2014 NBA Free Agency and Draft

[BleedBlueGold]

So Love right now is arguably a top 5 player at least top 10. Finished the season 4th in scoring and 3rd in rebounding. You wouldn't trade Wiggins for that? I wouldn't even blink an eye. The goal is to win now and I give very very little chance Wiggins is providing that type of impact in the next 3 years.

It won't be a Wiggins for Love straight-up trade though. The Cavs obviously have a lot to offer and Love would be a great addition. But I read somewhere that Minn would want Wiggins, Waiters, and two No. 1s next year for Love. That seems crazy to me. I know it goes against the "win now" mantra, but they could be set up for long-term success w/ a roster loaded with that kind of first round talent. Just my opinion though.

 

[Irish Insanity]

So Love right now is arguably a top 5 player at least top 10. Finished the season 4th in scoring and 3rd in rebounding. You wouldn't trade Wiggins for that? I wouldn't even blink an eye. The goal is to win now and I give very very little chance Wiggins is providing that type of impact in the next 3 years.

While I agree with you, and I like Love, he wont be the same player on a Cavs team with other great players as his is on a team where he is the only great or even good player. Wiggins may be serviceable enough for it not to make a huge impact.

 

[woolybug25]

If they have to give up too much, they can tell Minn to pound sand and just sign him as a FA next year.

 

[zelezo vlk]

If they have to give up too much, they can tell Minn to pound sand and just sign him as a FA next year.

Basically this, but even if they can't get Love, they have enough assets to trade for a big piece.

 

[Luckylucci]

While I agree with you, and I like Love, he wont be the same player on a Cavs team with other great players as his is on a team where he is the only great or even good player. Wiggins may be serviceable enough for it not to make a huge impact.

Your right, I bet he's more efficient because he'll have more space, less double teams, and attention. The stats he's putting up now are what he can do. He won't need to that but Wiggins can't put up those numbers even if he was on the Wolves. Obviously in any trade there is a concern of giving up too much but Love is in great shape for a big man and he can shoot. There's likely a lot of miles left there and everything you guys said I would trade for him and never think twice. Like GK said, draft picks are unknowns. With that said Wooly shares the best point and that is they can wait a year and get Love anyways. I guess it all depends on how patient you are.

 

[gkIrish]

If they have to give up too much, they can tell Minn to pound sand and just sign him as a FA next year.

Are they going to have the cap space to do that? I would think between Kyrie + Lebron + rest of team, they won't have much to spend on Free Agents. Tristan Thompson and Waiters would be due for a new deal before then so either they have to let them walk or not sign Love.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Your right, I bet he's more efficient because he'll have more space, less double teams, and attention. The stats he's putting up now are what he can do. He won't need to that but Wiggins can't put up those numbers even if he was on the Wolves. Obviously in any trade there is a concern of giving up too much but Love is in great shape for a big man and he can shoot. There's likely a lot of miles left there and everything you guys said I would trade for him and never think twice. Like GK said, draft picks are unknowns. With that said Wooly shares the best point and that is they can wait a year and get Love anyways. I guess it all depends on how patient you are.

I guess I look at it as similar to a Bosh type player. He was half the player in Miami as he was in Toronto. Not that Love would drop that far stat wise. Love and less of a bench, or Wiggins and some picks and more of a bench. Thats why they make the big money to build teams and I make no money to throw out my opinion on this site. Lol.

 

[woolybug25]

Anybody know about this Nikola Mirotic fella the Bulls finally signed? I guess he was the youngest player in over a decade to be selected to an All-Euroleague Team and the only player in Euroleague history to win the Rising Star Award (given to the best young player) twice. The article below made this bold statement:

what you do need to know is that three-word Montenegrin statement could change the NBA and very well could be the missing ingredient to the Chicago Bulls’ championship formula; The Next Toni Kukoc. Introducing the best player in Europe and possibly the best European player since the great Dirk Nowitzki: Nikola Mirotic.

HoopsHype - Who is Nikola Mirotic?

 

[woolybug25]

Are they going to have the cap space to do that? I would think between Kyrie + Lebron + rest of team, they won't have much to spend on Free Agents. Tristan Thompson and Waiters would be due for a new deal before then so either they have to let them walk or not sign Love.

Not sure. But they would have to lose players to get him this year too. So I guess its six in one, half dozen in the other.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Anybody know about this Nikola Mirotic fella the Bulls finally signed? I guess he was the youngest player in over a decade to be selected to an All-Euroleague Team and the only player in Euroleague history to win the Rising Star Award (given to the best young player) twice. The article below made this bold statement:



HoopsHype - Who is Nikola Mirotic?

Loved Toni Kukoc.

 

[Luckylucci]

I guess I look at it as similar to a Bosh type player. He was half the player in Miami as he was in Toronto. Not that Love would drop that far stat wise. Love and less of a bench, or Wiggins and some picks and more of a bench. Thats why they make the big money to build teams and I make no money to throw out my opinion on this site. Lol.

Yep, I'm right there with ya.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Anybody know about this Nikola Mirotic fella the Bulls finally signed? I guess he was the youngest player in over a decade to be selected to an All-Euroleague Team and the only player in Euroleague history to win the Rising Star Award (given to the best young player) twice. The article below made this bold statement:



HoopsHype - Who is Nikola Mirotic?

What do you wanna know? He's very highly regarded. Some say that he could've been a top four pick this year if he would have been a draft pick. Instead, he was a draft and stash and is called the best Euro player to come over in a long time. Great prospect as a stretch 4 and honestly he will be a better shooter than anybody they had last year.

 

[IrishLax]

The Love angle is so interesting because I don't know who has the leverage. On one hand, Cleveland has leverage because Minnesota basically MUST deal Love or get no value back. He's not resigning.

On the other hand, if other teams are making overtures an setting the market price at X then Cleveland loses their leverage if Minnesota can say "give us XYZ or we deal him to Team B." It's really a giant game of chicken.

 

[zelezo vlk]

The Love angle is so interesting because I don't know who has the leverage. On one hand, Cleveland has leverage because Minnesota basically MUST deal Love or get no value back. He's not resigning.

On the other hand, if other teams are making overtures an setting the market price at X then Cleveland loses their leverage if Minnesota can say "give us XYZ or we deal him to Team B." It's really a giant game of chicken.

Love really doesn't need to be traded until the deadline, so the Wolves have a lot of time before they need to actually pull the trigger.

 

[woolybug25]

What do you wanna know? He's very highly regarded. Some say that he could've been a top four pick this year if he would have been a draft pick. Instead, he was a draft and stash and is called the best Euro player to come over in a long time. Great prospect as a stretch 4 and honestly he will be a better shooter than anybody they had last year.

Music to my ears. The Bulls will have a really nice squad this year if Rose can stay healthy (still a playoff caliber team without him though).

 

[IrishLax]

Love really doesn't need to be traded until the deadline, so the Wolves have a lot of time before they need to actually pull the trigger.

Right, but can't they get the most value for him while teams still have tons of cap flexibility right now?

 

[woolybug25]

Right, but can't they get the most value for him while teams still have tons of cap flexibility right now?

I thought the Celtics were players in trading for Love too. That would be a bargaining chip for Minn, but i'm not sure how much of a trade partner they would be if Love wasn't willing to sign an extension.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Right, but can't they get the most value for him while teams still have tons of cap flexibility right now?

I think that the cap stuff (where salaries have to be reasonably close) starts around the season, so they have a while. Waiting for the season to start allows for assets to prove themselves in real games and not the summer league and the market for Love will not dry up. If anything, Love may consider more teams based upon how they start playing (it's possible) so that could open up even more options for the Wolves. With that being said, Minnesota wants prospects, not picks so Boston is kind of out of the running unless their guys start showing up to play.

Music to my ears. The Bulls will have a really nice squad this year if Rose can stay healthy (still a playoff caliber team without him though).

Yeah man, I've been waiting for Mirotic to come over for years. This will be a great great year (unless health becomes a concern).

I thought the Celtics were players in trading for Love too. That would be a bargaining chip for Minn, but i'm not sure how much of a trade partner they would be if Love wasn't willing to sign an extension.

See my Celtics comment above. But Love would consider Boston, it's just unlikely.

 

[Grahambo]

I don't think Boston has the players to compete with Cleveland/GSW. And I think you trade Love before the season because if he gets hurt, you're screwed. It's one thing if there was a chance of him staying but that seems like a long shot at best.

Cleveland can offer Bennett/Wiggins/1st

"Most trade talks between the Dubs and the Minnesota Timberwolves were either centered around Klay Thompson and David Lee in exchange for Love, or Thompson, Lee and Harrison Barnes for Love and Kevin Martin."

http://hoopshabit.com/2014/07/14/golden-state-warriors-time-trade-kevin-love/



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[Grahambo]

Anybody know about this Nikola Mirotic fella the Bulls finally signed?]

"Simply put, Mirotic is the quintessential pick-and-pop 4, as adept at flaring out for an open jumper as he is rolling and converting in traffic."

"Mirotic’s raw season stats might not jump off the page (12.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in 24.1 minutes per game, per DraftExpress.com), but this will: 50.6 percent shooting from the floor, including a whopping 46.1 percent from distance."

http://m.bleacherreport.com/article...ikola-mirotic-make-immediate-impact-for-bulls



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[zelezo vlk]

Here's another article.

HoopsHype - Who is Nikola Mirotic?

 

[Irish#1]

I've heard many argue that if Ibaka hadn't been injured this year, they would've beaten the Spurs. I don't think any of the teams in the West as currently constructed would be favored versus the Thunder. Ibaka has only improved so far and once they get rid of Perkins' salary, they could push for a bit more help. They do still need to work on coaching though.

Also, I'm just wondering about this, but it seems like many have different definitions of contending. Do you mean to say that you don't think OKC will be one of the top 2 or 3 teams in the West/have a great chance of making the WCF and advancing? Or do you mean that they need to win a title or he'll leave?

People just don't seem to give the Spurs their due, but year in and year out, the road to the finals goes through the Spurs.

Good point.

To me, I define contending as playing in the finals or at minimum conference finals. I make exceptions depending on circumstances... for example, I wouldn't consider Indiana as "contending" because they've got no chance of actually winning a championship as currently constructed, and it's obvious that they're a step below some other elite teams. So I don't really care that they solider on through weak teams to the eastern conference finals.

When I think about it critically, I believe OKC has "contended" each of the past 3 seasons because their one early exit to Memphis was due to an injury to Westbrook. I think if they take a step back to the point of not at least making western conference finals then you'd see Durant look around. However, I doubt that happens.

I'd bet a lot of money that IF Durant decided to look around on account of things stalling in OKC that he'd have eyes only for DC. Add him to the current roster this year and the Wizards would be HEAVY eastern conference favorites.

Except the Pacers held their own against the best from the West during the regular season.

 

[Grahambo]

People just don't seem to give the Spurs their due, but year in and year out, the road to the finals goes through the Spurs.



Except the Pacers held their own against the best from the West during the regular season.

Was that before or after the trading deadline?

 

[zelezo vlk]

People just don't seem to give the Spurs their due, but year in and year out, the road to the finals goes through the Spurs.

The Thunder are the Spurs' kryptonite. SA is very well respected, but they have problems against very long and athletic (OKC) teams. OKC is the only team I would say could beat them from the West.

Except the Pacers held their own against the best from the West during the regular season.

I don't buy the Pacers. That offense was bad for most of the year. If PG can improve his handle this year though and if they bring back Lance, they could do well. But Hibbert has to regain his mojo (although he was never as good as people were claiming, imho). They'll be a top 3 team in the East most likely, but I don't see them as true contenders unless PG takes his game to a whole other level. Lance would also have to do the same for me to believe in their chances.

 

[IrishLax]

Except the Pacers held their own against the best from the West during the regular season.

It's cute that you think the regular season matter... moreover that what the Pacers showed in the first half of the season has any bearing on what their current roster as constructed is capable of.

 

[ResLife Hero]

Not totally on point, but I chuckled:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>This isn't the first time someone has left South Beach thinking, "I have to go home and get my shit together." <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lebron?src=hash">#Lebron</a></p>— Chuck Martin (@MrChuckMartin) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrChuckMartin/statuses/487666618139308032">July 11, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Grahambo]

It's cute that you think the regular season matter... moreover that what the Pacers showed in the first half of the season has any bearing on what their current roster as constructed is capable of.

Between that trade and Hibbert turning soft, it went downhill fast.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Between that trade and Hibbert turning soft, it went downhill fast.

Are you talking about the Granger trade?

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[Grahambo]

Are you talking about the Granger trade?

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Yeah. Unless it was going down sooner then that. I just remember them dominating the first few months.

 

[Buster Bluth]

The Love angle is so interesting because I don't know who has the leverage. On one hand, Cleveland has leverage because Minnesota basically MUST deal Love or get no value back. He's not resigning.

On the other hand, if other teams are making overtures an setting the market price at X then Cleveland loses their leverage if Minnesota can say "give us XYZ or we deal him to Team B." It's really a giant game of chicken.

I think Love has a huge amount of leverage too, because no team is going to trade for him without a sign-and-trade, so he can in effect shoot down trades by saying "nah I'm only playing one year for you..."

And he has his heart set on coming to Cleveland. I hope... haha