I've been reading a lot of posts guessing at what might be reasonable trade value for KLove so I started wondering what past star players have fetched in trades. Here are a few I think are relevant:
Kevin Garnett: Jefferson and two 1st round picks. This deal was much bigger than just the listed assets but those are the highlights. My feeling is that we'll have to give up at least this much for Love. Something in the neighborhood of Sully OR Olynyk and two 1st rounders will be where it starts for Minnesota. Love is in his prime while KG was older. That will certainly play a role.
Dwight Howard: Three (protected) 1st rounders plus Aaron Afflalo, Moe Harkless, Nicola Vucevic and a massive TPE. This is probably the most relevant trade as it was under the same CBA and involves a dominant front court player in the last year of their contract.
Carmello Anthony: One 1st round pick, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Timofey Mosgov.
I actually don't think the Nuggest "won" this trade as much as everyone has said. Those 3 players are good but none were flipped as assets. The 1st rounder in 2014 is the real asset. It ended up being #11 which should yield another solid rotation player.
Deron Williams: Two 1st round picks and Derrick Favors. Enez Kanter was the 2011 pick, the 2012 pick I couldn't really figure out what happened but from what I gather they lost the pick in some strange pick-protection. At the time DWill was a top-5 PG and a case can be made that the Nets basically traded three 1st round picks for him. This is in line with what I expect to be Love's price.
Chris Paul: Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu and an unprotected 2012 (from Minnesota) as well as two 2nd round picks. Essentially Gordon and a 1st which turned out to be Austin Rivers.
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So looking back I think the richest deal was for Howard, and rightly so. Dominant big men are once-in-a-generation commodities these days. I'd be willing to come close to that offer for Love but certainly no higher, especially considering how it worked out for the Lakers. I don't think Love is on par with Howard as an NBA talent but he's in his prime and playing like a top-5 player at the moment. I wouldn't move the rumored four 1st rounders for Love, especially with no guarantee of his resigning. I'm not even sure I'd move 3, maybe if there are pick protections. I'd give up 2 unprotected picks for Love and probably Sullinger but I'd rather send Olynyk.