Kevin Love AGAIN (with poll)

I've been thinking about this Kevin Love scenario a bit more. My big reservation for any Love trade has to do with where Portland is relative to the Tax line right now.... They will start the repeater tax next year.

So what if Portland can duck the tax this year, while getting KLove? Also, in looking at this draft - there are very few prospects that interest me. I'm not a fan of keeping the pick this season.

Here's my thoughts: https://tradenba.com/trades/hkCr4SLu0

Portland:
Whiteside + Hood + Skal (assuming he's out for season or Tolliver if not) + Bazemore + 2020 1st + 2020 2nd -> KLove + Josh Jackson + Melton + 2021 2nd (Suns via Memphis)

This gets Portland far enough below the tax line that they could sign a few vet min FA to make a run. Portland would trade Hood & Skal for the other teams to eat their contracts (assuming both are out for the year). I'd like to have both Hood & Skal back in Portland next season if they're willing to come back.

Lineup would be:
PG: Dame, Melton
SG: CJ, Simons
SF: Jackson, Trent
PF: Love, Melo
C: Nurk, (Noah? signed as FA to min)
Out of Rotation: Hezonja, Tolliver, Little, Collins


Memphis:
Iguodala + Josh Jackson + Melton + 2021 2nd (Suns via Memphis) -> Bazemore + Lee + 2020 1st (PDX)

Memphis trades two guys not in their rotation and one bench guy for a couple of scrubs and a 1st. They get the 'asset' they want with a mid-round 1st. To get this, they have to part with their best backup guard in Melton.


Dallas:
Lee + 2020 2nd (GS via Dallas) -> Iguodala + Skal (cut - out of season)

Dallas gets the wing defender they want, but have to take on more salary (~$7m) this year and give up a good 2nd round pick to do so.


Cavs:
KLove -> Whiteside + Hood (cut - out of season) + 2020 2nd (GS via Dallas) + 2020 2nd (PDX)

Cavs move love and his long term salary. They get two minor assets for eating ~$10 million of Hoods contract ($5m this year & $5m next). With Hood getting cut, that would open the possibility that he could re-sign with Portland in July for next season at the vet min depending upon his recovery status.

 

what are they desperate for? another 1st round sweep? Portland has had a DPE from Hood's injury for a month and they haven't used it. If they were really desperate they would have used that instead of waiting till they can use 10-day contracts. And they've had vet minimum exception(s) to use since the season started

trading for Love would definitely be a desperate move. But more than that is it would be a stupid move, especially if they are trading Whiteside for Love

what I'd like to know is why they are spending a two-way contract on Moses if they wouldn't use it right now

 

Baze + Skal + Tolliver + 1st round pick works for Love. They can pretty much waive all those dudes and just keep the pick.

Love is better than any FA or daft pick we will get for the next few years. He and Nurk would be a pretty sweet passing frontcourt and might get the ball moving a bit more. Plus thi move keep Whiteside around if we can make the playoffs.

 

I think a core of dame, Nurk, CJ, and Love is good enough to contend for the next couple of years. I’d rather have aldridge than Love but either one would be a pretty significant addition and probably better than anyone we can get in free agency.

 

The Blazers really need a SF. Assuming Rodney Hood is back, who plays behind him? And what if he's not back to where he was? Have to think about the roster going forward.

 

Collins is solid at PF, he was an efficient scorer when he was healthy. If the Blazers could get a high-level scoring threat with good defense SF that's what I would be trying to get in the starting lineup. Rodney Hood was good, but there must be someone even better in the NBA that's available somehow?

 

Hood has a no trade clause. He didn't take less money this year to be thrown in on a trade like this and be kicked to the curb. He also has a player option next year that whatever team got him would have to pay too.

 

Also, we could avoid the repeater tax by not getting Love and not being a tax team.

 

Here's a take from our friend Dave over at BE: "the Blazers need to stay away from Love. He’d make them better by spreading the floor, useful now and next season when the roster normalizes. He’d not contribute enough to raise them into contention, though. This move would enshrine the Blazers into mediocrity for the next 2-3 years exactly when they need to grow beyond it. The only reason to do the deal is if they know they’re not going to get better anyway and they want Love as a really expensive distraction from that reality. That’s a bad reason to make any trade, let alone a cap-consuming one."
https://www.blazersedge.com/2020/1/...in-love-portland-trail-blazers-contract-stats

 

Hey guys guess what? I hear Kevin Love might be available between now and the trade deadline.

 

there should be a bumper sticker: HATE LOVE

 

Where do you see Zach slotting in on all this?

 

LOVE HATE RELATIONSHIP would also work.

 

If they got Love he’d still be an important piece as the primary backup big, especially when you consider Stotts’ scheme. But like Simons, he’d also be a pretty valuable asset they could use to add more proven players.

 

I think you'd have to trade Zach, preferably for a defensive SF. Nurk has to cover for at least 3 of those starters on that end otherwise.

I really think adding Love would cause more problems than create solutions for our roster.

 

He would be the starting PF for 30-40 games a year when Love is out.

 

“Portland is the one constant candidate that comes up when I ask executives about his future, with Hassan Whiteside’s contract the necessary piece to make that work (he’s in the final year of his deal, making $27 million compared to Love’s $28.9 million),” wrote Amick.

“With the Blazers (16-23) sliding so far in the standings, it’s hard to envision them making that kind of move at the moment. What’s more, there is serious skepticism from key people close to the Blazers that Love will ever find his way to his home region team in the Northwest.”

https://theathletic.com/1521675/202...6-players-who-could-move-before-the-deadline/

Could mean Portland is sold on Collins as their PF of the future.

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/hoopsh...marcus-aldridge-covington-love-valentine/amp/

5. KEVIN LOVE

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ attempts to trade Kevin Love have not been fruitful so far, with the latest rumors on this front telling us that league execs believe Cleveland will have to attach assets in a potential Love deal for a team to actually be interested.

Here’s what The Athletic’s David Aldridge reported this week on the Love trade front:

Love certainly could help the Blazers, or Pacers, or Rockets. But that contract is hard to match up in a way that makes sense for Cleveland, which understandably is asking for a lot in return. “I don’t think Kevin has a lot of value,” a Western Conference executive said Monday. “The contract is obvious, but you know he is going to miss games with the toll on his body… I don’t see teams taking Kevin on (without) at least taking back a first-round draft pick or multiple seconds.”

Love’s injury history, age (31) and so-so production this season undoubtedly hurt his value, and that’s without even mentioning the fact that he’s set to be paid like a Top-20ish player for the next four seasons.

Cleveland might be better served playing the campaign out and trying to move Love again this offseason, in hopes his value rebounds over the course of the rest of the season.

 

Maybe Neil is waiting for the Cavs to fold?