Kevin Love is obviously available

[Moranis]

the question is, who wants him and where does he end up? 

Trying to come up with some teams and trades that make sense, I think Milwaukee might actually make a lot of sense, though unless they gave up a starter it would have to be something like Love for Hill, Ilyasova, R. Lopez, and DiVincenzo, which hurts the Bucks depth.  That said Bledsoe, Middleton, Matthews, Giannis, and Love with B. Lopez, Connaughton, Williams, Korver, Brown, and Wilson is a better team than the one they ended the year with (and that is without any other FA adds) and at least shows Giannis you are willing to go all in and do whatever it takes.

Portland also makes sense on some level.  Love for Ariza, Hood, Collins, and Simons.  Love would be an excellent 3rd or 4th option along with Lillard, McCollum, and Nurkic (and/or Whiteside).  Definitely need to fill out the bench, but I think that would be an interesting team and Love is from the area so I doubt he would be unhappy.

I thought about Brooklyn, but I wasn't sure about the Irving/Love relationship nor how to really make it work from a trade perspective.  I don't think the Lakers or Clippers make that sort of move, though I do think he would fit well on either LA team.  I thought about Dallas and Miami, but I don't think they want to get anyone with long term salary to keep other options open.  Did I miss a team or potential trade?  And no I don't think he would fit well in Boston, though if Hayward opted in, a Hayward for Love swap on some level is at least interesting for both teams. I think Cleveland would eventually move Hayward to somewhere else in that scenario but they are supposedly interested in keeping some vets on the team for leadership and guidance. 

[Darth_Yoda]

the question is, who wants him and where does he end up? 

Trying to come up with some teams and trades that make sense, I think Milwaukee might actually make a lot of sense, though unless they gave up a starter it would have to be something like Love for Hill, Ilyasova, R. Lopez, and DiVincenzo, which hurts the Bucks depth.  That said Bledsoe, Middleton, Matthews, Giannis, and Love with B. Lopez, Connaughton, Williams, Korver, Brown, and Wilson is a better team than the one they ended the year with (and that is without any other FA adds) and at least shows Giannis you are willing to go all in and do whatever it takes.

Portland also makes sense on some level.  Love for Ariza, Hood, Collins, and Simons.  Love would be an excellent 3rd or 4th option along with Lillard, McCollum, and Nurkic (and/or Whiteside).  Definitely need to fill out the bench, but I think that would be an interesting team and Love is from the area so I doubt he would be unhappy.

I thought about Brooklyn, but I wasn't sure about the Irving/Love relationship nor how to really make it work from a trade perspective.  I don't think the Lakers or Clippers make that sort of move, though I do think he would fit well on either LA team.  I thought about Dallas and Miami, but I don't think they want to get anyone with long term salary to keep other options open.  Did I miss a team or potential trade?  And no I don't think he would fit well in Boston, though if Hayward opted in, a Hayward for Love swap on some level is at least interesting for both teams. I think Cleveland would eventually move Hayward to somewhere else in that scenario but they are supposedly interested in keeping some vets on the team for leadership and guidance.

IMO, Warriors should be asking.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Kevin Love will, to me, always feel like the NBA player that was an obvious match for the Celtics, but the timing never worked out. He's the one who got away.

We just never had salaries that would match up at the right time to make a contending move.

Looking at it now, you have to wonder if the Cs would have been better off getting Love than Irving in that Cavs deal several years ago.

[KGs Knee]

Hard pass

His contract is totally unjustifiable and I'm not even sure what position you can play him at these days.  He's too slow to defend the perimeter and he doesn't protect the rim.  There's a decent chance he's actually a net negative at this point, except maybe as a bench scorer or on a team that can cover for his weaknesses.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Hard pass

His contract is totally unjustifiable and I'm not even sure what position you can play him at these days.  He's too slow to defend the perimeter and he doesn't protect the rim.  There's a decent chance he's actually a net negative at this point, except maybe as a bench scorer or on a team that can cover for his weaknesses.

Lol. Read the OP. It wasn't about the Cs.

[KGs Knee]

Hard pass

His contract is totally unjustifiable and I'm not even sure what position you can play him at these days.  He's too slow to defend the perimeter and he doesn't protect the rim.  There's a decent chance he's actually a net negative at this point, except maybe as a bench scorer or on a team that can cover for his weaknesses.

Lol. Read the OP. It wasn't about the Cs.

Oh, I read the post, I added the part about not wanting him, I realize the OP wasn't about the C's.

Everything I said about him as a player still applies, though. He's not really someone who is going impact winning in a positive way at this point.

[Moranis]

Hard pass

His contract is totally unjustifiable and I'm not even sure what position you can play him at these days.  He's too slow to defend the perimeter and he doesn't protect the rim.  There's a decent chance he's actually a net negative at this point, except maybe as a bench scorer or on a team that can cover for his weaknesses.

Lol. Read the OP. It wasn't about the Cs.

Oh, I read the post, I added the part about not wanting him, I realize the OP wasn't about the C's.

Everything I said about him as a player still applies, though. He's not really someone who is going impact winning in a positive way at this point.

Except teams are generally better when Kevin Love is on the floor as opposed to when he is not.  Last year that wasn't the case, but two years ago (when the Cavs were still bad), they were 7.8 points better per 100 possessions with Love on the floor then when he wasn't.  The 4 straight Finals years, the Cavs were significantly better with Love then when he was on the bench (some of that is obviously Lebron, but not all of it).  The Wolves were better with Love on the floor in all but his rookie year.  Love is a net positive when he plays because he is such an excellent rebounder and diverse and varied scorer.  There aren't many guys that can shoot half their shots from 3 making them at over 37% and still grab double digit rebounds.  A lot of teams could use a 17/10/3 big man that hits foul shots and 3 pointers even if he isn't a rim protector and a mediocre at best defender. 

His contract is fairly big and fairly long, making him difficult to acquire, but he could absolutely help put a team over the top because he knows how to play and has some great and easily transferrable skills.

[Birdman]

Be great on Portland

[Roy H.]

Be great on Portland

Yeah, that’s the team I’ve always projected him to.

[Vermont Green]

The simple trade would be Love for Wiggins and to have Wiggins end up back in Cleveland would be so ironic.  Didn't the Warriors once trade for David Lee, sign and trade actually, signed for 6 years/$80M plus gave up some players.  Kevin Love is a similar player to David Lee.  I think he would be good on the Warriors.  And Wiggins could run and gun on the Cavs.

[mmmmm]

Yeah, I concur with the idea of Love being able to fit with either Portland or GSW. 

I also think he is an underrated player by a lot of Celtic fans.

[pearljammer10]

Love in Portland almost makes too much sense for my money.

Here's hoping Cleveland sends him to a playoff team this offseason, Love has always gotten kind of a crap wrap since his huge stat days in Minny. He's paid his dues these last few years, and with all the LeBron Cavs trade rumors during that span in his life. Send him off to a better situation.

[Sketch5]

Yeah, I concur with the idea of Love being able to fit with either Portland or GSW. 

I also think he is an underrated player by a lot of Celtic fans.

It would be funny if Wiggins ends up in Cleveland for Love.

[KGs Knee]

Hard pass

His contract is totally unjustifiable and I'm not even sure what position you can play him at these days.  He's too slow to defend the perimeter and he doesn't protect the rim.  There's a decent chance he's actually a net negative at this point, except maybe as a bench scorer or on a team that can cover for his weaknesses.

Lol. Read the OP. It wasn't about the Cs.

Oh, I read the post, I added the part about not wanting him, I realize the OP wasn't about the C's.

Everything I said about him as a player still applies, though. He's not really someone who is going impact winning in a positive way at this point.

Except teams are generally better when Kevin Love is on the floor as opposed to when he is not.  Last year that wasn't the case, but two years ago (when the Cavs were still bad), they were 7.8 points better per 100 possessions with Love on the floor then when he wasn't.  The 4 straight Finals years, the Cavs were significantly better with Love then when he was on the bench (some of that is obviously Lebron, but not all of it).  The Wolves were better with Love on the floor in all but his rookie year.  Love is a net positive when he plays because he is such an excellent rebounder and diverse and varied scorer.  There aren't many guys that can shoot half their shots from 3 making them at over 37% and still grab double digit rebounds.  A lot of teams could use a 17/10/3 big man that hits foul shots and 3 pointers even if he isn't a rim protector and a mediocre at best defender. 

His contract is fairly big and fairly long, making him difficult to acquire, but he could absolutely help put a team over the top because he knows how to play and has some great and easily transferrable skills.

Kevin Love can surely still score points and grab rebounds, and I have no doubts there is still a role out there for him. But I doubt that role is as anything other than a bench scorer where his utter lack of defensive ability is less harmful. With the way good teams attack weak defenders like Love, he's too easy of a target.  He could very well be the exact type of big that just ends up getting played off the court in the playoffs.

[jambr380]

Love in Portland almost makes too much sense for my money.

Here's hoping Cleveland sends him to a playoff team this offseason, Love has always gotten kind of a crap wrap since his huge stat days in Minny. He's paid his dues these last few years, and with all the LeBron Cavs trade rumors during that span in his life. Send him off to a better situation.

I don't have a vested interested in what happens with Love, but he knew what he was getting himself into when he signed that huge contract. If the worst thing that happens to him is that he makes north of $90M over the next three years, I don't think there are very many people who will feel bad for him. Perhaps a Wiggins for Love trade would make sense for both teams, though.