs can sign another buyout candidate to replace him. Right now, they're right at the taxline. My guess is Love believes he was shooting well enough with his injured thumb (he's not) and the Cavs disagreed.

The Cavs don’t have to give him a buyout. Let him rest the thumb through All-Star break and then work him back into the lineup. The Cavs shouldn’t just give up on the guy.

In theory, I agree, but it's hard to put the pieces back together with Riley whispering to Schwartz how badly the Heat need him. All I care about at this point is that he gives back enough money the Cavs can sign a guy like Noel to the vet minimum without going into the tax. It's not the Cavs fault Love fractured his thumb. If this is how Love wants to end his time in Cleveland, that's on Love. Vaya con dios.

[Kampuchea]

Cavs seems like a good fit if he wants a contender.

[Mickey8]

The Lakers are contenders now Do I missing something Their season could end up after two weeks of playing when the season resumes. They have horrible schedule right after all star break.

[John Murdoch]

This is a bit disapointing.
Love has been through all the ups and downs with Cleveland. Now they're on the rise and already a fringe contender in their first year with this core. Love was going to be a part of that, until his thumb injury made him unable to shoot.

Why would another team want Love if Cleveland is basically announcing: he can't help with out playoff run this year? If Cleveland saw any chance for him to be a positive contributor, they'd keep him, rather than letting him bolster a potential playoff rival.

There are teams that need frontcourt depth. Miami and Phoenix standout. But is there any real chance that Love can provide value if he's struggling to catch and shoot?

I also want to add my puzzlement to the Lakers winning this poll. They're struggling as it is to make any ground against OKC for a play-in spot. They also have TONS of frontcourt players now with Rui, Mo Bamba and Vanderbilt joining AD and Gabriel. Lebron also plays the 4/5 whenever they want that look. I see no room for Love on this team, and no reason for him to leave a contending team to join the Lakers play-in push.

Mehh its alot different going from sage veteran playing 15min a night cheering on the starters to all of the sudden ur the grey haired towel boy racking up DNP's with noobs like Cedi Osman playing over you. Cant blame him at all , if u play sports u know it sapps ur morale if u never play . We are about ti go thru it now with Lonnie Walker squeezed out the rotation

[bullsaficianado]

Phoenix makes the most sense for his style of play and they are a contender.

[yoyoboy]

This is just really upsetting.