Woj: Love to Cavs

[JCSunsfan]

Certainly a nice save for Minny. They could have lost Love for nothing, like the Lakers did with Dwight, or the Suns with Amare.

 

[Dback Jon]

I still think Chicago will wipe the floor with them in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Assuming Derrick Rose can actually last a season...

 

[Cheesebeef]

I still think Chicago will wipe the floor with them in the Eastern Conference Finals.

lol...people were singing this same tune three years ago when the Heat wiped the floor with Chicago (who had HCA AND a 100% healthy Rose).

 

[Errntknght]

Minnesota should have tried to sneak Dellavedova into the deal... he's not gaudy but they'd have a decent shooting PG backing up Rubio. I imagine Clev was insisting they take Bennett.

The list of guys that Cleveland has shed this summer is long, long, long: Wiggins, Bennett, Loul Deng, Shane Edwards, Seth Curry, Carrick Felix, Hawes, Jarrett Jack, Sergey Karasev, C.J. Miles, Tyler Zeller and Alonzo Gee. That was following a year when they shed almost that many players - 8 vs 12. I suppose thats what you do when you're freeing up cap space...

 

[Phrazbit]

Minnesota should have tried to sneak Dellavedova into the deal... he's not gaudy but they'd have a decent shooting PG backing up Rubio. I imagine Clev was insisting they take Bennett.

The list of guys that Cleveland has shed this summer is long, long, long: Wiggins, Bennett, Loul Deng, Shane Edwards, Seth Curry, Carrick Felix, Hawes, Jarrett Jack, Sergey Karasev, C.J. Miles, Tyler Zeller and Alonzo Gee. That was following a year when they shed almost that many players - 8 vs 12. I suppose thats what you do when you're freeing up cap space...

Also when you've butchered the majority of your transactions the previous 3 seasons. Chris Grant (their former GM) was a real idiot.

 

[Mainstreet]

At first glance it looks like tampering or a violation of rules to me. I guess everything in the NBA is wink, wink anymore.

 

[Cheesebeef]

At first glance it looks like tampering or a violation of rules to me. I guess everything in the NBA is wink, wink anymore.

Uh...how?

 

[Mainstreet]

Uh...how?

Here is an excerpt from an ESPN article from I believe Brian Windhorst.

According to Yahoo! Sports, which reported an agreement in principle between the teams earlier Thursday, Cleveland has committed to make the trade with a "firm agreement" that Love will re-sign with the Cavs next summer for five years and $120 million-plus after opting out of his contract. But such an arrangement would be a violation of NBA rules.

Sources confirmed to ESPN.com's Marc Stein on Thursday that the Cavs and Love can make no such arrangements about the future, even verbally, without violating salary cap circumvention rules in the league's collective bargaining agreement. Love has made it widely known that he intends to opt out of his contract at season's end, wherever he is, to become a free agent in July 2015, but the circumvention rules state that any discussions between the Cavs and Love regarding any future contract cannot take place until Love becomes a free agent next summer.

It sounds borderline to me.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/1...aliers-minnesota-timberwolves-agreement-place

 

[Cheesebeef]

Here is an excerpt from an ESPN article from I believe Brian Windhorst.



It sounds borderline to me.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/1...aliers-minnesota-timberwolves-agreement-place

yet... you were totally okay with JC doing the exact same thing (actually even worse) with AC Green and Danny Manning.

 

[Mainstreet]

yet... you were totally okay with JC doing the exact same thing (actually even worse) with AC Green and Danny Manning.

I was going to bring up AC Green and Danny Manning if you didn't. I knew you would see it as a fit.

 

[Joe Mama]

I thought giving up Wiggins to get Kevin love was a no-brainer. Giving up Bennett was actually a good move for Cleveland. I know he looked better this year in Vegas, but she will always be battling his weight and he's a tweener.

My guess is that at the end of the day… five years from now… Kevin Love will still be the best player in this trade, especially when you consider the dearth of quality big men in the league right now.

Joe

 

[JCSunsfan]

At first glance it looks like tampering or a violation of rules to me. I guess everything in the NBA is wink, wink anymore.

I do not know if there is any rule against two teams agreeing in principle to a trade before it is allowed to be official. The main point is that nothing can be considered binding until the allowed date. I don't even think it is considered a wink wink situation.

 

[elindholm]

I do not know if there is any rule against two teams agreeing in principle to a trade before it is allowed to be official.

The issue is the premature promise of a contract extension, not the timing of the trade agreement itself.

 

[jbeecham]

Looks like it's turning into a 3 team trade with the 76ers sending Thaddeous Young to Minny & getting Bennett from Cleveland.

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports....ng-going-to-timberwolves-in-kevin-love-trade/

 

[JCSunsfan]

The issue is the premature promise of a contract extension, not the timing of the trade agreement itself.

Well, the risk is on the Cavs. He can always change his mind. The Cavs should know this after the Boozer fiasco. Verbal assurances aren't worth much, especially if some bad blood develops somehow. Imagine giving away two overall #1 picks for a one year Kevin Love rental.

 

[overseascardfan]

I am shocked MIN couldn't get either Thompson or Waiters included in the deal or both instead of Bennett & a pick that will wind up being late 20's at best. CLE was looking to deal Waiters and Thompson is really not going to get a lot of minutes with Varajao & Love in the starting lineup. I believe the initial trade rumor was Thompson, Waiters & the #1 overall pick for Love and either Brewer or Martin (I forget). CLE got wise and figured Wiggins was more than MIN would from any other team and removed Thompson & Waiters (if the rumor had legs).

 

[95pro]

minny got a deal from the 76ers

 

[Griffin]

Would it be safe to presume that if this trade goes down, then the Suns will never see that first round pick T-Wolves owe them? It is top-12 protected next two years before turning into 2 second-round picks. I don't see Minnesota finishing with a record better than 12 other teams the next two seasons.

 

[Mainstreet]

Would it be safe to presume that if this trade goes down, then the Suns will never see that first round pick T-Wolves owe them? It is top-12 protected next two years before turning into 2 second-round picks. I don't see Minnesota finishing with a record better than 12 other teams the next two seasons.

I guess it all depends if one believes Kevin Love made the TWolves good... which they were not. Maybe they play better as a team without him.

Everyone thought the Suns would be bad last season.

 

[devilalum]

Would it be safe to presume that if this trade goes down, then the Suns will never see that first round pick T-Wolves owe them? It is top-12 protected next two years before turning into 2 second-round picks. I don't see Minnesota finishing with a record better than 12 other teams the next two seasons.

No way the Loveless Wolves crack the top 8 this year. Maybe next year if Wiggins lights it up.

 

[Ronin]

I agree with Kobe.

Alex Kennedy @AlexKennedyNBA · 32m
Kobe Bryant on Andrew Wiggins being traded: "Cleveland is making the same mistake that Charlotte made with me." (via @2014MrBasket)

https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA

 

[Griffin]

I agree with Kobe.

https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA

Wait, wasn't it widely reported that Kobe told Charlotte as well as several other teams in the lottery that he wouldn't play for them if they drafted him?

 

[Phrazbit]

I guess it all depends if one believes Kevin Love made the TWolves good... which they were not. Maybe they play better as a team without him.

Everyone thought the Suns would be bad last season.

I think this is more akin to the 2012/13 Suns in the wake of Nash's departure. A few fans here and there talked themselves into the Suns being improved, but the majority expected them to struggle... and they were flat out horrific.

The 2013/14 Wolves were a roughly .500 team overall, per 48 they went from outscoring teams by 6.3 points with Love in the game, to being outscored by 4.6 when he sat, just under an 11 point swing. Thats an enormous difference. In the entire league the only player who's team seemingly relied on them as bad was the Warriors with Steph Curry, whos team had a 14.7 point swing with and without him.

I think its safe to assume that unless Wiggins is a absolute superstar from day one, then the Wolves will not only be bad, but very very bad.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I think this is more akin to the 2012/13 Suns in the wake of Nash's departure. A few fans here and there talked themselves into the Suns being improved, but the majority expected them to struggle... and they were flat out horrific.

The 2013/14 Wolves were a roughly .500 team overall, per 48 they went from outscoring teams by 6.3 points with Love in the game, to being outscored by 4.6 when he sat, just under an 11 point swing. Thats an enormous difference. In the entire league the only player who's team seemingly relied on them as bad was the Warriors with Steph Curry, whos team had a 14.7 point swing with and without him.

I think its safe to assume that unless Wiggins is a absolute superstar from day one, then the Wolves will not only be bad, but very very bad.

The wolves have WAY better personnel than the Suns had then. Then there was Lance Blanks and Lindsay Hunter spying on the coaching staff. The suns had bad bad talent and a poisonous atmosphere. It's not a good comparison.

I think the Wolves will be in a similar situation to last year. Their big problem is the strength of the west.

 

[Phrazbit]

The wolves have WAY better personnel than the Suns had then. Then there was Lance Blanks and Lindsay Hunter spying on the coaching staff. The suns had bad bad talent and a poisonous atmosphere. It's not a good comparison.

I think the Wolves will be in a similar situation to last year. Their big problem is the strength of the west.

I'm not sure that they do. Their best player is Pekovic, and I think Gortat is easily his equal and probably his superior as a defender. Then you've got Rubio, who the jury is still out on, but to call him a dissapointment is putting it mildly. Then after Martin you're looking at an utter disaster of a team.

Yes, you had the Suns poisoned lockerroom, that is true. But they were certainly deeper than that Minnesota squad.

Now, we are plugging Wiggins into the equation, but, as demonstrated, Love was extremely important to that Minnesota team. With him on the court they were pretty good overall, when he rested they were a travesty. Wiggins will have to be great, and I mean legit all-star great, for that team to even push for .500, especially in the West.