Am I the only one who doesn't want Love?

[Fafnir]

I wouldn't worry about it,  this trade isn't going to happen.

Probably not.

Can't disagree more

What teams that Love would be willing to resign with has a better package to offer than Boston?

Bulls= Gibson, Butler , Metrioc ( or however you spell it )
GSW = Barnes, Thompson
LA = top 8 pick ?
Hou= Asik, Parsons, Lin


Boston can trump all those by offering Sully, top 6 pick , 2 more 1st rd picks

Sully still on  a rookie contract for a few more years and a bunch of other picks that will be on rookie contracts .

With the other trades you are going to have to invest long term money soon to resign those players .

Boston can trump those. The question is whether Boston should.

Even if Boston puts pretty much everything on the table Love could still kill the deal and so could the Wolves.

I think its likely Boston makes the best offer for Love, barring lottery changing things drastically, but that doesn't mean that Love to Boston is a likely outcome.

[action781]

I really like the player, but he isn't defensively responsible, and I can't picture him leading a team to a title. Great piece though. Not sure I'd give up the farm.

I agree with this to some degree.

It shouldn't simply be a question of "Do you want Love or do you not want Love?" because that implies that the answer should be yes/no, when in reality the answer should lie somewhere on a spectrum.  How valuable do you find Love to be and compare that to how you value our current assets?

But I wouldn't give up a #1-3 pick for Love as I see the potential reward of that player at controlled cost more valuable than Kevin Love at a max contract.  If we get a #5-8 pick, then I would give it up + Sullinger in a trade for Love.  So my valuation of Love falls somewhere in between there.

Love is a very good player, but one that is borderline worth the max contract extension that we'll have to give him.  You're at a disadvantage trying win a title when he's making the same money as Lebron or Durant.  You would need to rely on adding more pieces into the picture to make this team a contender, which are not easy to get, and not a lot of cap space to work with either if Rondo and Love are on max deals.

[D.o.s.]

I wouldn't worry about it,  this trade isn't going to happen.

Probably not.

Can't disagree more

What teams that Love would be willing to resign with has a better package to offer than Boston?

Bulls= Gibson, Butler , Metrioc ( or however you spell it )
GSW = Barnes, Thompson
LA = top 8 pick ?
Hou= Asik, Parsons, Lin


Boston can trump all those by offering Sully, top 6 pick , 2 more 1st rd picks

Sully still on  a rookie contract for a few more years and a bunch of other picks that will be on rookie contracts .

With the other trades you are going to have to invest long term money soon to resign those players .

Boston can trump those. The question is whether Boston should.

Even if Boston puts pretty much everything on the table Love could still kill the deal and so could the Wolves.

I think its likely Boston makes the best offer for Love, barring lottery changing things drastically, but that doesn't mean that Love to Boston is a likely outcome.

Fingers crossed. 

[D.o.s.]

I really like the player, but he isn't defensively responsible, and I can't picture him leading a team to a title. Great piece though. Not sure I'd give up the farm.

I agree with this to some degree.

It shouldn't simply be a question of "Do you want Love or do you not want Love?" because that implies that the answer should be yes/no, when in reality the answer should lie somewhere on a spectrum.  How valuable do you find Love to be and compare that to how you value our current assets?

But I wouldn't give up a #1-3 pick for Love as I see the potential reward of that player at controlled cost more valuable than Kevin Love at a max contract.  If we get a #5-8 pick, then I would give it up + Sullinger in a trade for Love.  So my valuation of Love falls somewhere in between there.

Love is a very good player, but one that is borderline worth the max contract extension that we'll have to give him.  You're at a disadvantage trying win a title when he's making the same money as Lebron or Durant.  You would need to rely on adding more pieces into the picture to make this team a contender, which are not easy to get, and not a lot of cap space to work with either if Rondo and Love are on max deals.

This is a very good post.

[MBunge]

But I wouldn't give up a #1-3 pick for Love as I see the potential reward of that player at controlled cost more valuable than Kevin Love at a max contract.

This Moneyball stuff is getting to be a little bit much.  Love at a max contract is a building block that might attract other top flight players to help you win a title.  That player at #1-3 with a "controlled cost" isn't helping you land any additional talent and will require you to waste 2, or possibly more years of Rondo's prime waiting for him to develop.

Cost isn't the issue.  If Boston gets #1-3 and you believe the players there are LeBron/Durant level superstars, you don't trade them for Kevin Love.  If you don't think they're that good, if you think they're basically at Love's level, it makes a lot of sense to do everything you can to get better now and make a run at Melo/Asik and who knows who else.

Mike

[BleedGreen1989]

I really like the player, but he isn't defensively responsible, and I can't picture him leading a team to a title. Great piece though. Not sure I'd give up the farm.

I agree with this to some degree.

It shouldn't simply be a question of "Do you want Love or do you not want Love?" because that implies that the answer should be yes/no, when in reality the answer should lie somewhere on a spectrum.  How valuable do you find Love to be and compare that to how you value our current assets?

But I wouldn't give up a #1-3 pick for Love as I see the potential reward of that player at controlled cost more valuable than Kevin Love at a max contract.  If we get a #5-8 pick, then I would give it up + Sullinger in a trade for Love.  So my valuation of Love falls somewhere in between there.

Love is a very good player, but one that is borderline worth the max contract extension that we'll have to give him.  You're at a disadvantage trying win a title when he's making the same money as Lebron or Durant.  You would need to rely on adding more pieces into the picture to make this team a contender, which are not easy to get, and not a lot of cap space to work with either if Rondo and Love are on max deals.

This is a very good post.

Yeah, there is a lot of truth here.

The question isn't "Do you want Kevin Love?"

The real debate lies in "Would you give up a top-3 pick for Kevin Love?"

[SHAQATTACK]

Am I?

Honestly guys the BEST CASE scenario I see this playing out is we get Love and then somehow get Melo. I am pretty skeptical if a team built around Rondo, Melo and Love could be better than a ECF appearance. I doubt that even happens because I feel like Melo is going to bolt to Chicago to join the limping Derrick Rose and DPOY Noah.

I also don't think the Love trade is even close to the KG trade, he's an offensive player who plays zero D and really just seems like a 2nd tier star to me. I def don't want to give up a top 3 pick for this guy, top 5? potentially if Exum is gone, but not a top 3 pick...Love just doesn't really get me excited and neither does the thought of Rondo/Melo/Love get me THAT amped.

Probably not .....but not near as big boat as I'm on.....people who hate to have Melo on this team as a player ....maybe as a cheerleader.....

Give me Love .....all. I Need is Love .....yeah .....Love is all I need...Love is all I need.....

[Neurotic Guy]

But I wouldn't give up a #1-3 pick for Love as I see the potential reward of that player at controlled cost more valuable than Kevin Love at a max contract.

This Moneyball stuff is getting to be a little bit much.  Love at a max contract is a building block that might attract other top flight players to help you win a title.  That player at #1-3 with a "controlled cost" isn't helping you land any additional talent and will require you to waste 2, or possibly more years of Rondo's prime waiting for him to develop.

Cost isn't the issue.  If Boston gets #1-3 and you believe the players there are LeBron/Durant level superstars, you don't trade them for Kevin Love.  If you don't think they're that good, if you think they're basically at Love's level, it makes a lot of sense to do everything you can to get better now and make a run at Melo/Asik and who knows who else.

Mike

I'm with you on this.  If C's get 1-3 DA will make the assessment as to whether Wiggins, Parker, Embiid or Exum are potentially at a higher star level than Love.    Seems like a tough decision as Love is a 2nd Tier star in this league.   I think of him on the level of Dirk, Pierce, Pippen, McHale, Isaiah, Worthy, Parker.  These are guys who are great, but need another star (more like 2 other stars unless they have MJ/LBJ) to bring it home. 

If the 'Big Four' in this year's draft project to be in the class of KG/Bird/Magic/Durant/Kobe (I'll leave out MJ and LBJ as I feel they are on another planet) then you take the pick.  If not, how can you not make a pitch for a player who you can really build around? Love won't do it on his own (nor can Rondo), but pair these two with another star and we'll have something.   

[saltlover]

I really like the player, but he isn't defensively responsible, and I can't picture him leading a team to a title. Great piece though. Not sure I'd give up the farm.

I agree with this to some degree.

It shouldn't simply be a question of "Do you want Love or do you not want Love?" because that implies that the answer should be yes/no, when in reality the answer should lie somewhere on a spectrum.  How valuable do you find Love to be and compare that to how you value our current assets?

But I wouldn't give up a #1-3 pick for Love as I see the potential reward of that player at controlled cost more valuable than Kevin Love at a max contract.  If we get a #5-8 pick, then I would give it up + Sullinger in a trade for Love.  So my valuation of Love falls somewhere in between there.

Love is a very good player, but one that is borderline worth the max contract extension that we'll have to give him.  You're at a disadvantage trying win a title when he's making the same money as Lebron or Durant.  You would need to rely on adding more pieces into the picture to make this team a contender, which are not easy to get, and not a lot of cap space to work with either if Rondo and Love are on max deals.

I generally agree with this, but it should be noted that Love would likely not be making the same as LeBron or even Durant if he signed a max deal (and those players sign max deals too).  Based on current revenue projections, LeBron would be able to sign a deal this offseason that pays him about $20.8 million in 2014, compared to Love's $15.8 million.  Next year, when Love signs his extension, which could be right around $19 million based on the most recent projections, LeBron could receive $22.3 million.  Meanwhile, Durant is signed to a deal that pays $19 million in 2014 and $20.2 in 2015.

So Love would be paid about $3 million less than LeBron in both of their new deals, which isn't insignificant if you're trying to create a little more cap room, or stay under the apron to offer someone the big MLE.  He'd also make less than Durant, although of course the difference is smaller.

[RLewis35]

All you need is love. John Lennon. Smart man. Shot in the back, very sad.

TP.  Always nice to see an Independence Day quote.

[JBcat]

I think Sully at the very least could be just as good as anyone drafted 5 through 8, and maybe higher so why not just use him as the main bait for Love?  I think any team landing in the top 3 or 4 picks would be hesitant to trade the pick for Love aside from maybe the Lakers as those other teams are in a rebuilding mold.  Really besides us and the Lakers no other team projected to have a high pick will be in the discussion for Love's services.  As a result we might be able to hold onto the pick if it lands that high. 

If the Lakers trade their top pick for him good luck to them with Kobe nearing the end.  They would need probably 2 other big moves with hardly any assets besides cap space before being a contender in the loaded west.

We are in better position with Rondo in his prime, better young talent, much more assets, and in a weaker conference.

[LarBrd33]

Trading pick 5-8 for Love is a no-brainer.

If we luck into a Top 3 pick in the lotto, it would be tough to stomach giving up a Wiggins/Parker/Embiid... I'd LOVE to have a home-grown superstar prospect.  We haven't had that since Larry Bird... or arguably Paul Pierce (though Pierce was never a superstar).

That said, Love is only 25 years old.  KG was 32 when we traded for him.  It's not like Love is nearing retirement.  He should be a star-caliber player for the next 8-10 years.  Assuming we didn't have to give up a ton of extra pieces, it would probably make sense to trade a Top 3 pick for Love. 

[#1P4P]

No, you're not.... In 2-3 years, Sullinger and a combination of Embiid/Wiggins/Parker/Exum/Gordon/Smart and the #17 is going to trump Love and be in a much better position to win a Championship (assuming that is the goal of acquiring Love - not just going into the 2nd or 3rd round into the playoffs).

Is a lineup of:

Rondo
Bradley
Green
Love
Faverani (?... Although I assume Ainge will make a followup move for an Asik)

truly a title contender? The team will win... They figure to be a solid team in the EC, but are they truly built for title contention? Are they that much better than:

MIA - James, Wade, Bosh?
WAS - Wall, Beal, Nene?
CHI - Rose, Noah, Gibson?
IND - George, Hibbert, Stephenson, West?
ATL - Horford, Teague, Millsap?
TOR - DeRozan, Lowry, Valanciunas?

Except for the Heat, those teams have young cores that have just got the taste for playoffs. If you're giving up the most valuable pieces for Love... you're riding with this lineup (and/or variations of this lineup with comparable players) for at least the next 5 years. Sullinger is vastly underrated here (I think he's going to be a star), if one of the draft picks develop into a top 50 player (which is not farfetched by any means), the team will be true title contenders in 2-3 years.

[LarBrd33]

What a wonderful position to be in.  Once again... high fives to all my pro-tank brothers.   The fact that we are even discussing this means it was worth it. 

[fitzhickey]

I think he'd certainly be a good acquisition, but I don't like the proposed deals floating around.