The super Melo to Portland thread + The Big Blockbuster

I'm sorry, did fans of a franchise who spent half a decade slurping LMA's peccadilloes (like shooting 80% of his shots from a place where he was lower than that 43% posted above for Melo?) really ask how an offense-first volume shooter (who happens to be a HoFer and multiple Gold Medalist) can help our team for the price of what we spent on Luke Babbitt and two of our bigger FA overpays from last summer?

Personally, I don't think he'd waive the no - trade to come here (as someone who has lived turning down job offers b/c of wife-mandated geography, I understand), but if he did, I don't think there's an issue with buy-in. He has to understand and respect Dame/CJ/Nurk (if nothing other than reboudning and D). He's not having to give shots up to Jeremy Lin, for goodness' sakes. I think the Dirk comparisons above are pretty astute, except that Melo (who's a worse shooter, duh) would be getting much more open looks than Dirk did in 2011. Melo, when he cares about D, has absolutely shown he can play it. You saw what KD was able to do to up his game on the D end this year, and to a lesser extent CJ.

Melo for (Crabbe or Turner)/Leonard/#15? I'm by no means the biggest Melo fan, but dude has talent, and if he'd come here (especially for that package)

You telling me that Melo and Lillard would play worse D than 3x-in-a-row NBA Finalists Kyrie and K-love? GTFOH. I agree with BNM and others that getting George as well would be a damn coup, but I don't think it's a requirement to play well. Maybe a requirement to get Melo to waive the no-trade...

 

If the cost is Crabbe/Leonard/15, the age is 28, and the defense is better than that of the players we'd be giving up, how could defense, cost and age be arguments against trading for Love? If it makes us better, which it would, then it's worth a look.

 

The Cavs might trade Love, but would they be willing to go with Melo in his place (contract-wise)?

I'd think the Cavs might get PG or Jimmy Butler in a deal for Love - two guys I'd much rather have at this point.

 

The stories are similar in the two cities. Talk that the player might be moved.

The Bulls desperately need a superstar level player in return. We've seen that Love can put up huge numbers on a bad team; he'd be a perfect fit there.

Two other guys I like on the Bulls are Mirotic and Portis. For a team that really needs youth, the Bulls feel they've squandered their chances to build an up and coming roster. Both these guys are considered a disappointment in Chicago. Mirotic is a head case. somewhat. Portis couldn't earn time there, no matter how good he played. Denzel Valentine had a bust of a rookie year, compared to how he was hyped there.

The thing is, I don't see anything we have that would appeal to the Bulls for any of these guys, outside of CJ and Nurk.

 

If there were any way the Blazers could add Portis to Dame/CJ/Nurk, that would be a move I could absolutely get behind

D'oh!! You had to ruin it, didn't you?

 

Depends on whether the Pacers think any/all of those mid-late first round picks would be better players than Kevin Love.

Chances are that they won't.

 

Well, the Bulls have Butler at SF, so giving up one of our SFs wouldn't be a big win for them.

Their only 2 PFs are Mirotic and Portis, but I don't see any of our PFs being seen as an upgrade (or enough of one).

I almost think Crabbe might be of some interest to them, but not in return for the players they'd have to send to match the contract. Had Wade not opted in, then their interest might be significant.

 

Actually... our draft picks might be very interesting to the Bulls...