In the discussion of the Kevin Love trade there doesn't seem to be a clear match between what we're offering and what the Wolves would want. If you consider their criteria:
1. Young Star
2. High Draft Pick
3. Cap Flexibilty
There isn't a way that Boston can clearly address those and a lot of opinion seems to be that if we just overwhelm them with picks it would satisfy them enough, but here's the problem I find with that: I think I and some others have been deluded to think that the Wolves were the team that lost almost 60 games last year and the Cs are just a piece or two away. The perception of expectations severely hurt Minnesota and over-exaggerates what the Cs team is like. The Celtics were very bad last year, even If they were a little better than we expected. The Wolves weren't very bad last year, even if they didn't meet the expectations they had. In fact they were measured as one of the best teams to not make the playoffs ever. Add that to the fact that they have some solid building blocks like Rubio and Pek and they would have to cut a LOT of losses to go into full rebuild. Even then, should that be an option for them? How many times can thy try to rebuild? Also, the West is tough, but anything can happen. What if Phoenix doesn't follow a linear path like we expect? What if something happens to Dirk? What if the Memphis situation gets toxic to where it affects the team on the court? What if Portland takes a step back? What if Steph Curry and Andrew Bogut can't stay on the court all season?
Honestly this is what makes me think that a Golden State trade makes a lot more sense for Minnesota. So what of David Lee is over 30? If GS deigns to offer, Minnesota can replace some of Love's production with Lee while adding rotational help like Harrison Barnes and a borderline historically great shooter in Klay Thompson. Also, the Bulls offer would trump Boston's if they were to put in Gibson, Butler and the Boozer contract. That team could still win games and potentially sneak into the playoffs with a few breaks if Last years team could have.
So let's get a little creative in our deals. Danny likes things getting complicated, so let's think like him. I'm looking for a third team with a perceived star player who doesn't quite fit in that we could pry away and ship to Minny and I'd look at their compensation this way:
1. Young star (to be found)
2. Pick (they can have the 6)
3. Cap flexibility (let's offload KMart on another team. I'm not interested in him on the Cs. I can think of some other way to spend his money).
I'm looking through teams and the one team that I think makes the most sense is the Pels, amazingly they have two players that might qualify for what I'm looking for in Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans. They're a unique situation, having significant resources devoted to two other guards in Rivers and Jrue Holiday (even though Reke played some SF last year, he's so ball-dominant that he should be considered a guard). If you'd allow me to ignore Rivers, we still have a lot invested in Holiday, Evans and Gordon that's clogging cap space for the Pels. In addition, they have no pick this year, so how do you improve this team and clear their future cap sheet for flexibility? My estimation is that Evans or Gordon needs to go. Here's my deal:
Boston trades:
Keith Bogans
Brandon Bass
Jared Sullinger
2014 #6
Receives:
Kevin Love
Minnesota trades:
Kevin Love
Kevin Martin
Receives:
Jared Sullinger
Keith Bogans (waived)
Tyreke Evans
2014 #6 (used for Aaron Gordon)
New Orleans trades:
Tyreke Evans
Receives:
Kevin Martin
Brandon Bass
Boston gets Love, doesn't give up a ton at all. Allows them to pursue other starters to put around Rondo and Love. With the extra picks, I would suggest Afflalo and Horford. I'm not sure how the money could work on those, but they're my pipe dream additions. Rondo/Afflalo/Green/Love/Horford keeps me up at night it sounds so good and I think the money and trades could be possible.
New Orleans gains future cap flexibility, adds a scoring guard off of the bench, can slot LSU's own Brandon Bass in as a backup forward and saves themselves from paying a lot to a redundant player. (Maybe they need some other picks for this to work, but that's a topic for discussion).
Minnesota doesn't punt on a decent roster. They replace a decent amount of Loves rebounding with Sullinger, and scoring with Evans, who played well off the bench and may be maturing. They get a defensive stopper in Gordon who won't need offensive touches and can just throw down Rubio or Reke lobs in transition (I think he makes the most sense for them, obviously they don't have to draft him).
Anyway, is that deal enough to compete with Golden State or Chicago? Break down my logic, suggest where other picks and assets need to go to grease the skids, and try to come up with your own ways of finding a star to replace Love in Minny. We have 23 days to get creative, but I think this deal seems like a decent framework. What do you think?
Topic: Idea: Third Team to Facilitate Love Trade (Read 1844 times)