Ariza took 10 years, a championship, and like 5 different teams to get to where he is today. I don't KJ has much to offer us right now, and with his contract situation, unless he is willing to sign to vet min he's probably not worth keeping.
The big question with Love (assuming he pushes for a S&T & has the threat of going to LA) in regards to the Rockets is... (Like with Dragic)Will Houston even be on his list of desired teams to push for a S&T? Honestly I could see Love looking at Houston as a very similar situation to the Cavs partnership. If he likes just competing for titles in that role, I think he stays in Cleveland, and asks to allow him to finish up next year, or agrees to a max contract. I think guys like Love, Dragic, etc. view Harden in the same manner as Lebron (and that's kind of a complement) where they know for a fact that they will be second fiddle especially on the offensive end. He's just that dominant of a player for 2nd tier star players to know that it will hurt their stats. What the Rockets really have a better chance at is someone more in the phase of a LaMarcus Aldridge, or Z-Bo, or maybe even a Lowry type where they are established B-level stars that are Ok not being the A guy in order to serve the greater good. Should be an interesting Summer, but please don't get all worked up with Cyberx or someone else out there starts saying things like "Kevin Love questions Harden's leadership" or "Morey treats players like assets", etc. or some other kind of non-sense like that which is really just his agency trying to keep Morey away and keep him from driving up the price by being a competitor.
I mean he had a stretch of the season where he was shooting the three pretty good. He's a GREAT open court defender & shot blocker. He's pretty awesome at that. Really good athlete, but just not quite long/tall enough as a full time 3 IMO. I see him as a Jimmy Butler type of player who can be that good in a couple years on the right team, with the right coaches, & role. I think its a gamble if Morey was to move Ariza to upgrade elsewhere, and give KJ the chance to be the full-time starter, but one that could pay off if he plays the way he showed during stretches with Philly... especially on the defensive end.
It's easier mid season to acquire a capable SF than a starting PG or PF though (which would be the goal in moving Ariza). Just think about the past few years with Deng available, Green this year, etc. much harder to find a floor leader or someone that's a significant upgrade to DMo/Jones during the season. So it'd be for moving Ariza if it meant a player like Lowry/Lawson/Dragic or LMA/Love.
Here's a simple trade to create max cap space for Love. Ariza/DMo/18 to Detroit for #8/CaronButler/AnthonyTolliver. Draft Justice Winslow at 8. Release Butler/Tolliver. Sign Love outright for the max.
I think you have to believe in KJ's potential first and foremost. Go ask the Clippers about acquiring a capable SF mid-season, and go ask the Grizzlies if they'd still do the Green trade now? Hell, Gordon Hayward, and Chandler Parsons are making damn near max contracts now. If the Rockets do move Ariza, I personally think they need to have a good feeling of what kind of player KJ will be as early as next year.
If you can't get along with Lebron...well...chances are you won't get along with many people. Love is a cancer.
Its a shame McDaniels to the QO, he is the perfect type of player to keep on a rookie scale deal. Hell, even if we had his bird rights and we were operating over the cap, id sign him to a large one year deal just to see if we can turn him into something. I love his raw athleticism and defense.
You've seen him in practice for half a year, if you want him, you sign him to a 4 year deal. Cap goes up drastically after next season, so locking in a player this offseason could be huge. Id offer at least 16mil for 4 years easy, and then just see if any other teams throw him any money. Heck, Philly may come and offer If they like him.
Would that include not resigning any of our FAs? Or how would that work with exceptions and all that? If Love was all in for us, I think I would definitely do this, and I 100% see why Detroit would do it. They get to accelerate the rebuild with a much needed SF and a perfect fit at PF next to Drummond.
Not sure Winslow will be there at #8. BUT, Detroit (with SVG calling the GM shots) seems like a good target to try to offer Vets for that #8 pick. If it was any other GM, I would be dubious, but the VET angle could sway SVG. I don't think your trade suggestion is that far fetched.
The three point shooting from the SF position would not be as large an issue if you get Love, because he takes and hits a large amount of three point field goals.
We'd have to release Butler, Tolliver, and Kostas. May have to let Pablo go too. Big deal. But that's about it. Besides all that....if you got the trade done for #8/Butler/Tolliver and moved out Ariza and DMo's salaries, then a whole new world of trades opens up to you. Especially if Love lets it be known he's leaving Cleveland. You may be able to turn that trade into a 3-way with Cleveland on draft night. Or Cleveland may be desperate enough to want to retain at least a TPE for Love so they may be willing to move him for nothing in a trade if they see he's going to walk on them. Cleveland is way over the cap this summer and they're gonna have to pay Shump and Tristan Thompson so they should be incentivized to simply trade Love for a large TPE if they can make that happen. So if somehow we can dump Ariza/DMo/18 or at least some combination of Ariza/youngsters/18 for a high pick in this draft where we can get our duwhty gwubby, widdle mitts on either Winslow or Hezonja (as an Ariza replacement along with another SF signed in FA to either start or back up while our youngster is developing) then a whole plethora of options will open up to us in the free agency/trade market. Find a team that will take our non-guaranteeds off our hands for some cash and a second rounder from Cleveland, take in Love re-signed, and stay over the cap with the full MLE to play with. Perhaps go after Afflalo or Wes Matthews with the MLE and then look for a trade for an upgrade at the point while simultaneously bring Bev back on a 2-year bloated deal with the 2nd season non-guaranteed.
And the Cyberx random trade thread 2.0 is back. Where are the new "insiders" though? I can't wait for some new and old familiar faces to pop up with "inside info". Spoiler King Drew..... I STILL BELIEVE
Yep. This is 100% the kind of move that veteran coaches with GM power love to make. Get better quicker and not have to pour into developing another highly drafted rookie. Instead he gets a great vet with playoff experience, and a player pretty far along in his development with a little push to go. I'd love Winslow to be there, but I agree with that. If this happened, I could see us going for Booker who's a dead-eye shooter with a high IQ. Mario Hezonja who, admittedly, I don't know much about might still be there, and he's supposed to be a 2/3 with range.
One of Winslow/Hezonja will likely be there at #8 and they are in a different league than Booker. Booker is a great shooter, maybe the best in the draft. But he'll likely never be a tremendous defender. Winslow/Hezonja have tremendous potential defensively and they also have great offensive potential. If you don't know anything about Hezonja you'd better start checking him out. He's played in the men's league in Europe. And his potential is rocking off the charts. In truth, Hinkie should take him at #3 and let the point guards slide. Or Hinkie should trade down to where he knows he can still get Hezonja and garner other assets too. That would be a great move for Philly. Hezonja's shooting rivals Devin Booker's and he's tremendously athletic. Has great potential on both sides of the court. Would trade for him in a heartbeat....especially in a deal that opens up cap to sign Love or Marc Gasol outright.
