Where does Love end up?

[celticsclay]

He may be one of the bigger names potentially on the block. Does he end up in Portland? Is Toronto possible? Could Cleveland keep him and gun for the 7th spot?

[CelticsElite]

Cavs

I don’t believe Cleveland is tanking. They will try to make the playoffs

[celticsclay]

Cavs

I don’t believe Cleveland is tanking. They will try to make the playoffs

I think they lose their draft pick if it is not in the lottery

[Mike Pemulis]

He'd fit on the 6ers (if they gave up Saric/Covington) or the Raptors (if they can move Ibaka). so Love could chase rings in the East.

Personally, I wish he went to Portland. I can ID with the sentiment that these guys are pros and have great lives although Kevin Love is a player that I hope figures out a way to enjoy the game again. I found the following in Jerry West's book. Reminds me a little bit of Kevin Love.
"Stunning West in a surprise appearance on Jerry West Night in March 1971, Bill Russell walked onto the Forum floor, where he and his Celtics had made their successful last stand in Game 7 of the 1969 finals under the Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke’s presumptuous balloons.

“If I could have one wish granted,” Russell told West, “it would be that you would always be happy.”

[celticsclay]

He does seem like a nice guy that took the brunt of Lebron's drama the last 3 years

[saltlover]

Cavs

I don’t believe Cleveland is tanking. They will try to make the playoffs

I think they lose their draft pick if it is not in the lottery

It’s actually top-10 protected for the next two seasons.  The East isn’t that strong, and even finishing in the 10th slot league wide gives them a 20% chance of losing their pick. Is it really worth tanking that much for two years if the alternative is making the playoffs and giving up a pick in the 15-18 range, especially in what looks to be a relatively weak draft class next year?

It’s one thing if they can completely bottom out, I guess, but if they’re going to be mediocre, I think they might as well try to make the playoffs.  Also, given that the West is stacked, I bet there will be some organizational desire to make the playoffs this year since the Lakers are not a given in the West, and they would enjoy the press of making without LeBron while he stayed home in late April.

[celticsclay]

Cavs

I don’t believe Cleveland is tanking. They will try to make the playoffs

I think they lose their draft pick if it is not in the lottery

It’s actually top-10 protected for the next two seasons.  The East isn’t that strong, and even finishing in the 10th slot league wide gives them a 20% chance of losing their pick. Is it really worth tanking that much for two years if the alternative is making the playoffs and giving up a pick in the 15-18 range, especially in what looks to be a relatively weak draft class next year?

It’s one thing if they can completely bottom out, I guess, but if they’re going to be mediocre, I think they might as well try to make the playoffs.  Also, given that the West is stacked, I bet there will be some organizational desire to make the playoffs this year since the Lakers are not a given in the West, and they would enjoy the press of making without LeBron while he stayed home in late April.

I would be pretty shocked if Lakers don't make the playoffs as a lower seed.

[saltlover]

Cavs

I don’t believe Cleveland is tanking. They will try to make the playoffs

I think they lose their draft pick if it is not in the lottery

It’s actually top-10 protected for the next two seasons.  The East isn’t that strong, and even finishing in the 10th slot league wide gives them a 20% chance of losing their pick. Is it really worth tanking that much for two years if the alternative is making the playoffs and giving up a pick in the 15-18 range, especially in what looks to be a relatively weak draft class next year?

It’s one thing if they can completely bottom out, I guess, but if they’re going to be mediocre, I think they might as well try to make the playoffs.  Also, given that the West is stacked, I bet there will be some organizational desire to make the playoffs this year since the Lakers are not a given in the West, and they would enjoy the press of making without LeBron while he stayed home in late April.

I would be pretty shocked if Lakers don't make the playoffs as a lower seed.

I wouldn’t.  46 wins didn’t get in last year, and arguably only the Pelicans got worse of the West playoff teams (arguably because they played quite well down the stretch after DMC got hurt and they might not miss him much).  Making and missing the playoffs out West is going to be largely based on some random events for about 8-10 teams.  I guess it depends a bit on what probability of an event would shock you, but I can’t give the Lakers more than a 2-in-3 chance to make the postseason.  That both feels on the high side and is well below  the level required to shock.

[GreenEnvy]

Cavs

I don’t believe Cleveland is tanking. They will try to make the playoffs

I think they lose their draft pick if it is not in the lottery

It’s actually top-10 protected for the next two seasons.  The East isn’t that strong, and even finishing in the 10th slot league wide gives them a 20% chance of losing their pick. Is it really worth tanking that much for two years if the alternative is making the playoffs and giving up a pick in the 15-18 range, especially in what looks to be a relatively weak draft class next year?

It’s one thing if they can completely bottom out, I guess, but if they’re going to be mediocre, I think they might as well try to make the playoffs.  Also, given that the West is stacked, I bet there will be some organizational desire to make the playoffs this year since the Lakers are not a given in the West, and they would enjoy the press of making without LeBron while he stayed home in late April.

I would be pretty shocked if Lakers don't make the playoffs as a lower seed.

Are the Lakers better than last year’s Cavs? I’m not so sure. Maybe on a talent basis they are, but the fit seems horrid. It’s almost like they reached into a bag blindfolded to pick free agents to offer money to. I know they only want 1-year deals to keep their space for next summer, but this season could be a rockier one than most expect.

Rondo and Ball bricking shots, McGee clogging the paint and Shaqtin a fool, Lance and Beasley on the same team? This has all the makings of spontaneous combustion. I think/hope Melo is the final piece to this mess. That should be the cherry on top.

I think last season tested LeBron. This season may very well age him.

[More Banners]

I say Cavs as well. Surprised they didn't make a move for Melo as a direct replacement and try to luck their way back to the conference finals.

Anyhoo, the bloom is off the rose for Love. He isn't the young stud he was in Minny, and his defense has been too exposed. His stock has gone down in his time in Cleveland. He's a rich man's Olynyk.

[celticsclay]

Cavs

I don’t believe Cleveland is tanking. They will try to make the playoffs

I think they lose their draft pick if it is not in the lottery

It’s actually top-10 protected for the next two seasons.  The East isn’t that strong, and even finishing in the 10th slot league wide gives them a 20% chance of losing their pick. Is it really worth tanking that much for two years if the alternative is making the playoffs and giving up a pick in the 15-18 range, especially in what looks to be a relatively weak draft class next year?

It’s one thing if they can completely bottom out, I guess, but if they’re going to be mediocre, I think they might as well try to make the playoffs.  Also, given that the West is stacked, I bet there will be some organizational desire to make the playoffs this year since the Lakers are not a given in the West, and they would enjoy the press of making without LeBron while he stayed home in late April.

I would be pretty shocked if Lakers don't make the playoffs as a lower seed.

I wouldn’t.  46 wins didn’t get in last year, and arguably only the Pelicans got worse of the West playoff teams (arguably because they played quite well down the stretch after DMC got hurt and they might not miss him much).  Making and missing the playoffs out West is going to be largely based on some random events for about 8-10 teams.  I guess it depends a bit on what probability of an event would shock you, but I can’t give the Lakers more than a 2-in-3 chance to make the postseason.  That both feels on the high side and is well below  the level required to shock.

Is this part of a changing Lebron narrative? I thought the prevailing narrative was that he was so great you could put him on the worse team in the league and they would make the finals. Now he is on a team with some talented young players, some reasonable Vets, and he can't even be an 8 seed?

[saltlover]

Cavs

I don’t believe Cleveland is tanking. They will try to make the playoffs

I think they lose their draft pick if it is not in the lottery

It’s actually top-10 protected for the next two seasons.  The East isn’t that strong, and even finishing in the 10th slot league wide gives them a 20% chance of losing their pick. Is it really worth tanking that much for two years if the alternative is making the playoffs and giving up a pick in the 15-18 range, especially in what looks to be a relatively weak draft class next year?

It’s one thing if they can completely bottom out, I guess, but if they’re going to be mediocre, I think they might as well try to make the playoffs.  Also, given that the West is stacked, I bet there will be some organizational desire to make the playoffs this year since the Lakers are not a given in the West, and they would enjoy the press of making without LeBron while he stayed home in late April.

I would be pretty shocked if Lakers don't make the playoffs as a lower seed.

I wouldn’t.  46 wins didn’t get in last year, and arguably only the Pelicans got worse of the West playoff teams (arguably because they played quite well down the stretch after DMC got hurt and they might not miss him much).  Making and missing the playoffs out West is going to be largely based on some random events for about 8-10 teams.  I guess it depends a bit on what probability of an event would shock you, but I can’t give the Lakers more than a 2-in-3 chance to make the postseason.  That both feels on the high side and is well below  the level required to shock.

Is this part of a changing Lebron narrative? I thought the prevailing narrative was that he was so great you could put him on the worse team in the league and they would make the finals. Now he is on a team with some talented young players, some reasonable Vets, and he can't even be an 8 seed?

I think the narrative in the West is very different than in the East.

[nickagneta]

Cleveland. Though no more than this year. They will move him next year to someone with cap space and erase his salary off the books and get a big ass trade exception.