Wait. Taj Gibson, an unproven Nikola Mirotic and an unproven Doug McDermott for Kevin Love, who averaged 26.1 points and 12.5 rebounds while actually playing in the real, live NBA last season? Is this a trick question? Pray that the Timberwolves accept the Bulls’ offer immediately, or if possible, yesterday. It was hard to fathom some of the blather on sports-talk radio Wednesday. Chicago has been waiting for years for someone other than Derrick Rose who can score, and now that the possibility of getting just that sort of player is here, the handwringers were fretting about a lack of team depth. I don’t know whether to laugh, cry or go ahead with that head amputation I’ve been putting off.
According to a Timberwolves source, the Bulls made a “significant offer’’ Wednesday morning for the three-time All-Star, and it was an offer that was considered to be the latest leader in the clubhouse. * The source said that the two headlining names in the package were Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott, “as well as a few other assets.’’
I loved what he said. He said Gibson made the playoffs 5 years in a row. Love has not. Does that mean that Taj is the better player? He brought up another point, and that is the Bulls are convinced Rose has rebounded and will do well, or else trying to go for it all they way they have would have been in vein. It still depends on Derrick. IMO he will resign.
@WindhorstESPN: Cavs officially signed Andrew Wiggins today to a deal starting at $5.5 million. He cannot be traded for 30 days.
Marc Stein @ESPNSteinLine ESPN sources say that, as things stand, Minnesota likes the Cavs' Wiggins-led offer better than anything else on the table for Kevin Love
Associated Press http://www.oregonlive.com/nba/index.ssf/2014/07/kevin_love_trade_rumors_timber.html The Bulls reached out to the Timberwolves again Wednesday, according to a person with knowledge of the discussions who requested anonymity because the teams were not publicly commenting on the process. But it remained unclear just how far they are willing to go to try to turn Minnesota's attention away from Cleveland. The Timberwolves were big fans of Bulls rookie Doug McDermott in the predraft process, but he landed in Chicago on a draft-night deal with Denver. McDermott shined at the Las Vegas Summer League, showing a versatile and NBA-ready offensive game, and after missing out on Carmelo Anthony in free agency. That would make it difficult for the Bulls, who need all the offensive help they can get, to part with him.
As much as I'd hate to lose McDirty....you do that trade. You would be getting 35 elite mpg at C in Noah, PF in Love, and PG in Rose. Plus, another 35 mpg of elite defense in Butler.
This. Really lets Butler be Butler and shine if the 1 and the 4 are top scorers. Get a good all-around player at the 2-3 and you are all set.
http://factoryofsadness.co/2014/07/24/report-cavs-havent-offered-andrew-wiggins-kevin-love/ Could it be true that the Cavs have not made Wiggins available yet by all reports still sit atop the leader board for Love? If true it is likely this whole dance will play out over a longer period of time, but does make sense of some of the things the Cavs have been doing. If they really intended to trade Wiggins signing him right away would of been the smart play. As of today, when he officially signed, he can’t be traded for 30 days. By not signing him the Cavs seemed to be looking for ways to add more players, either for the team or to trade. The Cavs chose to move forward signing Wiggins today means they are ready to move forward one way or the other. The Cavs offer without Wiggins likely includes Dion Waiters, an underrated player who made the USA Select Team, Anthony Bennett, a player most liked in the Top 6 in last year’s draft, and at least 2 or 3 first round picks. Compared to some other deals being rumored the Cavs offer provides the T’Wolves with picks that could be mid first round (Heat and Grizzlies) as well as two players with high upsides.
Interesting, but Wiggins has to be Cleveland's ante for Love. Not that fans have a say, but I perused the TWolves forum on RealGM this morning and I think they storm the castle if Love goes to Cleveland and Wiggins doesn't come back to Minny.
Agreed. The article I had quoted had a faulty premise- if Wiggins hasn't been offered, Cleveland doesn't sit atop the leader board (assuming the other offers we've heard are true)
Do you think the quality of the source of rumors matters? If it's Reggie Rose leaking something or Arn Tellen, one might be more believable than the other, no? When the sources are named as "someone close to the situation," it could be either.
I've done a lot of thinking (and video watching) on the Gibson-Mirotic-McDermott for Love deal. I initially said that this was too much for the Bulls to give up. I've changed my mind. Here's why. From what I had seen and read of Love he was kinda Boozer redux...all offense/no defense, gets a lot of his rebounds by taking easy ones from teammates and isn't particularly good in crunch time. What I found is that while some of this is true, Love is clearly a more special player than Boozer ever was. While neither is an elite athlete, Love is more skilled with the ball and can score in more ways. As for defense, well, I think I've seen the best Boozer can do. I'll choose to be an optimist and say that Love can do better. I'm a big Gibson fan and am excited about the potential of both Mirotic and McDermott. Still, if it's these three for Love, I'm in....that is, as long as there were no assurances given to Mirotic that he wouldn't be traded. Integrity trumps all.
Anyhow, reading the tea leaves... That Wiggins wasn't signed all along seems to indicate Cleveland didn't want to stall the deal by 30 days. Signing him means one of two things. His $4.5M salary has to be figured in to any trade. I think before, he would count as $0 unsigned. Or... Cleveland is moving on. I'll play these. There's no rush on Minny's part yet.
Good read. It's a game of chicken and I don't know what to make of it. I think Minny is trading Love...now, at the trade deadline or a year from now. Minny needs either a trade that will leave them with a contending team, or one that leaves them with a marketable centerpiece player. The Bulls can trade them the former and the Cavs can trade them the latter.
