Chris Mannix on Toucher & Rich (Adam Jones filling in) - Rondo stays, Love stays

[GreenWarrior]

The reason I believe most of this is posturing is because of how quiet Kevin Love and/or his agent have been, since the trip to Boston...The guy wants out, everyone knows that. In this day and age, players don't care if a team's fan base hates them, they're going to make the move that makes the most sense for them...LeBron didn't care about Cleveland, Melo didn't care about Denver, CP3 could care less about New Orleans, etc...

It's obvious that Kevin Love has heard what Wojo and others are saying now, that Minnesota is going to keep him and hope he resigns...All we've heard from Love's camp is that Saunders coaching has not changed his mind one bit.  Love has gone this deep, I don't think he's turning back any time soon.

So, I think there are two possibilities of what's going on:

1) Saunders is posturing and still trying to drive offers up, because he wants more...This has been communicated to Love's agent and they have promised to not talk or go on another "vacation", until the move is finally made.

2) Saunders is delusional and Love's agent and Love himself have decided to be quiet until draft night...If nothing is done, then I would expect "word" to get out about Love's distaste for what Minnesota's plan is, etc.

It's 2014 and whether we like it or not, players control the market...If Love wants out, he'll force Minny's hand...No idea if it'd end with him in a Celtics uniform or a Warriors uniform, or whoever else gets in the bidding...Love and his agent have been silent since the trip, that tells me they believe he'll be dealt sooner rather than later.

I have a very strong belief that it is more posturing. I also believe Minn. decided a long time ago that ours was the offer they were going with all along. which is why Love visited the area.

my only fear if it's not posturing on their part is they actually believe some of this stuff they've put out there.

[Smokeeye123]

Can you imagine if the C's draft Embiid and Saric, trade Rondo....how bad will they be next season?  to me, that is worst case scenario???

Saric signed with Turkey

@chadfordinsider: Dario Saric reaches agreement in principle in Turkey. Unlikely to come to NBA for two years - http://espn.go.com/nba/draft2014/story/_/id/11122639/nba-prospect-dario-saric-agrees-principle-three-year-deal-turkish-team ?

How does it work if you sign someone and they play overseas? Do you still pay them for each season? Or does their rookie year only start when they first are with the team?

[vinnie]

Selecting Embiid is so fraught with disaster, it is frightening. Big men with back and foot problems.....can't wait if we get him.....

[D.o.s.]

Can you imagine if the C's draft Embiid and Saric, trade Rondo....how bad will they be next season?  to me, that is worst case scenario???

Saric signed with Turkey

@chadfordinsider: Dario Saric reaches agreement in principle in Turkey. Unlikely to come to NBA for two years - http://espn.go.com/nba/draft2014/story/_/id/11122639/nba-prospect-dario-saric-agrees-principle-three-year-deal-turkish-team ?

How does it work if you sign someone and they play overseas? Do you still pay them for each season? Or does their rookie year only start when they first are with the team?

You just have their draft rights -- and the rookie contract countdown starts as soon as their drafted. If you look at Mirotic, he was drafted in 2011: part of the reason that everyone knew he'd be over here in 2014 (and not earlier) was because he was never going to play in the US for a rookie deal.

[P2]

My gut tells me Love is staying and Embiid drops to us. Don't know if that is good or not.

[rondohondo]

Selecting Embiid is so fraught with disaster, it is frightening. Big men with back and foot problems.....can't wait if we get him.....

you take the chance with this type of talent . Gordon, Vonleah, Smart don't have the talent of Embiid

[fairweatherfan]

Wojo - was just on Dan Patrick Show and he said that Flip thinks they can make the playoffs this year and convince Love to stay....pretty big gamble...

Not that I'm necessarily a fan of acquiring Love but Sanders is an idiot if he ends up going thru on this angle.  How he can sell that idea to his management with a straight face is beyond me.  Love is walking if he gets to that point with Minnesota.  I'd be absolutely shocked if he doesn't.

I think it's posturing by Flip to drive up prices; the good offers aren't really coming so he's trying to remove the air of inevitability that's keeping them down.

if it is more posturing? it's not making him or the franchise look to good.

That's not the purpose, the purpose is to try and drive up offers by pretending he's not going to take any of the ones he has now.  GMs do this all the time, including Danny. 

As for making the franchise look bad, Minny already looks bad and most fans have the memory of a goldfish so I doubt it'll hurt them much.

[obnoxiousmime]

This is why it's not a good idea to have a coach who's also the GM. Flip believes he can coach the team to the playoffs but I don't think he realizes Love may be gone regardless. He can always trade Love before the deadline if they don't play well but the offers then are going to be worse.

Also, I think he's underestimating the lame duck issue where all season Love will have one foot out the door mentally. If his teammates already suspect he checked out last season, what will this season be like? How is the team going to succeed with Love not providing any leadership and just protecting his stats?

[D.o.s.]

How is the team going to succeed with Love not providing any leadership and just protecting his stats?

Well, they'll probably finish 40-42 again.