Recent Zach Lowe trade proposal

[The Oracle]

If we followed it up by trading some excess power forwards for a SF like Gallo, I guess it would make sense.  But then I think we'd have to include Amir's contract to get Gallo... So then we'd need a defensive center.  So we should follow up the gallo trade by moving Marcus smart for Nerlens Noel.

You could not have Kevin Love and Gallo in the same lineup.  That's the NBA equivalent of wearing a "kick me" sign on your back.

Nerlens has a "kick me" sign on his front so that should balance it out??

[MJohnnyboy]

It's an interesting proposal but I still don't get why Love being traded is being discussed. They just singed him to a 5 year deal. Is it really that bad for Cleveland right now that they would give up on him? I love Crowder but if you can get Love for him and a non Brooklyn 2016 pick you probably have to do it. I wouldn't do it for Crowder and the Brooklyn pick though.

It's because Love's numbers have plummeted since Kyrie's return and Golden State exposed how awful Love matches up with them (putting the whole "If they had Love the Cavs would have beat the Dubs last year!" sentiment to bed) that Love is being discussed again in trade rumors.

It's not as much about giving up on Kevin Love as much as it is about getting guys who match-up with their competitors better because IMO the Cavaliers aren't beating the Warriors or the Spurs in a seven game series the way their roster is currently constructed. They're still better than everyone else in the east with Kyrie and Lebron. They just need guys who match-up better with their main competitors. Love defensively does not help them in that regard.

Crowder would definitely be their guy because he can play the 3/4 position and is a 3&D player. That matches-up perfectly with Golden State and would be harder for San Antonio to fight off. However, Crowder playing like a borderline all-star lately combined with Love not playing that well would make me think twice about exchanging the two of them. Not to mention the Celtics don't have a proven wing on this roster right now besides Crowder.

[PhoSita]

If we followed it up by trading some excess power forwards for a SF like Gallo, I guess it would make sense.  But then I think we'd have to include Amir's contract to get Gallo... So then we'd need a defensive center.  So we should follow up the gallo trade by moving Marcus smart for Nerlens Noel.

You could not have Kevin Love and Gallo in the same lineup.  That's the NBA equivalent of wearing a "kick me" sign on your back.

Nerlens has a "kick me" sign on his front so that should balance it out??

Nerlens Noel can't simultaneously defend the perimeter and the interior, which is what you'd be asking of him in LarBrd's scenario.

[Csfan1984]

If it was Crowder, Sully, JJ and Zeller without dealing Nets pick I'd be fine. You clear the bigs logjam. For SF go with Turner, Hunter and Young to finish off year. At least Hunter and Young will prove they can contribute. Then Nets pick you take Ingram if 2, Brown if 3, if 1 trade it with Philly for Ingram/Brown and Noel. Or if it's like 4 you trade it for Cousins along with 2018 Nets. Then go get/sign Barnes. So no matter what replacing Crowder can be done. Upgrading team's overall talent by selling high and buying low is a no brainer. Do have to say, though the brain says yes the heart would hurt to see Crowder go to Cavs.

[PhoSita]

Speaking of Gallo, the team would be better off not trading Crowder, trading for Gallo, and then finding an agile defensive center (e.g. Noel) to put next to Gallo.

Point being, Gallo and Love ideally play the same role.  You install them at PF and put defensive guys around them who can cover their deficiencies.

Also, issue with acquiring either is that they probably could not share the floor with Kelly Olynyk, so then you'd have to trade Kelly.

[The Oracle]

If we followed it up by trading some excess power forwards for a SF like Gallo, I guess it would make sense.  But then I think we'd have to include Amir's contract to get Gallo... So then we'd need a defensive center.  So we should follow up the gallo trade by moving Marcus smart for Nerlens Noel.

You could not have Kevin Love and Gallo in the same lineup.  That's the NBA equivalent of wearing a "kick me" sign on your back.

Nerlens has a "kick me" sign on his front so that should balance it out??

Nerlens Noel can't simultaneously defend the perimeter and the interior, which is what you'd be asking of him in LarBrd's scenario.

The joke being they all hurt you on one end or the other.  Pair the 3 of them with I.T. and Turner.

[Smitty77]

Speaking of Gallo, the team would be better off not trading Crowder, trading for Gallo, and then finding an agile defensive center (e.g. Noel) to put next to Gallo.

Point being, Gallo and Love ideally play the same role.  You install them at PF and put defensive guys around them who can cover their deficiencies.

Also, issue with acquiring either is that they probably could not share the floor with Kelly Olynyk, so then you'd have to trade Kelly.

I totally agree with you PhoSita!!!

Smitty77

P.S. Who in the draft or free agency might that Center be???

[coffee425]

Speaking of Gallo, the team would be better off not trading Crowder, trading for Gallo, and then finding an agile defensive center (e.g. Noel) to put next to Gallo.

Point being, Gallo and Love ideally play the same role.  You install them at PF and put defensive guys around them who can cover their deficiencies.

Also, issue with acquiring either is that they probably could not share the floor with Kelly Olynyk, so then you'd have to trade Kelly.

I totally agree with you PhoSita!!!

Smitty77

P.S. Who in the draft or free agency might that Center be???

Why do we assume that Amir Johnson isn't this guy? There's really no one in 2016 FA that would be BETTER than Amir..
Draft-wise, maybe Damien Jones from Vanderbilt. But I'm not sure about lateral quickness.
Dragan Bender is definitely agile enough, but not sure how physical/strong he would be as the Center.

[LooseCannon]

Speaking of Gallo, the team would be better off not trading Crowder, trading for Gallo, and then finding an agile defensive center (e.g. Noel) to put next to Gallo.

Point being, Gallo and Love ideally play the same role.  You install them at PF and put defensive guys around them who can cover their deficiencies.

Also, issue with acquiring either is that they probably could not share the floor with Kelly Olynyk, so then you'd have to trade Kelly.

I don't see Gallo as a PF.  I see him as the best plausible option if you wanted to take all of Evan Turner's minutes and give them to a single player.

[KG Living Legend]

 I'll pass on any Crowder for Love trade. Love has been exposed, and Crowder's stock is rising and he's the toughest guy on the team.

[danglertx]

I don't think I'd do it.  That would be betting a lot on Love not playing well because of his situation and not a decline in ability.   If he is the player with us he is with the Cavs, that would hamstring us for years to come.  Tough call, I'd definitely have to get him scouted better than the few Cavs games I've watched this year.

[max215]

Love is so hard to judge. Is he really Cleveland Love or Minny Love? I honestly don't know.

[guava_wrench]

There are quite a few players I'd look to include before Crowder, and surely there must be some combo I would let go first that Cle would take.

Yeah, and that combo isn't on the Celtics.

This is already looking like a low-ball trade. Now we don't even give up Crowder? Because they might take the guys we don't really care about?

I'm pretty skeptical that Cleveland is in tear-it-apart mode, but I suppose it is possible that they are giving up on Love working there and might want to see what they can get. Maybe they can trade Love for Wiggins if they include a pick?

[seancally]

Not sure if I'd take this trade. But I will say this:

1. I love this team, but I shouldn't. It isn't a championship team and it may undergo many more changes before it starts to look like one. Hard to say, but we can't fall in love with these players. They're a game over .500.

2. In the NBA, talent always beats effort (unless you have a sliiiiightly more talented player who doesn't play as hard as a sliiiiiiightly lesser one). K-Love is the better talent, hate to say it.

3. Brad Stevens. The man turned Jordan Crawford into a starting PG. We have no idea what a superstar talent will look like under his guidance, but we do know he can take mediocre - solid players and make them look much better. If we did trade Jae, he would look worse on the team he's traded to - I'd be willing to bet.

Finally, as many have pointed out, we can't add another 4. We'd have to accompany this type of trade with a parallel deal to clear space. Still, when we talk about building around players, we mean grade-A talent - not hardworking filler, as great as they are to have and as much as they overachieve.

[walker834]

This is a trade I'd say yes to. But on stipulations that Love could play center for us and is better than anything in the draft for the future.

Maybe KO really will play small forward?