Obviously I posted this last year before the Heat won the title, but the Wade thread got me to thinking.
What about a Wade for Love swap? Love obviously isn't happy in Minnesota and will seemingly opt out as soon as possible. Wade is happy in Miami but is aging and was never a great fit next to James. Both are all star players and both really fill a hole on the other team. Miami really needs that banging rebounder down low and Love's outside shooting will mesh well with both Bosh and James. Minnesota needs a veteran star that can be that go to player in crunch time and with Pekovic and AK47 can realistically trade a big for a small.
Obviously other pieces could be included like Barea/Ridnour going back to Miami for a "big" like say Lewis to help even out the respective rosters.
So if Miami called Minnesota or vice versa, which team balks at the trade?
Minnesota.
Love worries them because he has an opt out in 2015-2016, Wade has an opt out a year earlier!
Beyond that Love's younger and will provide more if they can convince him to hang around.
It's more than just an ETO. Love is visibly unhappy and that is never a good type of player to have around. Minny obviously isn't going to just give him away, but I firmly believe that if they got good value back for him they would move him in an instant, even for a guy with an ETO like Wade has. Certainly would be a calculated risk, but maybe Minny can get some other value back like getting rid of some bad contracts
This seemingly fits the bill
Minny - Wade, Haslem, Cole
Miami - Love, Ridnour, Roy (just to rid Minny of the contract)
That would leave Minnesota with
PG - Rubio, Barea, Cole
SG - Wade, Barea, Shved
SF - Kirilenko, Budinger (when back), Lee
PF - Haslem, Kirilenko, Williams, Cunningham/Admundson
C - Pekovic, Stiemer
And they can still move Williams to plug in some depth (maybe they try to bring in Pau for a 2/3 season run centered around Rubio, Wade, and Pau).
Miami would be
PG - Chalmers, Ridnour
SG - Allen, Ridnour, Roy (if he ever plays again which is unlikely)
SF - James, Miller, Jones
PF - Love, Battier, Lewis
C - Bosh, Anthony
I really think that would be a solid trade for both teams and inch both closer to a title (or in the case of miami keep them there longer).