The Decision - Second Edition

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

I lurk on Real GM, and have a lot this off-season in particular. Cavs fans don't want to give up Wiggins, Warriors fans don't want to give up Thompson and Bulls fans don't want to give up Mirotic. So, fans of their respective teams don't want to part ways with their best trade chip? Surprise! Hell, I don't want to give up Love. How about that.

I know I'm right in terms of value for Love when you see fans/posters of other teams comment on the situation saying the Love-for-Wiggins package is fair and good for both franchises... because it is. It makes too much sense in every possible way.

Keep in mind that on Real GM, Warriors fans are shell-shocked now because their front office wouldn't offer Thompson, according to several reports, and seem to have moved on from Love talks. Now they want Love badly at all cost. Right... Funny how that works.

You think Cavs fans will give a damn about Wiggins if (when) James/Love/Irving brings a championship to Cleveland? I doubt it. "Wiggins who?"

[Monster]

Flip mentioned something about the 11th on the last Funkadelic. I don't remember the context but it wasn't really expanded on. Maybe it all goes down tomorrow, including a Love trade. I hope so, I'm tired of this.

I was thinking about that today how Flip said the 11th and basically nothing happened today. Did Flip know something? He is from Ohio maybe he has some insider info. That would be funny if he did.

[A Friendly Flatulence [enjin:8907904]]

I get why Cavs fans are reluctant to trade Wiggins, because of his great potential and has had a pretty big hype train rolling over the last year. But with that being said, they want they're cake and to eat it too. They think that Lebron alone plus the current roster gives them a good chance at winning a championship in the near term (and they are right). And if Wiggins lives up to his potential that could keep the gravy train rolling even after Lebron is no longer the unstoppable force he is now on the basketball court. In their eyes they see 10 years of being in the thick of championship talk if everything goes their way.

However, Lebron doesn't just want a good chance of winning a championship, he could have stayed in Miami and done exactly that. Lebron wants better odds hence a potential K-Love trade. It really doesn't matter what the fans want it comes down to if Lebron says go get me a 3rd amigo for this tripod. Or if he's cool with the young guns taken a chance hoping they turn out.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/what-cleveland-would-look-like-with-lebron-james-and-kevin-love/

here is an article that touches on how much better their team would be if they made the trade for Kevin Love on a wins/loss basis and how much it would increase their odds of a title.

And you've got to think Lebron not thinking 5-10 years down the road, he is thinking whats the next 4 or five years going to look like. Who knows if Wiggins realizes his full potential or how long it takes him to realize that potential, but without a doubt Kevin would be the 2nd best player on that team.

One last thought: As the Cavs were essentially gifted the #1 pick this year, its almost as if your playing with the houses money so why not take a chance on a big bet to try and win big now. Even if you only get 1 championship I'd still call it a success.

[Lipoli390]

I get why Cavs fans are reluctant to trade Wiggins, because of his great potential and has had a pretty big hype train rolling over the last year. But with that being said, they want they're cake and to eat it too. They think that Lebron alone plus the current roster gives them a good chance at winning a championship in the near term (and they are right). And if Wiggins lives up to his potential that could keep the gravy train rolling even after Lebron is no longer the unstoppable force he is now on the basketball court. In their eyes they see 10 years of being in the thick of championship talk if everything goes their way.

However, Lebron doesn't just want a good chance of winning a championship, he could have stayed in Miami and done exactly that. Lebron wants better odds hence a potential K-Love trade. It really doesn't matter what the fans want it comes down to if Lebron says go get me a 3rd amigo for this tripod. Or if he's cool with the young guns taken a chance hoping they turn out.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/what-cleveland-would-look-like-with-lebron-james-and-kevin-love/

here is an article that touches on how much better their team would be if they made the trade for Kevin Love on a wins/loss basis and how much it would increase their odds of a title.

And you've got to think Lebron not thinking 5-10 years down the road, he is thinking whats the next 4 or five years going to look like. Who knows if Wiggins realizes his full potential or how long it takes him to realize that potential, but without a doubt Kevin would be the 2nd best player on that team.

One last thought: As the Cavs were essentially gifted the #1 pick this year, its almost as if your playing with the houses money so why not take a chance on a big bet to try and win big now. Even if you only get 1 championship I'd still call it a success.

Excellent analysis.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

For about the 10th time in the past 30 days, I'm going to say I hope you guys are right. Because I really want to fleece the Cavs by taking four young high draft choices for Kevin Love...heck, I'd take three of them as long as Wiggins is one of them. But I continue to think we are overvaluing Love, and the quality of the offers out there seems to validate this belief.

I wanted you guys to be right on draft night, I wanted you to be right about Golden State, and I want you to be right about Wiggins now. I just want the mercurial, overvalued Love out of here, so please be right about Wiggins coming here!

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

*undervalued Love.

[Phenom]

That is, when potential trades are discussed, we tend to put on our rose-colored glasses and see things too much from a Wolves perspective. It seems to me that is clearly happening in the Cavs-Wolves discussion.

Is that not also happening on other boards from fans regarding their own squads?

[Monster]

That article is interesting. I think the one thing that makes me think Wiggins could work on a team wanting to contend is it seems everything I read projects him to be a good defender even right away. What if even his rookie year he is able to play a similar role to what Leonard did with the Spurs his rookie year? Thats not too shabby. If they signed Lebron they would still have 4-5 roster spots so they could sign Miller, Ray Ray and Birdman and another ring chaser vet or 2 and be a pretty scary team even without Love. Its funny we are debating whether Wiggins could be a guy that helps Lebron soon enough and Leonard just won a Finals MVP in his 3rd season. We will know soon enough what happens. If we trade Love Wiggins seems to be the guy I'd take because the potential is pretty high we would probably get something else too and we get to hold onto him for a while so I should probably be hoping for that but I still want Love here. sigh...

EDIT: I am not sure how anyone can overvalue Love. The guy is REALLY REALLY REALLY good and put him with a team thats a better defensive team and thats not going to be that big of a problem. Love is a stud no wonder I don't want him to go anywhere. Love is built to playoff other guys.

[Porckchop]

The eastern conference isnt any better than it was when Lebron took a Cavs team to the finals with the likes of Moe Williams and Illgauskas. ( Boston was better than the current Indy team) Not only is this current Cavs team (without a Love trade) filled with more young talented but Lebron is a better player too.
While Lebron won two rings with the Heat I think he would be better off going to a team where he doesnt have to defer to two other HOFers that are on the decline. He can be the Man and have alot of young fresh talent around him giving him a shot at rings for the next 5 years. If he stays in Miami its most likely for one more run with two aging Hofers.

Remember, Lebrons not lookin for just one more ring. Im sure surpassing 6 is still an achievable goal in his eyes. Which team gives him the better shot in the coming years?
Wiggins and James could make a nice Jordan /Pippen comparison.

[A Friendly Flatulence [enjin:8907904]]

Don't short sell the Bulls depending on D.Rose's health and potential FA moves (Melo or Pau), the Wizards are up and coming squad that(pending Ariza) are in tact, the Pacers were great last year until whatever the hell happened in that locker room (can they rekindle the spark?), hell even the Hornets aren't terrible (that felt weird saying), and Toronto could grow together into a good squad. While the East certainly doesn't have the caliber teams that the West does, they are slowly improving which will in turn make the earlier rounds less of cakewalk while also making it ever so slightly more difficult to secure homecourt for the Finals vs. a West team. I just don't see how any more time in Miami is a good move for Lebron, its only going to get harder while D. Wade's health will likely only deteriorate.