Trade for Love ideas (merged)

[D.o.s.]

I honestly think it is more likely that Boston trades Rondo to Minnesota then it is for Minnesota to trade Love to Boston.

EDIT:  Something like Rondo for Rubio, Budinger, #12

I think Ainge would want more back from that -- probably a future first.

[gpap]

I honestly think it is more likely that Boston trades Rondo to Minnesota then it is for Minnesota to trade Love to Boston.

Hmmm....I don't know.

I would think Minny would only do such a deal if Rondo agreed to an extension and I can't see that happening. If he didn't want to go to Toronto or Sacramento (who have better teams) I can't imagine he'd want to go to Minnesota.

Can I possibly rag on Minnesota anymore? (lol)

[RJ87]

Sully would have much more trade value if CBS would've played him 34-36 minutes a game.

Very productive player. Shame he didn't get the minutes he needed to boost his trade value. Sully could well have gotten 16-18ppg and 10rpg in 34-36mpg versus the 13ppg and 8rpg he ended up getting in smaller minutes. Sully would've been one of the best trade assets in the league as a young big putting up those other numbers. Wasteful of a great opportunity.

And why? To play Kris Humphries more minutes? To get Bass more playing time? Awful.

Maybe if Sully had better conditioning, he could've played big minutes. Some of that is about his back surgery, but his weight/conditioning is something I think we should definitely be monitoring over his time here.

As far as Love, I hope we go for it. I'd also hope we do a deal similar to what the Clips did with CP3 - have him get rid of his player option to give him a little more time to see what we do. I'm not delusional enough to believe he'd signed an extension, but guaranteeing at least one more year would be good enough for me.

[Moranis]

I honestly think it is more likely that Boston trades Rondo to Minnesota then it is for Minnesota to trade Love to Boston.

Hmmm....I don't know.

I would think Minny would only do such a deal if Rondo agreed to an extension and I can't see that happening. If he didn't want to go to Toronto or Sacramento (who have better teams) I can't imagine he'd want to go to Minnesota.

Can I possibly rag on Minnesota anymore? (lol)

Minnesota has Love, Pekovic, and Martin (you know 3 players of 17.4 or more ppg) and has 40 wins in the western conference (not to mention Dieng who was a monster down the stretch).  Swap Rondo for Rubio and they are a better team and certainly a clear playoff contender (and if they could ever stay healthy could make some actual noise in the playoffs).  I have no idea if Rondo would re-sign, but if he really wants to play with other relatively young stars then Minnesota seems like a pretty solid place to be.

[SHAQATTACK]

Yeah.....I think DA will try and acquire Love.

Like the Beatles said,

All ya need is.  "LOVE"

[obnoxiousmime]

I don't think Love will promise to re-sign with any team besides maybe Los Angeles due to the hometown connection. The T-Wolves can always play out the year and do a sign-and-trade so I don't think the risk of losing him for nothing is that great.

I still think the Celtics should save their bullets for next offseason. Wallace will be an expiring and there are even rumors Green might opt out of his player option. Sullinger and Olynyk will still be on their rookie deals. They will have their own pick and the Clippers' pick. That's a situation of great flexibility.

If they get two assets in this year's draft, say a potential star and a productive role player, even better.

[badshar]

Kevin Garnett at age 31 > Kevin Love at age 25.

Garnett was used to doing it all and doing it well. When he came to Boston, he didn't have to do everything anymore, which increased his effectiveness in the things he did do.

Also, KG is a once in a generation player. Players like him rarely come in the NBA. Love is not. He is a selfish rebounder, a classic stat padder, doesn't play defense at all, has very limited offense, takes threes more than going inside, thinks he is a shooting guard and is the opposite of KG in terms of setting winning culture and environment and leadership qualities.

It's just wrong to compare KG and Love. It might be easy to compare the two since both missed the playoffs in their last couple of years with the Wolves, but that's the only similarity between them. A big three of Rondo-Love and anyone not named LeBron, Durant or Kobe (prime Kobe), isn't going to get anything done. A team that has Rondo and Love as its star players will definitely need at least 2 more stars to have a legit chance at winning anything.

[Monkhouse]

Kevin Garnett at age 31 > Kevin Love at age 25.

Garnett was used to doing it all and doing it well. When he came to Boston, he didn't have to do everything anymore, which increased his effectiveness in the things he did do.

Also, KG is a once in a generation player. Players like him rarely come in the NBA. Love is not. He is a selfish rebounder, a classic stat padder, doesn't play defense at all, has very limited offense, takes threes more than going inside, thinks he is a shooting guard and is the opposite of KG in terms of setting winning culture and environment and leadership qualities.

It's just wrong to compare KG and Love. It might be easy to compare the two since both missed the playoffs in their last couple of years with the Wolves, but that's the only similarity between them. A big three of Rondo-Love and anyone not named LeBron, Durant or Kobe (prime Kobe), isn't going to get anything done. A team that has Rondo and Love as its star players will definitely need at least 2 more stars to have a legit chance at winning anything.

This is where I'M SICK and TIRED of arguing or debating half of these shots at Kevin Love...

1) Here is the NBA list of rebounds that are grabbed contested... THIS MEANS Kevin Love is actually down on the block, boxing out, and trying to grab the board.

Love's column is significantly more impressive because he's fighting for his boards on a much more consistent basis. In fact, take a gander at the top-10 players in contested rebounds per game thus far:

    Kevin Love, 6.0
    Enes Kanter, 5.6
    Anthony Davis, 5.0
    Roy Hibbert, 4.6
    Greg Monroe, 4.5
    Andre Drummond, 4.5
    Shawn Marion, 4.4
    Pau Gasol, 4.4
    Zaza Pachulia, 4.3
    Jonas Valanciunas, 4.3

2) Now as for uncontested rebounds this is where Love has his best bread and butter, but HE STILL DOES WELL.

Now, let's glance at the top 10 in uncontested rebounds per game:

    Dwight Howard, 11.0
    Kevin Love, 8.6
    Al Horford, 7.8
    Serge Ibaka, 7.5
    Spencer Hawes, 7.4
    Joakim Noah, 7.3
    Trevor Ariza, 7.0
    Carmelo Anthony, 7.0
    Andre Drummond, 6.8
    Paul George, 6.6

So think about this carefully... Love actually grabs more boards uncontested than he does contested... So how is he selfish? If you think hes stat-padding think again, because uncontested rebounds are most of the time rebounds from a free throw.

3) How is Love a terrible defender? This was a response from a sports analyst, who refuted the argument that Love is a terrible defender when Chandler called him out.

The 6-foot-10 Love is averaging a career-low-tying 0.4 blocks, but to his credit he’s increased his defensive win shares from 0.9 last season to 3.1 this year, according to Basketball-Reference.com. The Wolves also rank No. 12 in defensive efficiency, well ahead of the No. 26 Knicks.

Opposing big men have just shot 34 percent against him in the post, and the T-Wolves are 2.3 points better defensively when Kevin Love is on the floor... By the way shooting 34 percent puts him in top 7 in big men defending at the post..

4) Very limited offense?
In reality...

He ranks as the eighth-most-efficient isolation scorer in the league this season, per Syngery sports.

That was in 2012... His scoring has only gotten better, and his 3 pt is only more effiecent... Why take a shot down the block, when hes making 38% of his 3pt shots? He could also get injured, or hurt his back if someone fouled him hard.. Why take that chance if most bigs can't keep up with him?

5) The Timberwolves team that KG had was relatively better... Rubio is one of the worst PG, and in the past few years, the Wolves have suffered numerous injuries which forced Pekovic/Rubio/Love all out in the worst of times...

6) No one can match Kevin Garnett's intensity, but... You can't knock Love's competitive fire to try to win.. Get out of here, Love is a top 7 superstar... Please...

You guys just say whatever you want about Love, but all the things you guys are saying about him is false.

The only knock I have on him is that Love is one of the worst 4th quarter players, but that is also due to the fact there is more added pressure. And honestly, no one else can create offense, or bump his team 11.3 points offensively better than Love can..

Fundamentally sound, great in the post, deceptively quick, and high basketball IQ...

For example lets compare Anthony Randolph to Kevin Love, who at the combine were arguably the two best PF in terms of potential.

Kevin Love measured out reasonably well-6-9 ½ in shoes (6-7 ¾ without), with a 6-11 ¼ wingspan and an 8-10 standing reach. His body fat is still very high at 12.9%, but in the combine he jumped 35 inches, lifted the 185 bar 18 times, and ran very well (11.17, 3.22)

    Anthony Randolph is 6-10 ¼ in shoes, with a freakish 7-3 wingspan and 9-1 standing reach. He is skinny as expected at 4.7% body fat, jumped 35 inches on the max vert, and ran just OK at 11.86 and 3.26.

Love will never be a great defender, but so what? Get a good defensive Center that can defend, and alter shots, then you're golden..

Love, by contrast, averages 0.88 PPP in the post per Basketball Reference. His efficiency is elite thanks to his innate ability to score out of offensive rebounds, which account for an astounding 11% of his shots. Love is also a great and underrated passer...

Have you seen the amount of fastbreaks, and havoc he creates in transition with great heaves to Corey Brewer..? I swear 3-4 points in Brewer's averages has to be credited to Kevin Love..

[RJ87]

Kevin Garnett at age 31 > Kevin Love at age 25.

Garnett was used to doing it all and doing it well. When he came to Boston, he didn't have to do everything anymore, which increased his effectiveness in the things he did do.

Also, KG is a once in a generation player. Players like him rarely come in the NBA. Love is not. He is a selfish rebounder, a classic stat padder, doesn't play defense at all, has very limited offense, takes threes more than going inside, thinks he is a shooting guard and is the opposite of KG in terms of setting winning culture and environment and leadership qualities.

It's just wrong to compare KG and Love. It might be easy to compare the two since both missed the playoffs in their last couple of years with the Wolves, but that's the only similarity between them. A big three of Rondo-Love and anyone not named LeBron, Durant or Kobe (prime Kobe), isn't going to get anything done. A team that has Rondo and Love as its star players will definitely need at least 2 more stars to have a legit chance at winning anything.

I think you've misunderstood the thread. No one is comparing KG to Love - just that Boston is in similar position and could make a play to acquire him.

And I you've also grossly underrated Love. "He is a selfish rebounder, a classic stat padder, doesn't play defense at all, has very limited offense, takes threes more than going inside, thinks he is a shooting guard", he's nearly a 40% shooter from 3 - there are shooting guards that don't shoot it that well. His offensive game is actually pretty good, he can shoot but he can also score in the paint and via offensive putbacks, and he's an 82% FT shooter. He's an uncanny mix of shooter and rebounder unlike anything we have in the NBA right now - and please explain what "selfish" rebounder means btw. I mean, rebounding the ball benefits his team. His frontcourt partner, Pek, averages nearly 10 a game himself. It's not like he's hogging all the boards or stealing them for his teammates. If he was selfish, he wouldn't average 4.4 assists per game in addition to his 26.2 pts- nothing to sneeze at from a PF. His defense isn't great, but that can be helped if you put a defensive-minded center next to him.

Sign me up for Kevin Love, please. A Rondo/Love pick & pop game would be a thing of beauty.

[D.o.s.]

At the risk of repeating myself: If Kevin Love truly was a top 7 player in the NBA he would have been able to lead his team to a winning record at least once in his professional career.

He is the "superstar" equivalent of empty calories.

[LilRip]

why would Love want to sign an extension in Boston? If anything, he's better off in Minny. Plus, he's already playing with Rondo-lite in Rubio (who's only on his 3rd year, so it stands to reason that he will still get better).

[Roy H.]

At the risk of repeating myself: If Kevin Love truly was a top 7 player in the NBA he would have been able to lead his team to a winning record at least once in his professional career.

He is the "superstar" equivalent of empty calories.

I think the analysis needs to go beyond this.

Is there any doubt that KG was a top-seven player from 2005 - 2007?  Of course he was, but his teammates were so bad, and management was so poor, that the losing records are understandable.

[LooseCannon]

At the risk of repeating myself: If Kevin Love truly was a top 7 player in the NBA he would have been able to lead his team to a winning record at least once in his professional career.

He is the "superstar" equivalent of empty calories.

Chris Bosh had only one season with a record over .500 in seven seasons with Toronto before taking his talents to South Beach.  Would you feel comfortable putting Kevin Love on the same talent tier as Bosh?

[badshar]

Kevin Garnett at age 31 > Kevin Love at age 25.

Garnett was used to doing it all and doing it well. When he came to Boston, he didn't have to do everything anymore, which increased his effectiveness in the things he did do.

Also, KG is a once in a generation player. Players like him rarely come in the NBA. Love is not. He is a selfish rebounder, a classic stat padder, doesn't play defense at all, has very limited offense, takes threes more than going inside, thinks he is a shooting guard and is the opposite of KG in terms of setting winning culture and environment and leadership qualities.

It's just wrong to compare KG and Love. It might be easy to compare the two since both missed the playoffs in their last couple of years with the Wolves, but that's the only similarity between them. A big three of Rondo-Love and anyone not named LeBron, Durant or Kobe (prime Kobe), isn't going to get anything done. A team that has Rondo and Love as its star players will definitely need at least 2 more stars to have a legit chance at winning anything.

I think you've misunderstood the thread. No one is comparing KG to Love - just that Boston is in similar position and could make a play to acquire him.

And I you've also grossly underrated Love. "He is a selfish rebounder, a classic stat padder, doesn't play defense at all, has very limited offense, takes threes more than going inside, thinks he is a shooting guard", he's nearly a 40% shooter from 3 - there are shooting guards that don't shoot it that well. His offensive game is actually pretty good, he can shoot but he can also score in the paint and via offensive putbacks, and he's an 82% FT shooter. He's an uncanny mix of shooter and rebounder unlike anything we have in the NBA right now - and please explain what "selfish" rebounder means btw. I mean, rebounding the ball benefits his team. His frontcourt partner, Pek, averages nearly 10 a game himself. It's not like he's hogging all the boards or stealing them for his teammates. If he was selfish, he wouldn't average 4.4 assists per game in addition to his 26.2 pts- nothing to sneeze at from a PF. His defense isn't great, but that can be helped if you put a defensive-minded center next to him.

Sign me up for Kevin Love, please. A Rondo/Love pick & pop game would be a thing of beauty.

It's pointless to waste a ton of assets just to get him, when in reality, you will need another solid superstar to have any remote chance of winning a championship. KG was capable enough to carry a team (and even more capable in the Eastern conference) and decent player like Rondo (of 2014) would have been enough for KG to help carry the team to top 5 seed. Love isn't like that. He is far from the team leader that Garnett is. He is more of a guy that follows the leader, not the one who leads. He'd be great next to a guy like Kobe or KG, but he can't take their roles on a team. Do you really believe Rondo-Love and some other player (assuming you can get one) will be enough for the team to win a ring?

[Monkhouse]

why would Love want to sign an extension in Boston? If anything, he's better off in Minny. Plus, he's already playing with Rondo-lite in Rubio (who's only on his 3rd year, so it stands to reason that he will still get better).

Maybe because.... The Wolves are a terrible franchise that makes the worst choices, and has had been riddled with terrible luck.

At the risk of repeating myself: If Kevin Love truly was a top 7 player in the NBA he would have been able to lead his team to a winning record at least once in his professional career.

He is the "superstar" equivalent of empty calories.

Kyrie Irving, and Melo would like to have a word with you..