If we're patient, it's possible that Morey can force a Love or LMA trade next offseason

LMA would be better than Love for this team offensively. Defensively I think Love is better in terms of rebounding. I think they're about even when it comes to actual defense, I may even give Aldridge a slight edge because of his length.

Love has a 3pt game while Aldridge really doesn't. With that said, LMA is a better shooter overall.

http://vorped.com/bball/index.php/player/shotchart/850-LaMarcus-Aldridge/season/2012-2013-REG

http://vorped.com/bball/index.php/player/shotchart/897-Kevin-Love/season/2011-2012-REG

Just comparing Love's last full season to LMA from this past season and looking at shot charts, you can tell that aside from 3pt shots, which LMA doesn't take very many of, LMA shoots better. I also think he has a better post game, high and low. Love gets a good chunk of his points from put backs on offensive rebounds, while LMA mainly gets his points through touches.

Just looking at LMA's game, it's exactly what would compliment Dwight. I think either one would be great, but if I had to choose between LMA and Love, I'm going with LMA because of his offensive arsenal. Love is younger, but LMA is 27 himself.
Here's a game LMA had last year against the Bulls where he lit em up.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/M52BYqiTXXQ?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

We can sign them as free agents in 2015.

 

Blazers/Minny likely loses them for nothing if they hit free agency. In a S&T they might get second round picks.

They will be traded if they want out. Whoever gets them likely will through an extend & trade deal or Love agreeing to opt in.

 

And no one that they would re-sign with has more trade-able assets than we do. And no one that they wouldn't re-sign with will give up much, they're hedged, we win, whether it takes 2 weeks or 2 years, we win. Morey probably believes, with some justification that this is the year where they'll likely budge and go tank mode with the gems that are in this year's draft.

Portland and Minny are pushing **** uphill, they might not know it yet, but they are. OKC, SAS, HOU, LAC, GSW, MEM are all vastly better than either team in the west, they might be able to get 8th or maybe 7th, as if that will keep Love and LMA. The only real risk to us imo is Cleveland, as they have more assets and might be willing to shoot for the stars to see if Lebron will budge next year.

 

I don't think we will have enough cap space - Asik, Lin and our 2 young PFs are our best trade chips - and we have lots of picks we could trade going forward. I fully expect Morey to working all angles right now.

Love doesn't seem to be available and Minny is trying to win in the near future - but he has mumbled that he wants to be traded before. Aldridge seems to be more attainable because he said he wanted to be traded this summer - Portland has a real good team right now though with a bright future. They might be willing to trade him, for younger pieces (Aldridge isn't old, but he has lots of mileage).

If we can add either we have argueagbly the best team in the league. Love would fit with his 3pt shooting, Aldridge has the better all around game. I'd trade anyone not names Harden, Parsons, Howard in a heart beat...

 

Yes we will have enough cap space, that's the entire point of the way Morey is hedging it, trade to us or lose for nothing. See how that worked out for the Lakers, Ricky Rubio or Damian Lillard vs Dwight Howard and James Harden, now let's play chess.

As for Portland, good team what? they'll be battling the Pelicans, and maybe Minny, Mavs, and Lakers for the 7th and 8th spots.

I think the worst thing for us, was in the past, the view of Morey was that he was a stats guy chasing his own tail, the Harden trade and how the media portrayed Presti as the winner was a classic example of the disrespect, no one gives water to a predator when it's dying of thirst, now they realise they really are dealing with the smartest guy in the room.

 

Well, thats`s a real big chellenge though... and we will have our draft pick next season, and the season after that plus some second rounders. And we will have the full MLE next season, that we probably want to use. And isn`t Parsons a free agent then?

I think a trade (or a s&t) is the far more realistic scenario.

Edit: Portland has Lillard as their star to build around. Then they have Batum as the do it all guy with great defense. LMA is their second star. Myers Leonard is nice and they have some more young talent. I am not arguing that they will onyl fight for the 7th spot - but thats more of a testament of how good the west is. And their team is still improving with their young players.

 

Dwight wants to be the only one in the post game.

 

Howard & Harden are not going to be happy to wait a couple of years. Unless we make it to the Conference final next year, they will want (at least behind the scene) the team to get that 3rd star. If we can get to the Conf final, then maybe we already have that 3rd star internally (maybe Parson).

I don't really buy into the "they will take less money for a chance for a championship" argument. Yes, LeBron did, but he can afford that much easier with all his endorsements. IMHO, there are very few players that will do that, the ones that will are most likely veteran players that are near the end of their career.

I just don't see us getting either Love or LMA through trades. We won't have enough cap space to sign them out right.

I don't know what we can get for Asik, but I don't want to get .70 cent on the dollar. Let's try to see if the twin tower will work, if it doesn't look like it will work out by All-Star break, then we seek that trade.

 

They have to wait, it's not like star players are just traded as a daily occurrence, and the next legit star free agency period is 2015 (lol no, we don't have a shot at any of the miami 3). We have to basically wait until Portland or Minny give up on keeping Love/Aldridge, there really isn't an option otherwise.

 

So you're telling me we can't get Melo?

 

We need Canaan, Jones, or Dmo to have a "breakout" first half of the season or at least show flashes consistently. Then we need the Blazers or T-Wolves to implode and consider blowing up their team.

One thing I think gets over looked is that we own ALL of our first round picks from this point forward!!!

Is Asik + promising young asset + 2 1st rd picks enough to get one of these guys??

 

Lin + Asik for Rondo + Sullinger.

It makes too much sense not to.

I'd take rondo over either, its a guard oriented game.

 

exciting times to enjoy in anticipation of the magician's next move

 

Just say no to Rondo, we cannot with our current line-up sustain a PG who shoots that poorly at the three. We cannot.

 

I think it's worth noting, that we will NOT have the max Cap room come 2015. U forget, Morey put it that way BEFORE Harden and Howard. Next year, we will most definitely use our MLE, so that 5m/y will decrease our 2015 cap room significantly. It's also worth noting, that if Lin/Asik are to be moved, it will have to be THIS year, because no team is gonna pay 30+ million dollars for 1y of those two, that's 14 million more salary than they let go of. If a trade were to happen, has to be this year, so we can help alleviate the amount of money they are actually paid.

 

Posted this in another thread, but a way to maybe get one of them before the season starts:

Option #1
Houston trades: Asik, Lin, TJones, future pick
Houston receives: Love

TWovles trade: Love, Derrick Williams
TWovles receive: Ryan Anderson, Aminu, future Pelicans draft pick, Lin

Pelicans trade: Ryan Anderson, Aminu, future pick
Pelicans receive: Asik, Derrick Williams, future picks

or some combination thereof.

Option #2
Similar to above, but with Trailblazers instead of TWovles, targeting LMA. Maybe Pelicans take on Batum's ridiculous contract...

LMA maybe less likely, but if I'm the Timberwolves for example and my argument is Love hasn't taken us to the playoffs yet, and I end up with a Kevin Love lite, that is much cheaper, in Ryan Anderson, and it let's me resign Pekovic... it might be attractive.

It doesn't sound like Flip wants to move on that yet... but when you factor in health, it's not a bad deal for the TWovles.

 

Kinda think our best bet is trading with Portland unless we get into a 3+ team trade. Minny has a solid option at PG and C so Lin and Asik really offer them nothing. Unless we dump either a 3rd star makes little sense. Likely better off waiting for Lin/Asik/Love/LMA contracts to expire and pray that Jones or DMO turn into something better than we expect.

 

Love is one thing that cannot be forced