LeBron to CLE is horrible news for the C's

[Moranis]

The Love-to-Cleveland trade has to start with Wiggins. Wiggins, Thompson, Waiters, and maybe a pick. If Love goes to Cleveland without Wiggins coming back, Flip should be investigated for collusion with the Cavs and/or LeBron. The current offer is pure garbage. Bennett is trash, Waiters is a decent 2 (but hardly a star, and might be a locker room problem), and a future #1 will be a late 1st round pick. That's...trash. Our offers were many fold better. I do think Love might go to the Cavs, but the trade should take away a lot of Cleveland's young assets (as it should), starting w/ Wiggins, who is uber talented but totally unproven.

That is a ridiculous trade for Cleveland.  If they trade Wiggins in a Love trade, they add Varejao and nothing else. 

[Waew]

I would hold onto Wiggins, as I think he'll be a superstar in the future. Love is a great floor stretching big, but they don't address the issues that CLE will still face. There is no true defense played except from Lebron, and clearly no rim protector, Kyrie can't guard PG's, Love can't guard 4's as well. Waiters is an underrated defender who still needs time to develop.

exactly! If you're Cleveland there's no rush. Lebron has commited for life, and said he will be patient. There's no hurry to throw the kitchen sink in for love.

Cavs wont trade Wiggins. They can wait 1 year and nab love in free agency. Lebron said in his letter that he will need patience.

kyrie - Wiggins - lebron - love - varejao


that's a potential decade long dynasty.

[Kuberski33]

I would hold onto Wiggins, as I think he'll be a superstar in the future. Love is a great floor stretching big, but they don't address the issues that CLE will still face. There is no true defense played except from Lebron, and clearly no rim protector, Kyrie can't guard PG's, Love can't guard 4's as well. Waiters is an underrated defender who still needs time to develop.

The more I think about this, the more I agree.  People get too enamored with star power.  There's only one basketball and you can't win a title without playing defense.  I also think Wiggins has  much better chance of becoming a star if he can develop in LeBron's shadow.  Plus he'll be a big help defensively.  For year one I would fill in with veteran free agents who will be a lot easier to attract with LeBron there.

After that it will be a lot easier to figure out what you need. Bringing a guy like Love in now is the same as saying 'ready, fire, aim....'

[D.o.s.]

The Love-to-Cleveland trade has to start with Wiggins. Wiggins, Thompson, Waiters, and maybe a pick. If Love goes to Cleveland without Wiggins coming back, Flip should be investigated for collusion with the Cavs and/or LeBron. The current offer is pure garbage. Bennett is trash, Waiters is a decent 2 (but hardly a star, and might be a locker room problem), and a future #1 will be a late 1st round pick. That's...trash. Our offers were many fold better. I do think Love might go to the Cavs, but the trade should take away a lot of Cleveland's young assets (as it should), starting w/ Wiggins, who is uber talented but totally unproven.

That is a ridiculous trade for Cleveland.  If they trade Wiggins in a Love trade, they add Varejao and nothing else.

You really think they're going to trade one of LeBron's favorite teammates for Kevin Love?

[Moranis]

I still think this would be a pretty solid trade framework for both teams


Love, Martin, Pekovic

for

Wiggins, Waiters, Thompson, Bennett, Varejao


By getting Pekovic as well as Love, Cleveland can more comfortably agree to trade Wiggins.  Martin makes a lot more sense on a title contending team like Cleveland as well.  Minnesota gets to wipe the slate clean with a lot of young players (including obviously Wiggins) to combine with Rubio, Dieng, LaVine, Robinson, etc.

horrible trade. Martin is on the decline and waiters age makes him much more valuable than martin. You also underestimate chemistry. Lebron loves varejao, so why move him? Then giving away bennet for no reason? Overkill

Well if you assume the trade is Wiggins and Varejao for Love (which is all Cleveland is giving up if they trade Wiggins) then the rest of the trade is Thompson, Bennett, and Waiters for Pekovic and Martin, which seems more than fair.  Pekovic is by far the best player in that second mini trade.  It isn't close. 

Cleveland post trade has a starting 5 of Irving, Martin, James, Love, Pekovic and then signs some vets for the bench like Chris Anderson and Ray Allen to pair with Gee, Delladova, etc.  Clear favorites in the East, if not all of basketball, next year with that team. 

[Moranis]

The Love-to-Cleveland trade has to start with Wiggins. Wiggins, Thompson, Waiters, and maybe a pick. If Love goes to Cleveland without Wiggins coming back, Flip should be investigated for collusion with the Cavs and/or LeBron. The current offer is pure garbage. Bennett is trash, Waiters is a decent 2 (but hardly a star, and might be a locker room problem), and a future #1 will be a late 1st round pick. That's...trash. Our offers were many fold better. I do think Love might go to the Cavs, but the trade should take away a lot of Cleveland's young assets (as it should), starting w/ Wiggins, who is uber talented but totally unproven.

That is a ridiculous trade for Cleveland.  If they trade Wiggins in a Love trade, they add Varejao and nothing else.

You really think they're going to trade one of LeBron's favorite teammates for Kevin Love?

I think if it comes down to it, yes.  Varejao is the only guy on the team they could pair with Wiggins to get the salary required in a Love trade.  If not SideShow they have to trade at least 2 other players, which seriously hurts their depth. 

As I have proposed though I think the better play is a hard run at Pekovic (and taking back Martin as well).  Love, Pekovic, Martin for Wiggins, Waiters, Thompson, Bennett, and Varejao.  Financially it works and it makes a ton of sense for both teams.

[blink]

I would hold onto Wiggins, as I think he'll be a superstar in the future. Love is a great floor stretching big, but they don't address the issues that CLE will still face. There is no true defense played except from Lebron, and clearly no rim protector, Kyrie can't guard PG's, Love can't guard 4's as well. Waiters is an underrated defender who still needs time to develop.

The more I think about this, the more I agree.  People get too enamored with star power.  There's only one basketball and you can't win a title without playing defense.  I also think Wiggins has  much better chance of becoming a star if he can develop in LeBron's shadow.  Plus he'll be a big help defensively.  For year one I would fill in with veteran free agents who will be a lot easier to attract with LeBron there.

After that it will be a lot easier to figure out what you need. Bringing a guy like Love in now is the same as saying 'ready, fire, aim....'

I agree with everything you said.  I actually think Clev has a better chance for multiple titles if they keep wiggins and develop him into their 1A star behind Lebron.  Wiggins could eventually be a scottie pippen to Lebron's Jordan.  To me Wiggins ceiling is higher than Love's ceiling because of his def play.  I think that the big 3 concept with all 3 getting max contracts is extremely difficult to navigate cap wise (unless like Miami all 3 take big paycuts).  You need to have a great bench to win a title.

[TwinTower14]

I don't think they are going to land Love.  This is all about Lebron here and his legacy, he already won with a super team!  He is taking these young kids, molding them and winning titles that way.  They win the East as presently constituted ( unless Melo goes to Chicago and Rose is healthy )....

Lebron took Gooden, Larry Hughes and Eric Snow to the finals, what do you think he is going to do with an elite PG, a double double PF ( Thompson ) and a kid that has a chance to be TMAC?  Cavs win 60 games no problem next season and probably a title or two over the next 5 years...

[makaveli]

It will be a good fit, Bosh in Houston, but like many of you wrote, WCF is  their ceiling

[nacceltic]

Wiggins is the trump card...Cavs will keep him out of any constructed deal, until they HAVE to put him in at the last minute...

Love is a Cavalier soon.

[nacceltic]

@timkawakami  2m
Second NBA source: The Warriors have no plans to offer Klay Thompson to Minnesota, even if CLE comes in aggressively for Kevin Love.

[Chief Macho]

You know what sucks,  that with this move and Miami breaking up, the Celts with Love and Rondo would actually have a chance with just those two.

[manl_lui]

Wiggins is the trump card...Cavs will keep him out of any constructed deal, until they HAVE to put him in at the last minute...

Love is a Cavalier soon.

unless CLE is convinced Wiggins is LeBron 2.0, there is no way that they are getting Love without surrendering Wiggins

[saltlover]

Wiggins is the trump card...Cavs will keep him out of any constructed deal, until they HAVE to put him in at the last minute...

Love is a Cavalier soon.

unless CLE is convinced Wiggins is LeBron 2.0, there is no way that they are getting Love without surrendering Wiggins

Minny would be foolish to hold out for Wiggins if offered Waiters, Thompson, and Bennett and the chance to dump Martin.  Just because a team can offer more doesn't mean they should.  Love is still gone at the end of the year.

[mctyson]

Cleveland has more than enough ammo to trade for Love and with that not only will the Cavs be elite for the next 4 years at least, the Celtics will have no one to pin their hope to for the next few years. They have to just tank it out the next couple years and hope for a superstar.

Love will go to Cleveland now. all they have to do is offer wiggins and Flip will flip.

But Love will not sign there long term.