The Cavs Kevin Love gamble

[Fafnir]

Dan Gilbert just got too impatient.  They should have been patient, seen what they had with Wiggins and then figured out a strategy for building the team.  They hadn't even had a practice yet with Lebron and went out and locked up Love long term, which is the fantasy basketball approach. 

Defense and developing a cohesive offensive system matter.  Right now it seems like they have a lot of mismatched parts.

LeBron demanded the move and given the contract he's on, what LeBron wants he gets in Cleveland.

Dan Gilbert's patience in dragging out the Love negotiations was actually greater than I thought.

[Rondo9]

If had to guess, It's that Dan Gilbert wanted to keep Wiggins and wanted to sign Kevin Love during the summer. That way he would have four very good players.

[D Dub]

I know it's extremely unlikely that Kevin Love leaves the Cavs... but if he does, will that be seen as one of the worst gambles in NBA history? 

Andrew Wiggins has looked terrific his last 5 games.   21.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.4 steals on 50% shooting and 43% from three... Kid is showing the potential.  He's 19 years old... there's no telling how good he'll get.  Tonight he had 27 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals.  That's a sign of things to come, imo.

Bennett isn't getting the minutes right now, but could eventually develop into a really nice player as well.   

I mean, even if Love stays, this might be a bad trade in retrospect.  I know it's mostly on LeBron and not the Cavs as a whole.  LeBron wanted Love so they went out and got Love at an UNPRECEDENTED cost. 

Consider that Kevin Love is in a contract year and landed a transcendent prospect in Wiggins + a very nice prospect in Bennett.   Consider that a couple months later a borderline all-star in a contract year (Rajon Rondo) fetched a protected late 1st rounder.     

It's unfathomable the kind of return the Wolves got for Kevin Love.  It just wouldn't have happened had it not been for the bizarre set of circumstances.   It remains a fascinating storyline.  It would have been very interesting to see LeBron mentor young Wiggins.

TP good thread--everyone loved it for the Cavs at the time.  funny no one realized they play the same position... 

[D Dub]

Irving
Wiggins/Waiters
Marion/Miller
Lebron/Thompson
Varajao/Zeller/Bennett

what if?

[Vox_Populi]

Irving
Wiggins/Waiters
Marion/Miller
Lebron/Thompson
Varajao/Zeller/Bennett

what if?

Just wanted to point out that they traded Zeller to make more cap space for LeBron. He wouldn't be on the team regardless.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Remember how much "trouble" the Heatles had in their first season? And yet they still made the Finals that year, and then three more seasons after that? Winning two?

Give it time.

[Neurotic Guy]

When I first glanced at the title I thought it read:

The Cavs Love Kevin gamble

Yeah I thought that this thread was about Kevin Gamble better get some coffee.

Funny. I thought of Kevin Gamble when I saw the thread title too.   Liked his game for a few years.   Wore #34.  He was KG before KG and his number will be retired. 

[AidaCelt]

I thought the trade was a bad one for the Cavs at the time it was made (even though I think Love is a great player). Bennett started to get his game together towards the end of last season and being a #1 pick obviously has something there, it just hasn't shown (at least consistently) yet. Wiggins is going to be a star and they will regret giving him up.

My issue with the trade was always the lack of defense that team has. Varejao is a hustle player but not a great defender by any stretch. Love was the centre piece of an extremely poor Wolves team, especially as a transition D team. You're relying on Lebron to bring this team together, make it all gel, handle the ball and be a playmaker (Kyrie needs the ball as well), defend the oppositions best player and be the team GM.

The other part of the trade is at least Miami had PG's that were willing to give up handling the ball and being the playmaker. There is only 1 ball out there and I'm still to see how they can share it between Lebron, Kyrie, KLove and Waiters.

[Casperian]

Man, I wanted Wiggins so bad!

*sniff

This year, we win the lottery. You hear me, basketball Gods?

Let's just be thankful we didn't give up the farm for Love.

[D.o.s.]

Does this mean that Kevin Love being kind of crappy and overrated is actually dawning on a lot of the CB faithful, though?

That's well worth the trade, if it's true.

[KG Living Legend]

 Could go down as an all time Blunder for the Cavs. Thoroughly short sighted, What team ever gets the chance to Bring a 30 year old MVP and best player in the leauge for the last 5 to 6 years, with the next potential league MVP for the next ten years. Oh and did I mention they still have Kyrie Irving, waiters, Bennett, Thompson, and maybe still Zeller, not to mention so much more money to finish the team off. Idiotic. Lebron is a fool.

[hwangjini_1]

Does this mean that Kevin Love being kind of crappy and overrated is actually dawning on a lot of the CB faithful, though?

That's well worth the trade, if it's true.

love's greatest asset is that when the offense runs through him he puts up a ton of points. this year, he's on lebron's team so love's not able to provide the offense he normally did. (scoring is down 9+ points from last year.) without that great offense, his defense makes him a very good, but not great player.

p.s. love's rebounding is down a little bit as well, though his minutes are close to his recent averages. rebounds from career average of 12.1 to 10.1, and down 2.4 rebounds from last year.

[LarBrd33]

Dan Gilbert just got too impatient.  They should have been patient, seen what they had with Wiggins and then figured out a strategy for building the team.  They hadn't even had a practice yet with Lebron and went out and locked up Love long term, which is the fantasy basketball approach. 

Defense and developing a cohesive offensive system matter.  Right now it seems like they have a lot of mismatched parts.

LeBron demanded the move and given the contract he's on, what LeBron wants he gets in Cleveland.

Dan Gilbert's patience in dragging out the Love negotiations was actually greater than I thought.

That's why I say it's mostly on LeBron.  From the Cavs perspective they do it 100/100 times because whatever makes LeBron happy is the wise move.  But giving up a phenom prospect for an all-star on a contract year is an UNPRECEDENTED haul that simply wouldn't have happened under any other circumstances.   Can you imagine the rioting that would have occurred here had Boston finally landed a #1 pick in a loaded draft, taken a phenom... and dumped him for a star in a contract year? 

If Love stays, it's probably fine.  If he leaves... this has the potential be looked at as one of the worst trades in NBA history.

[Boris Badenov]

I read the thread title quickly and thought it said "The Cavs love Kevin Gamble."

Edit: oops, didn't read the first page. I guess I'm not the only one.

[BballTim]

Dan Gilbert just got too impatient.  They should have been patient, seen what they had with Wiggins and then figured out a strategy for building the team.  They hadn't even had a practice yet with Lebron and went out and locked up Love long term, which is the fantasy basketball approach. 

Defense and developing a cohesive offensive system matter.  Right now it seems like they have a lot of mismatched parts.

LeBron demanded the move and given the contract he's on, what LeBron wants he gets in Cleveland.

Dan Gilbert's patience in dragging out the Love negotiations was actually greater than I thought.

That's why I say it's mostly on LeBron.  From the Cavs perspective they do it 100/100 times because whatever makes LeBron happy is the wise move.  But giving up a phenom prospect for an all-star on a contract year is an UNPRECEDENTED haul that simply wouldn't have happened under any other circumstances.   Can you imagine the rioting that would have occurred here had Boston finally landed a #1 pick in a loaded draft, taken a phenom... and dumped him for a star in a contract year? 

  The last time Boston had the #1 pick they did trade it. That was one of the best deals in nba history if not the best. I don't think it's that amazing for high draft picks to be traded.