[NBC Sports] Kevin Love's people inform Wolves that he will leave as a Free Agent if not traded.

Portland has peaked. They will never have a better year than the year they had with this regime.

1. They are capped out for 2014-2015. No other big name free agents to spend money on. Then in the summer of 2015, LMA, Matthews, and Lopez become free agents. Are they going to be able to re-sign everyone without paying a premium for them? They are all older than our Rockets, mind you. Finally, Lillard will have to get paid in the summer of 2016. The question Portland will have to ask itself is, "Is Lillard a superstar that can be a #1 or #2 of a championship winner." If they say no, their city will vilify them for letting the "Dame" go.

2. They had the healthiest team in NBA HISTORY this year. Two lineups to take them through 82 games, and no injuries in the playoffs either? That will not happen again. For reference look at the regression to the mean our Rockets sustained between 2012-2013 and 2013-2014. That first Harden year we hardly had any injuries; only Lin in spots here and there, but Harden Parsons, Asik for the most part were healthy and played HEAVY minutes the entire year. Every one of these Blazers played heavy minutes this year. That will take its toll next year. And their bench is embarrassingly thin so it's not like they'll be able to sustain such losses.

3. In spite of EVERY POSSIBLE THING GOING RIGHT FOR THEM THIS YEAR, they still got swept in the second round like the dogs they are. They have seen their ceiling and it is frustratingly low. Portland can try to squirm all it wants with adding marginal pieces with what cap room and exceptions they do have, but in the end it will likely only make them worse. You're stuck in a Chinese finger trap Portland!

4. LMA is from Texas. He wants to come back. He makes all the shots that our offense opens up as a function of our superstars who dominate the paint and the perimeter, respectively. It makes too much sense. He will never lead a team to a championship, but with us he won't need to.

Just because Portland beat us doesn't mean you need to get on their jock. We played down to them, not the other way around. This upcoming year we will prove it, and if we can't then we will have to get a new coach. It's never been about the Blazers. The Spurs proved that. It's been about the Rockets, and it's been about the Rockets making good on their enormous, championship-winning potential.

 

All part of the game....Eventually we will see the Rockets move into the top two final destinations.

 

I'll take either Love or LMA.

I do wonder about LMA's cost at this point, playing out of his mind... whereas Kevin will cost less due to the complete lack of leverage Minny possesses. KL can pretty much dictate where he goes.

 

Here's the 3 way trade to propose to Minny & Atlanta:

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=kvub83r

Rockets receive:
Kevin Love

T-Wolves receive:
Millsap
Parsons
Asik
2014 Rockets 1st rd pick

Hawks receive:
Pekovic
Rockets filler contract
2016 Rockets 1st rd pick

Seems like the biggest hurdle could be whether Pekovic is what ATL would want to be at center to finally move Horford to PF.

Millsap/Parsons/Asik/2014 1st rd is by far the biggest haul Minnesota could get. Swapping Asik & Pekovic is a wash but they get out from under that big contract they paid him. Frankly, Asik/Millsap/Parsons/Martin/Rubio is a playoff team in the West next year.

Meanwhile, we've opened up capspace for the right perimeter defender. Bev/Harden/FA/Love/Harden plus a stronger bench is a championship contender.

 

Obviously Portland will trade LMA to us over its dead body. We would have to do it in hostile fashion, in the summer of 2015 no less. This is why we cannot give Parsons his contract this summer. We will have to wait until 2015 when we can pull off LMA and then give Parsons his big extension in one fell swoop, taking us finally into the lux tax range.

 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-NA2ulTdSVE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

I can think of something much better than a mid-low lotto pick...Harden. Trading Harden for Love is a star upgrade and fits the team better while giving the wolves a young sure thing star signed to a longer contract. Trade Asik and Lin to Boston for cap space and expirings and then go after Melo. Sign a SG FA and add filler or more trades.

Howard/DMo
Love/Jones
Melo/Parsons
FA/Garcia
Beverly

 

*than

Go read a book. Your English is terrible

 

QUOTE=Metropolis777;8972864]Here's the 3 way trade to propose to Minny & Atlanta:

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=kvub83r

Rockets receive:
Kevin Love

T-Wolves receive:
Millsap
Parsons
Asik
2014 Rockets 1st rd pick

Hawks receive:
Pekovic
Rockets filler contract
2016 Rockets 1st rd pick

Seems like the biggest hurdle could be whether Pekovic is what ATL would want to be at center to finally move Horford to PF.

Millsap/Parsons/Asik/2014 1st rd is by far the biggest haul Minnesota could get. Swapping Asik & Pekovic is a wash but they get out from under that big contract they paid him. Frankly, Asik/Millsap/Parsons/Martin/Rubio is a playoff team in the West next year.

Meanwhile, we've opened up capspace for the right perimeter defender. Bev/Harden/FA/Love/Harden plus a stronger bench is a championship contender.[/QUOTE]
Why would the Wolves effectively swap Pekovic and the Rockets 2016 1st rounder for Asik?

Also, this wouldn't open up any cap space for the Rockets. It would actually cost the Rockets against the cap. Only avenues for adds would be the exceptions.

 

getting Love would be a dream come true. imagine...a Love/Dwight frontcourt....my god. Love > melo and rondo imo

 

The problem I have is that I think Love will have other things on his mind...ihs 'brand' for instance.

If Carmelo comes to Houston it will be for the same reason Dwight came. To win. If Melo stays in NYC then we don't want that guy any ways.

 

Probably.

But I considered a "full" restart of sorts. I also considered that by now it's clear - at least to me - that Rubio's value is best on a contender that can maximize what he does well (passing, defense) and mask his shortcomings (shooting) .... Not a constantly trying to make the playoffs team where his inability to score causes 4th quarter problems.

In any case, note I suggested first trading Asik to Charlotte for their Detroit pick. Of course they don't have this yet. They only get it if the pick is 9 or later and right now it's 8. Someone has to jump into the lottery. But assuming that happens and the Pistons picks moves to #9. I can see the Bobcats valuing Asik more than the #9, especially in their continued quest to try and be "above average" in the east.

So, #9 this year, Lin, Parsons, TJones... That's three starters, a lotto pick in a loaded draft.

It's a fair package for Rubio and Lin, IMO. The TWovles don't get worse.

 

So you're essentially trading the best youngest SG in the league for (at best) the third best SF nearing the age of the 30? Please! You're outta your mind.

We are looking for our 3rd star not to replace one of our own and youngest.

Also if you think Harden plays hero ball you should definitely watch a Knicks game. Ball hog galore.

 

Paging Cyberx..

 

Uncle Drew still needs 2 more guys.

 

lol, so the Wolves trying to avoid to lose Love as UFA in 2015. So instead of keeping Love and paying 16m, the Wolves prefer to get Millsap and Asik, paying them combined 24m and watching them becoming UFAs in 2015 too.

Then they get Parsons as RFA, looking for his big payday. And honestly, not that much of an upgrade compared to Brewer and his contract. And a crappy late 1st.

Yeah, this is totally the best package for the Wolves...