Ranking the Trade Partners for Love

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

Here are my top 5 trade partners for Love.

1. Cleveland
2. Boston
3. Sacramento
4. Phoenix
5. Lakers

I am not crazy about the Bulls, Warriors or Rockets as trade partners since none have high draft picks and won't part with any potential great players.

[TAFKASP]

How about the Idaho Stampede of the NBADL with the single requirement that they are not allowed to sell or trade his rights? A year in Idaho would be good for the prick!

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

1. Cleveland (Philly third team)
2. Chicago
3. Phoenix (Dragic included)
4. Golden State
5. Boston
6. Sacramento
7. Charlotte
8. Houston

Screw LA and NY.

[Phenom]

Unfortunately for those interested in high picks, I do not think Flip is necessarily after those. He has repeatedly said he wants to win now and not take a step back. As of now team are going to be lumped into asset collection or win-now categories.

Asset collection:

Boston
Assets #6, #17, Future picks from Nets, Kelly Olynyk, Jared Sullinger, Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, Brandon Bass

From a draft pick perspective, Boston will be near the top of the list. 6 is a great spot in this draft and 17 is a spot that Flip also likes. The Nets picks have some great potential to be lottery picks over the next 3 years and could really help this team load up and have some sustainable success. Safe to assume that one of Olynyk and Sullinger would be coming back. Both have good potential as bench players but are not in a position to help carry this team to wins. Jeff Green is a nice player but I doubt he even comes into play for either team in a proposed trade. Can Bradley be traded or is he a FA? Either way I feel he has been a little overrated and not a reason to tip the scale in Boston's favor. Bass is mostly filler.

Cleveland
Assets #1, #33, Anthony Bennett, Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson, Anderson Varejao

I am still hard pressed to believe that the #1 is or will be available to Minnesota but I suppose that it is possible. If LeBron lets it be known that he would go back to Cleveland this summer than it may just happen. Still a trade with Boston that includes the Brooklyn picks would still trump this trade as far as asset collecting. As for the players Cleveland could offer, none of them move the needle for me.

Los Angeles
Assets #7

I assume this is worst case scenario for most people.

Win Now:

Chicago
Assets Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson, Mike Dunleavy, Tony Snell, Jimmy Butler, Nikola Mirotic, #16, #19

I am wishy washy on this trade as the players coming back have some pluses and some minuses. On the plus side, these players know how to win and know how to do it defensively. This team could really use their attitudes on how to win ballgames. On the downside, it is hard to imagine this team could survive with this trade as there is not a star player in the bunch. Maybe Mirotic can be and maybe the two picks can be moved up but it is risky. The team could be left high and dry in regards to getting a number 1 guy on the roster to replace Love. If Flip believes in Mirotic or can get another young PF prospect for Mirotic, then the Bulls are probably the best trade partner.

Golden State
Assets Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green, David Lee, Nemanja Nedovic

This team will probably be right at the top of the list until Love is actually traded. Klay and Lee can both step into this roster as constructed and help the win now desires of Flip. Klay would be a big boost to the back court and would compliment Ricky nicely IMO. I also do not understand the total despise for Lee. I understand that he is older and he is not Kevin Love but he is still a solid player that replicates some of what Love brings. He is also not the answer defensively but neither is Kevin and Flip plans to address these issues with different zone formats, so I feel Lee would be a nice player to bridge over until a more permanent PF is found. Actually is the Wolves got Klay and Lee, they could focus on PF prospects at 13 like Payne, Porzingis or someone else. The biggest downside for me is keeping Love in the West.

Los Angeles
Assets Blake Griffin

The Clippers are a darkhorse pick for me as it really has not been discussed but is the closest to true value that the Wolves could get.

Oklahoma City
Assets Serge Ibaka, Jeremy Lamb, Reggie Jackson, #21

This one has been discussed for the last couple years but I think it is safe to say that the value just isn't there.

Phoenix
Assets Goran Dragic, Gerald Green, Eric Bledsoe, Morris Twins, Miles Plumlee, #14, #18, #27, Minnesota pick back, 2015 Lakers pick.

I'm lukewarm on this deal but its not the worst option. I am not sure that Bledsoe would be the best option for this team but Dragic would be very good addition. I also like Plumlee ahead of guys like Olynyk and Sullinger. The picks package is decent and would allow Flip to pick up a 2 and 4 to fill roster holes.

Middle Ground

Sacramento
Assets #8, Ben McLemore, Rudy Gay

This is an interesting option as the 8th pick is a very nice spot to pick and replace Love. McLemore still has good potential at the 2 and Gay could at least provide needed scoring. I am not sold that the Kings would do this when it comes down to it though.

With that said, I rank them based off of that idea:

Golden State
Los Angeles Clippers
Chicago
Boston
Cleveland
Sacramento
Phoenix
Oklahoma City
Los Angeles Lakers

[Papalrep]

Any of these teams, especially Chicago, can get Melo without having to send anything back

[mrhockey89]

Any of these teams, especially Chicago, can get Melo without having to send anything back

Well not "any" of these teams...Melo can choose where he wants to go while Love couldn't, so that's an advantage..

But moreso, adding Love doesn't necessarily mean a team couldn't add Melo too.

[MikeAz [enjin:6636981]]

I don't like many of those options. I favor the Wolves being the ones making a bold move and adding another piece to entice Love to stay. Of those options listed, I'd rank them 1-Cleveland if they include the top pick, 2-Golden State if they include Thompson, 3-Thunder, if they include Ibaka.

[Lipoli390]

Excellent analysis, Phenom. Among your scenarios, I don't think a deal with the Clippers is realistic and I believe that Bledsoe is a free agent, so I don't see him being included in any deal with the Suns. I was initially intrigued by the possibility of a deal with the Bulls, but the closer you look the worse it looks for the Wolves. I like Taj Gibson, but he's not great at anything and he'll be 29 years old already when the season starts. I liked Jimmy Butler two years ago, but he took a huge step back last season. Picks 16 and 19 don't thrill me and I suspect they mean even less to Flip who will be looking to win sooner rather than later.

I agree that the Golden State deal would be the best scenario for the Wolves (provided that Klay Thompson is included). What I like at that deal is that Klay is actually elite in at least one phase of the game -- namely 3-point shooting. He's also a decent defender and he's young. In addition, he would complement Ricky perfectly.

I'm intrigued by the possibility of the Phoenix scenario you suggested.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Taj Gibson gets really underrated on this board. He's an elite defender. That's his calling card and there's no doubt about it. Team defense, rim protection, individual defense. Gibson, I thought, was snubbed of making an All-NBA Defensive team this year. He'll never be a priority on offense, but he's definitely capable on that end.

Per 100 possesions
Gibson: 24.2 PPG, 12.6 RPG
D.Lee: 27.4 PPG, 14 RPG

Per 36 numbers
Gibson: 16.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG
D.Lee: 19.8 PPG, 10.1 RPG

Win shares
Gibson: 5.7
D.Lee: 7.6

Yes, I compared Gibson to Lee. Reasons for that are: He's the other "win now" PF that we could acquire in a Love trade. The other reason is because for some reason Lee is looked at as a better player.

I'd rather have Gibson over Lee. He's younger (by several years), far better on defense and slightly under the level of Lee on offense. Not to mention his contract is around $6-7M cheaper per year ($8.5M compared to $15M).

[kekgeek]

Taj Gibson gets really underrated on this board. He's an elite defender. That's his calling card and there's no doubt about it. Team defense, rim protection, individual defense. Gibson, I thought, was snubbed of making an All-NBA Defensive team this year. He'll never be a priority on offense, but he's definitely capable on that end.

Per 100 possesions
Gibson: 24.2 PPG, 12.6 RPG
D.Lee: 27.4 PPG, 14 RPG

Per 36 numbers
Gibson: 16.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG
D.Lee: 19.8 PPG, 10.1 RPG

Win shares
Gibson: 5.7
D.Lee: 7.6

Yes, I compared Gibson to Lee. Reasons for that are: He's the other "win now" PF that we could acquire in a Love trade. The other reason is because for some reason Lee is looked at as a better player.

I'd rather have Gibson over Lee. He's younger (by several years), far better on defense and slightly under the level of Lee on offense. Not to mention his contract is around $6-7M cheaper per year ($8.5M compared to $15M).

Question, I have not watch enough of the Bulls to know this, does Gibson need other players to set up his offense to be successful or can you give him the ball on the block and can he score at a consistent bases like Lee can. For the record I am not arguing with you point Cam, I literally do not know about Gibson offensive game (I know he is an elite defender, also how much is that attributed to the bulls system)