Moment of Truth

[Phenom]

Cavs lose game 7 (or maybe they win). Draft is barely underway. Cavs and Knicks are trying to drum up a lottery team to take Love with Melo going to Cavs. Melo is amenable. Boston overplays their hand and misses their chance, Phoenix isn't ready to commit to success. . .Up next is the Wolves. Thibs looks at Love and sees a guy who is a young vet that can play winning basketball. He sees a guy who can be a dominant rebounder that helps improve our defense in that way. He sees a guy who legitimately stretches the floor. He and Towns can alternate playing inside and out. They can both pass the ball effectively. So Thibs asks himself if he can get Love to play to his standards in a team defensive concept. He starts to feel optimistic.

The deal goes as follows:

Cavs get: Carmelo Anthony
Knicks get: 5th pick, Nikola Pekovic, Shabazz Muhammad, Adreian Payne
Wolves get: Kevin Love, 2017 Knicks 2nd round pick

Do you make this trade?

[slimcalhoun27 [enjin:6640095]]

Lebron can be a team mate killer........but Love has shown his true colors in being a coward and soft. Want nothing to do with him nor helping the Knick's nor Carmelo. Let the Suns jump at it since they need PF help and allow Chriss, Dunn or Heild drop to us at 5.

[Phenom]

I say no. For whatever reason, Love does not seem to be mentally up to the challenge of the Finals when things started to not go his way. I see a guy who is not able to put the moment before feeling good about himself. He might be able to come back here and fit in incredibly well but I don't think Thibs will want to stoke his ego in the middle of a tough playoff series and I do not personally want to have that dynamic on the roster.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

I voted yes. When used properly, he's still an All-Star talent and former All-NBA selection. His talent has not diminished, but his role offensively has quite a lot. That's primarily because Cleveland uses LeBron and Kyrie to orchestrate their own offense a lot of the time. Love needs a structured offense and a consistent amount of touches. He's not getting either with the Cavs.

If all we're trading is No. 5, Muhammad, Payne, and Pekovic's $23.7M of deadweight salary and receiving Love, you have to make that deal, IMO. It's too good value-wise.

Unfortunately, I don't see the Knicks moving Carmelo for that. I also don't see them taking on Pekovic's contract.

Edit: Keep in mind that Thibodeau had elite defensive groups in Chicago even with Carlos Boozer as a starter. Love is better defensively than Boozer, and much, much better offensively. Thibs could make that work.

[Dr Spalding [enjin:16542748]]

People forget how good Love was. No doubt he is having a real bad NBA finals series but over all he has played well through the playoffs and the regular season. He would be a great fit on a team that lacks rebounding and shooting. If we're willing to just take on the extra salary, I think the #5 would be all we'd have to give up. I'd still do that.

[thedoper]

I don't see what value we are putting to this trade. I would say yes just because it is so lopsided what we would put out there. But honesty if New York and Cleveland want a deal there are probably better 3rd teams to get it done. Love would look pretty sweet next to the lativian gangbanger. I would say Melo for love with a few side pieces is a stronger potential deal.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

I answered yes because to Cam's point, it's hard to beat the value of that deal. We basically give up assets/salaries/players that don't touch our core group of guys and add Kevin Love in exchange. That's a great value.

However......I'm not sure he fits with our team anymore. If he's looking for more shots and to be more of a focal point again, we may be past that with KAT and Wiggins being options 1A and 1B going forward. It would be Cleveland all over again for him, except not quite to the same extreme. But he would be competing with a lot of hungry pups for shots, that's for sure.

I find the contrast between Love and Tristan Thompson to be stark. One guy continues to struggle with his role and the other guy seems to be playing his role to absolute perfection.

Let me ask this question: Straight-up, who would you rather have on our existing Wolves squad: Kevin Love or Tristan Thompson?

[Monster]

Cam nailed it there is no way the Knicks give up Melo for that.

[Phenom]

Tristan. Love is the more talented player. This has nothing to do with forgetting how good Love is. I saw his career unfold. I saw the merits of the Cavs making a move for him. I see the merits of the Wolves bringing him back in this scenario. I just don't think Love has the right frame of mind to make it work although this series could serve as a wakeup call to him. You just never know.

[thedoper]

I answered yes because to Cam's point, it's hard to beat the value of that deal. We basically give up assets/salaries/players that don't touch our core group of guys and add Kevin Love in exchange. That's a great value.

However......I'm not sure he fits with our team anymore. If he's looking for more shots and to be more of a focal point again, we may be past that with KAT and Wiggins being options 1A and 1B going forward. It would be Cleveland all over again for him, except not quite to the same extreme. But he would be competing with a lot of hungry pups for shots, that's for sure.

I find the contrast between Love and Tristan Thompson to be stark. One guy continues to struggle with his role and the other guy seems to be playing his role to absolute perfection.

Let me ask this question: Straight-up, who would you rather have on our existing Wolves squad: Kevin Love or Tristan Thompson?

Thompson is looking like a first team all defense player this series. I go Tristan. Lebron was smart on a couple of levels to advocate for his salary extension.