Predict Love's team for 2014-15

[mrhockey89]

And in response to papal..the Warriors may not be willing to give up Klay..but if they don't, they have zero shot of getting Love.

[worldK]

I keep hearing phoenix mentioned as a potential destination for love. Outside of dragic and green, they dont really have as much as other teams have to offer. I love dragic as a player and I can see him playing together with rubio in the backcourt but it doesnt seem to be the right trade for me. They have multiple picks and we owe them one but I dont think its high enough.

Can someone post a proposed phoenix trade that is actually good for us and better than the ones that are being discussed?

Bledsoe was really emerging last year as a potential star, and they're loaded with draft picks.

I'm not sure what we'd do with Dragic, however...neither he nor Rubio are backups nor should they be happy being backups, and both are pure point guards.

I'm changing my tune a bit though.. I think the new favorites in my mind (surpassing Golden State) is Chicago. I really am starting to believe they're going to be pushing their chips into the middle trying to add Love and then Melo in FA, even if it means at the cost of Gibson and Noah.

Chicago is another team that im not seeing why it would be a good team for us to trade with. Unless noah is involved, then they really dont have much. They wont trade rose and boozer is not desirable(they are thinking of amnesty for him) Gibson is a very good 29yr old role player, but he should not be a centerpiece in a trade for a star like love. The 16th and 19th pick aren't tempting. Mirotic is untested and butler is nice but nothing special really. A deal with them improves them drastically now and long term while set us backwards in the present and future.

[Phenom]

As for the Suns, I like Plumlee, not add Love's replacement but just as a piece but I am not that keen on Dragic and Rubio backcourt especially if Klay can be had instead.

I think the key to any Bulls or Suns trade for Flip will be the ability to get rotation guys that can win now like Dragic or Gibson and also get mid round picks. I have a feeling Flip likes many of the players slotted in the teens and would like to bolster the bench with them.

[mrhockey89]

Mirotic is from Spain I believe, and surely would be more comfortable with Rubio around.

I could see Flip trying to get Mirotic+Gibson+#16+#19 for Love (or something of that ilk).

Why for Minnesota? You get a lot in return both in vets and young players. You add depth to the PF position, and can attack the backup PG and wing positions in the draft. They'd get 3 swings of the bat in a very deep draft.

Why for Chicago? Mirotic isn't here yet, so they've lost nothing in that regard, and turning Gibson into Love is a nice upgrade. It also helps them get closer to their attempt to get a big 3 together in Melo or LeBron. Worst case...their big 3 is Rose/Love/Noah which is a great mix of talent that fits together on both ends of the court.

[worldK]

As for the Suns, I like Plumlee, not add Love's replacement but just as a piece but I am not that keen on Dragic and Rubio backcourt especially if Klay can be had instead.

I think the key to any Bulls or Suns trade for Flip will be the ability to get rotation guys that can win now like Dragic or Gibson and also get mid round picks. I have a feeling Flip likes many of the players slotted in the teens and would like to bolster the bench with them.

Rotation guys and mid picks are too low of value in return of love. Thats why Im not in favor of a deal with suns or bulls. I like dragic and he is a fringe all star but he and rubio, while they can compliment each other, are both pg and not an ideal starting backcourt.

At the very least, we should get guys that has the talent to win us a couple of games. Keep us competitive and be a top player at his position. A deal with the cavs is still the most ideal for us.

[Phenom]

I'm actually hoping Mirotic can go to a third team for another nice piece if the Bulls are the team.

I definitely see the concern with trading Love for non "stars" but I can see where Flip is coming from in regards to a Bulls trade. Gibson knows how to win and play smart, team basketball. He could be invaluable to some of the guys here. And if Flip feels a guy like Payne (or someone else in the 13-19 range) can be a star, then the trade makes sense. It would definitely be a shrewd move that Minnesota fans are not used to.

What it comes down to for me at this point is that many superstar trades are centered around one tantalizing piece and and some could be's, salary fillers, and some kind of pick compensation. Flip needs to choose which one big piece he wants between Klay or some rookie and go for it. I vote Klay right now.

[TheFuture]

I voted Minnesota too. The way I see it the only trade that would be a significant upgrade from what we could get at the trade deadline is the Cleveland trade, and I just don't think that franchise has the desire to make that trade. We need the top tier of this draft to make it worth moving Love now. The only potential trade that can give us that is with Cleveland.

Disagree completely with this post. There is no way we get close to the projected offers from Bos, GS, or CHI at next year's trade deadline. We lose a ton of leverage if we play terribly the first half of the year and then try to trade Love at the deadline. The time to pull the trigger is now.
You say we need the top tier of this draft, which I assume means the top 3. I disagree and say we need a top 7 pick this year. I truly believe any of the top 7 players this year would be ranked in the top 2 of next year's draft. This is the year to get picks, not next year's draft. Boston's offer makes the most sense for me. 2 picks this year, one in the top 7, and future Brooklyn first round picks, which should be lottery bound. Anything else they add is just icing. #1 pick and throw ins would be okay from Cleveland, but not even a #1 pick is a sure thing. I'll take 4 first rounders from Boston and up my chances of hitting it big over the next few years.

[TheFuture]

Flip didn't wanna draft Muhammad and Dieng. He only took him because his other plans fell through. That doesn't inspire much confidence.

When he fired Flip to be President, he said he regretted firing him. You really think Glen's gonna wanna fire the only basketball friends he has left?

Is this actually backed by facts? I think he wanted Dieng and knew he could get him a bit further down.

[60WinTim]

I'm late to the party, but I'm leaning the Chicago way. Flip has said on a number of occasions how we need two-way players. Taj Gibson is probably the best two-way PF we could get in a Love trade. And don't be surprised if Boozer is included as well. We still need a backup PF, and we have a glut of wings (we have 7 if you include Shved and Barea!). Moving 2 or 3 of those for Boozer would add depth at PF, and prune our roster to make room for some of these young assets we are about to add. The trade would be completed with whatever draftpicks/rights Flip can weasel out of Chicago.

Plus it moves Love to the East...

[MikeAz [enjin:6636981]]

That deal does nothing for me, you trade your star, arguably one of the top 10 players in the league, and get filler in return. Ugh. Gibson is the best player the Wolves would get back in that deal and while he's a nice player, he's not going to lead this team out of the gutter they've been in. If they're going to deal Love I'd much rather they get back someone with higher upside, aka Klay Thompson or Eric Bledsoe.