If the problem wasn't we are packed full of guards, I wouldn't see any problem... in fact, I like Thornton and feel he is underrated. I don't want him traded but I can see his team wanting him to be so that he gets ample playing time, no way he will be happy with less than 20m/per. He is still a young guy and he can get hot on any given day and score with the best of them, against the best defenders. Thornton instead of Jet or even Lee 2 seasons ago would have been nice. I think he played well for Nets especially not starting the season there and being a guy who just had to get in where you fit on a team like that.
I really hate that teams like the Kings have the chance to get solid players and ruin them. Cousins has to sit there rotting away. I'm not saying Thornton is anywhere near Cousin's level, I'm saying the Kings are trash, good players are wasted and don't have the chance to experience any level of winning so the players get use to losing and develop bad habits.
I understand all teams go through those periods of losing too but got dang, imagine Cousins experiencing the feeling of winning at the highest level, that's a motivator... it's like a drug, he would want to experience that high over and over which would (hopefully) inspire him to work harder (unless you're Shaq LOL)! Guys like Thornton, Cousins, and Evans probably just need to find their way to a good team and go from there... even if they played the usual way they do, it would mean more on a better team. Love can play the way he does without being a better defender and it's going to mean so much more to the Cavs than it did for the Wolves since he doesn't have to be the biggest contributor, many people will be able to step up for him when he doesn't have it going.
Just as an aside, his name is ThorNton. I didn't know until the trade either, LOL I just spelled it how I heard it until I saw it in many places and when I couldn't find info on him when I spelled it Thorton.