The Crowder Conundrum in a Love Trade

[Rida]

Love is apparently strong friends with Westbook and Durant having been a teammate of Russ at UCLA and hanging out with both in the Summer in LA and offseason training together.

If acquiring Love will get Durant on board i'm all in, we have the pieces to do it.

Scenario 1 Not giving up the 3rd pick

Crowder, Bradley and/or Sulley or Olynk & 16th pick (if necessary) to Cleveland for Love

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=hr9dwsn

Scenario 2 Giving up 3rd pick to the Knicks in a 3 way

Knicks Get

3rd pick, Bradley, Crowder, Mozgov (FA), Sullinger (FA)

Celtics get

Love

Cavaliers get

Carmelo

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=z3wks2s

I think this makes sense for all parties. My question is, can you risk giving up Crowder if you don't know for sure that your getting Durant?

He's on an amazing contract, and he's improved every year. If you acquire Durant, obviously the need for Crowder diminishes, but can you pull the trigger with no guarantee for Durant?

It's an incredibly tough predicament. Good luck Danny

[TheSundanceKid]

You're overpaying for Love in both scenarios. It shouldn't take Crowder, Bradley and 3 to get him. I would also say that if you give up Bradley and Crowder you take away some of the attraction of Boston to Durant. Having a dominant defence would be more influential than having another star scorer I would think

[Eddie20]

Love's stock has plummeted badly. A package of the following probably gets it done and seems like the ideal pieces to put next to James and Irving:

Bradley or Crowder
Olynyk or Jerebeko
16th pick or Rozier

[MBunge]

The deal is #3 and #16 to New York, Carmello to Cavs and Love to Boston.  Maybe Ainge throws in Rozier but Ainge isn't giving up multiple starters and New York needs picks more than anything else.

Mike

[footey]

I don't want Kevin Love. And I seriously doubt Kevi Durant does either. 

[SHAQATTACK]

I see NO no problem here.....well there is actually.....Love is a sissy and is jury prone diva ........I would never trade Crowder for Love to begin with.

Love + KO = girls basketball

I want Love plus picks for taking his over rated game.

Basically he can go anywhere but Boston suits me.

[jambr380]

I was trying to get myself amped up for a Love trade, but I really don't like the idea of giving up anything of value for him. I suppose I could get behind an AB, Amir and #23 type deal, but even then I wonder who has more of an impact - AB or Love? And let's not even talk about contract figures.

I guess this is an example where the Cavs are either going to have to let their back-up PF go for peanuts or they are just going to have to try to re-integrate him back into the line-up.

I will have to seriously re-consider why I watch basketball if AB, Crowder, and #3 only nets us Love.

[dreamgreen]

I was thinking something like Smart, Kelly and Amir.

[loco_91]

Yiiiiikes.

Crowder alone is arguably as valuable as Love due to his incredible contract. He's locked up for four years at $7m/yr. Love is also locked up four more years, but for $23.4m/yr. Is Love really better than Crowder + a $16m FA? Then you add AB, who is under contract for 2 years, $8.2m/yr. Is Love really better than Crowder, AB, and a further $8m in cap space?

Then you add the #3 to boot.

This is the kind of trade that I would make if Durant said he would definitely come to Boston, i.e. you aren't trading for Love, you're trading for KD.

I think a package of #3 + AB should get it done with a third team involved, and possibly even less, e.g. AB, Olynyk, Rozier, #16, #23.

[Clench123]

Yikes.  Talk about overpayment.

[Phantom255x]

And why are the Cavaliers trading Love? Yeah because he has become a no-factor for them, the best team in the East this season...

There won't be any big offers for Love, mostly lowball offers. Sorry but no way am I giving up Bradley/Crowder for Love.

Maybe if the Cavaliers find a third team and the Celtics don't have to give up much I would do it to get Love, but even Chris Mannix said any deal for Love that required the Celtics giving up #3 is an overpayment unless the Celtics get back another impact player or high pick along with Love. Basically #3 alone for Love is an overpayment.

[KG Living Legend]

 This just in. Kevin love Sucks.

[Smokeeye123]

I don't want Kevin Love. And I seriously doubt Kevi Durant does either.

'Kevi' Durant and Kevin Love have been close friends since 7th grade. ]http://nypost.com/2012/03/25/love-and-durant-friends-to-end-on-and-off-court/[url][/url]

And what a scorching take that you don't want Kevin Love. Why would you want a 3x allstar who averages 18ppg and 12rbpg?

Probably something to do with him having a bad couple games and therefore now being bad.

[meangreenmachine]

If Love and Durant have been friends since they were kids, I cannot imagine a better recruiter than a scorned Love looking for revenge on the King...that is definitely worth the third overall pick. Maybe we throw in some late second rounders and Olynyk/Young if necessary (so it looks better than a single pick). Frankly, if Melo wants out so he can chase a championship while getting a 15% bump in pay, I think New York agrees to the deal. If Melo will only agree to waive the no-trade clause for Cleveland, they are pretty much forced to get a third team onboard since they would presumably have little interest in pairing Love with Porzingus (unless they thought it would make them players in the Durant sweepstakes? Eek). The only team that could possibly trump our third overall pick is the Lakers at two (69ers are set in their frontcourt). In that case, we may be forced to add Bradley to seal the deal (Smart is poised to replace him, anyway). No way we give up Bradley and Crowder unless it 100% guarantees acquiring Durant in free agency, though. I love the idea of Durant with Crowder off the bench. If we deal Bradley and Rozier/Hunter bust, we could even have times when Smart spells IT, Crowder goes in at the 2 and Durant plays at 3. Our depth is gonna take a serious hit if we lose both Bradley and Crowder, though.

[RedClaw33]

Ridiculous Trade.....enough said.