Will Kevin Love trade haunt the Cavaliers for many years?

[Fred Roberts]

I think the fact that they not only gave up Wiggins, but also another #1 overall pick (Anthony Bennett --- but coulda been Victor Oladipo), plus another 1st rounder makes it pretty grotesque.

Wiggins, Oladipo and that #1 would be a solid foundation, around a core of LeBron, Kyrie and the other vets they would have signed out side of Kevin Love. They'd be younger, but deeper and poised for both the long and short term.

The Cavs management lost LeBron by burning all their chips and strapping themselves cap-wise the 1st time around. They're doing similar things now that limit their flexibility for short term success.

Giving up 2 first rounders for 1/2 an effective season from Mozgov? Giving up two #1 overall picks and a 1st rounder for Love. Giving up Zeller and parts for cap space?

All around, pretty tough moves. That said, they're a very good team right now . .. but not good enough to take out a healthy Warriors team.

I twisted ankle by Steph or Klay and there could be a series. Otherwise no.

[PaulP34]

I doubt it solely because if the Cavs get swept (or lose in 5) Love will be shown the door.. and you know who will be calling for him DA.

Why?  Hasn't he proven that he isn't worth it?  Plus he guys can't stop getting hurt.  I really hope Love's god-awful performance in the Finals finally puts these "Love-to-Boston" rumors to rest for good.

I agree here. Love hasn't shown he could be reliable when it counts. He had a great series against Toronto but disappeared in these Finals. Maybe he comes thru at home in Cleveland but I still think the Cavs win one and GS takes it in 5. I don't like the Love trade rumors and hope it doesn't happen. DA should know better. But then again, who's really coaching that team ? Is Lebron the coach to ? Love could be a different player under Brad Stevens but I'm still not buying it.

[celticsclay]

I think the fact that they not only gave up Wiggins, but also another #1 overall pick (Anthony Bennett --- but coulda been Victor Oladipo), plus another 1st rounder makes it pretty grotesque.

Wiggins, Oladipo and that #1 would be a solid foundation, around a core of LeBron, Kyrie and the other vets they would have signed out side of Kevin Love. They'd be younger, but deeper and poised for both the long and short term.

The Cavs management lost LeBron by burning all their chips and strapping themselves cap-wise the 1st time around. They're doing similar things now that limit their flexibility for short term success.

Giving up 2 first rounders for 1/2 an effective season from Mozgov? Giving up two #1 overall picks and a 1st rounder for Love. Giving up Zeller and parts for cap space?

All around, pretty tough moves. That said, they're a very good team right now . .. but not good enough to take out a healthy Warriors team.

I twisted ankle by Steph or Klay and there could be a series. Otherwise no.

It was all done to immediately placate Lebron. Lebron the GM has really screwed over Lebron the player.

[Kane3387]

Who is a worse GM? Doc or Lebron?

[OldSchoolDude]

Really this whole tread is an argument not to make a "blockbuster trade".  I want us to make the pick at 3, be it Bender or Brown.  I think we can get good free agents to keeps us competitive without giving up assets and while developing our young talent.   The real trade should be packaging the 16 and 23 picks with one or two of our extra guards to move back into the lottery.   

[GC003332]

Back when Lebron / Cavs pulled the trigger on the deal the Warriors were a middle of the road team out in the West , 47 wins in 2013 and 51 in 2014. I don't think Lebron even factored them into the equation as a team he would have to go through to win the title.
Making in through to the Finals every year is something not to be taken lightly.
If the Cavs didn't have to face the Warriors , the trade may be looked at a lot differently, They have matched up differently against the Spurs and Thunder , beating them during the regular season.

[mctyson]

Also what happened to LeBron's jump shot?

It died in the 2014 Finals versus the Spurs suddenly and never came back.

No kidding. The guy cannot make a jumper. It's amazing.

Not really, he was never a good shooter (except in those dagger games agains the Cs.)

He has basically maxed out his shooting ability and I expect that we will see a steep decline as he ages and he loses some of his athleticism.  He is no Kobe Bryant.

[celticsclay]

Who is a worse GM? Doc or Lebron?

It is probably Lebron. They both like to bring in big names regardless of fit or age (see Celtics with Wallace, O'Neal, Marbury, Shaq, with clippers Stephenson, Pierce, Josh Smith). Lebron seems to like the same thing, but as an added issue he has often kept two or three of his close friends on the team as little more than ambassadors. Think James Jones the last 3 years, Mike Miller for a number of years etc. When going again teams with great depth and dealing with injuries those buddy seats have come back to bite him both with the heat and now with the cavs.  They certainly could have used more than miller and jones and perkins at the end of the bench last year when Love and Irving went down.

[86MaxwellSmart]

LeBron looks like he would rather be somewhere else...like in Hollywood making a Space Jam Flop.

[SHAQATTACK]

Also what happened to LeBron's jump shot?

It died in the 2014 Finals versus the Spurs suddenly and never came back.

No kidding. The guy cannot make a jumper. It's amazing.

Not really, he was never a good shooter (except in those dagger games agains the Cs.)

He has basically maxed out his shooting ability and I expect that we will see a steep decline as he ages and he loses some of his athleticism.  He is no Kobe Bryant.

Yes he made close to a couple triple doubles .....but .....the age is showing ......he can force his will on the bottom feeders .....but less and less on the western contenders .  He was much more MACHO or super human against the Warriors last year.   These past two games he seems unable to carry the team with a 40 point effort .  Which he use to put on anybody anytime he felt.   

Father Time has started creeping up on the super human one. ......400000 minutes is wearing on him.

[celticsclay]

Also what happened to LeBron's jump shot?

It died in the 2014 Finals versus the Spurs suddenly and never came back.

No kidding. The guy cannot make a jumper. It's amazing.

Not really, he was never a good shooter (except in those dagger games agains the Cs.)

He has basically maxed out his shooting ability and I expect that we will see a steep decline as he ages and he loses some of his athleticism.  He is no Kobe Bryant.

Yes he made close to a couple triple doubles .....but .....the age is showing ......he can force his will on the bottom feeders .....but less and less on the western contenders .  He was much more MACHO or super human against the Warriors last year.   These past two games he seems unable to carry the team with a 40 point effort .  Which he use to put on anybody anytime he felt.   

Father Time has started creeping up on the super human one. ......400000 minutes is wearing on him.

it is indeed.

[Ilikesports17]

Also what happened to LeBron's jump shot?

It died in the 2014 Finals versus the Spurs suddenly and never came back.

No kidding. The guy cannot make a jumper. It's amazing.

Not really, he was never a good shooter (except in those dagger games agains the Cs.)

He has basically maxed out his shooting ability and I expect that we will see a steep decline as he ages and he loses some of his athleticism.  He is no Kobe Bryant.

he shot 36% 41% and 38% from deep his last 3 years in Miami.

[Quetzalcoatl]

Wiggins is super good, but they wouldn't have won the title either year with him either.  They need to move Kyrie more than anything.  Dude is a sieve/turnstyle hybrid

[jpotter33]

Yeah, as others have said, I think Kyrie is more of the fit issue than Love, though Love is nowhere near a perfect fit himself.

[budMovin]

I'm glad we didn't sell the farm to try and build around Kevin Love and Rajon Rondo like people wanted to 2 years ago. Kevin Love is the classic: Best player on a terrible team = inflated stats.