One big three to another: LeBron to team with Love?

“Even if they start the season with Love, they still won’t be good. He’s hardly got them knocking on the door of greatness so i don’t think they are worried they will be in playoff contention when they have to trade him. The lottery can still be the goal” They had a scoring margin that suggested they were unlucky not to be a high 40 win team last year, I'd be a little surprised, unless the trade rumours weigh super heavily on team chemistry to the point they basically quit, if they aren't in the mix. They don’t need to knock on the door of greatness but the team as currently constructed won’t be horde ping pong balls either. So it comes down to do you believe record (which was still 40-42 and landing them in the horrendous late lottery spot) or scoring margin is a better indicator of future success. In my opinion they can’t start with Love and go for lottery balls at the same time. I’ve got no doubt they are “okay” with executing their strategy. After all this is the team which basically screwed up Love’s contract and made this situation for themselves, has blown three top 5 picks and is responsible for the derailing of Beasley’s career by playing him out of position in a poorly defined role. The fact I think it is irrational means I’m pretty sure that the wolves will do it. My experience is that the waiting, when it is you that has the deadline, only works if you’ve got people out bidding each other and we haven’t seen any evidence of this (I wouldn't categorise either of the teams as being “aggressive” with their offer unless they showed up with some MMA dude to file it?). This leaves the wolves in a dangling position of waiting on a team to re-up its offer because if both teams stand firm then they basically have to go back to someone and restart the process – validating that their offer is already clearly above market. If I was buying a house or business that I knew you had to sell and you knocked back my offer, only to come back 4 weeks later to talk about my offer, I can tell you now that conversations tarts at a much lower number.

Absolutely, I'm not leaving this to a day before the deadline if there is only 1 buyer interested. However Flip Saunders/Min still have time. They could have shipped him draft night if they wanted to get this done and move on but decided to hold on which makes me think 1 - They'd prefer established talent and 2 - They are ok with starting the season with him. Right now they have 2 teams chasing aggressively. We then have Houston trying to get back in after the Bosh disaster and Boston looking from the outside with a bunch of picks if Minny change there tune. In my opinion Flip can still be fairly aggressive for now if he wants. Interest from around the League is there. Min can just wait to have a look at the offers. Even if they start the season with Love, they still won't be good. He's hardly got them knocking on the door of greatness so i don't think they are worried they will be in playoff contention when they have to trade him. The lottery can still be the goal

Problem with holding on though is that it puts you at a disadvantage not an advantage, every day they hold on is a day closer to the binary outcome of deal X or nothing. If the wolves are going to be bad you want to be bad now not suddenly become bad with 30 games to go and lock in the 12th to 14th pick in the draft. On the you don't win out of this either way comment well you can either lock in a low risk horrendous loss (take a collection of vets back that is 50c int eh dollar) or try and get some upside assets. that's why I would be asking for long dated rights to swap - options have value, long dated options more so.

they've got some leverage as I don't think Cleveland projects to have the cap space to sign him

Yeah well i don't know if i agree with how Minnesota are dealing with this as well but it still continues to be reported that they will stay strong on the view that they want players who contribute now. If they stick to this then the Warriors have a better package. Klay Thompson is the best player (right now) that both Cleveland and Golden State would offer. They don't win out of this either way unless they can convince Love to stay but i guess by them staying strong on not just accpeting a couple of draft picks you never know what will happen. They drag it out into the season, more teams enter the chase for Love and are willing to throw more talented pieces into this. Of course the other issue for teams interested is will he stay long term. You know he would stay in Cleveland now but i don't see him ruling out playing for every other team in the League. Plenty of spots he could land where he will be play in the Playoffs. I believe when Minnesota and GS were close to a deal pre-draft Kevin Love had no problem going to Golden State. They were saying pre-draft he wanted to go to Boston as well so who knows what he is thinking. All i know is he is desperate to be a factor in the playoffs but Minnesota have stayed strong so far on what they want i don't expect them to crumble just yet cause Lebron landed in Cleveland

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't a Love deal have to be a "sign & trade" in that Love has to commit to a contract extension as part of the deal - otherwise the team is buying a very expensive player for one season. That means that Love goes where he wants (Cleveland) or Minnesota get nothing (because if they don't trade him he'll walk at the end of next season anyway). Minnesota can hold firm on Wiggins but they don't really have a hope in hell of that forcing Cleveland's hand - I would go with mushi's suggestion of trying to nab as many draft picks as possible in the trade.

Putting aside that time is there only leverage (so waiting erodes it – hence the rush) and does Love still want to sign with Warriors now that there is a clear avenue with the cavs to playing in the finals almost every year, I don’t get the wolves immediate help rhetoric. Minny isn’t going to get fair value back as a forced seller. And if they can’t make the playoffs with love how is inserting worse players into the gap left by Love going to increase their chances? A starting line up of Rubio Thompson, Barnes, Lee and Pek is low lottery. You’ve got only two guys that can shoot and no rim protection which means you’ve got something like a ~35 win team. There probably is nothing worse than being a 30 odd win team, no playoffs next to no ping pong balls and no hope for the future. No free agents are coming to that team and if ricky does progress he flees at the first crack of light appears through the door.

I can't see Minnesota ever going near this if Wiggins is not involved. What's the rush? They have until the end of the trade deadline next year to move him. They already have the Warriors in consistent talks with them and other teams will come knocking again. The Warriors have the same problem Cleveland do with Wiggins, they don't want to throw Klay Thompson in to get the deal done As i've said before Minnesota are not here to help a Cleveland fairytale big 3, these deals have to work for them as well. They also want a team that's willing to take Kevin Martin and his ugly contract. Minnesota have so far made it pretty clear they would prefer players that can contribute right now. How much do the Cavs have to offer on that? Waiters, T.Thompson and Bennett? Eh. If Minnesota are seriously close to taking this offer at some stage i still think Golden State jump in and finally throw Klay Thompson in with David Lee and or Harrison Barnes and get it done.

That said if I’m the wolves I get creative. I want the right to swap picks in 17 & 18 (incase LeBron opts out in 2) and in 21,22,23 and 24 (for the potential post LeBron meltdown). Plus I want tangible items such as the miami pick, 2015 Cavs pick and the 2019 cavs pick (all of which can be top 10 protected for three years). I then take young role player platter of Waiters, Thompson and Bennet

It’s one fo those negotiations here where rationally the wolves have no leverage. Everyone knows they are losing Love, everyone is also now scared to bejesus about bidding for him if your name doesn’t rhyme with sleeve land slab o’ beers. So rationally the price is whatever Cleveland is willing to pay. But the flip side is that emotionally the Wolves can decide “screw you, we aren’t going to GIVE you a super team” then the Cavs come up empty as the kyrie extension east their cap space next year. Cleveland need to push it but if the only way you can make this happen is with wiggins then eventually the cavs have to pull that trigger –wiggins May turn out to be a top 10 player. Kevin Love IS a top ten player.

Cavs would have to give up the farm to land Love. They've got some talented young pieces so they should be shrewd in negotiations.

Like you're thinking B-Rock, but the Cavs in my opinion would have to pull off a masterstroke to get Love to join. Still LeBron, Irving and Wiggins (assuming he lives up the hype) could quite possibly bring that elusive championship to Cleveland.

The question is who does CLE have to give up to MIN for Love? MIN will target Wiggins but that looks like an overpay for CLE given MIN is a forced seller. But then Bennett, Thompson, Waiters aren't quite good enough. A starting 5 of LeBron, Love, Kyrie, Wiggins and Varajao would be best in the league, with shooters coming off the bench - Ray Allen, Mike Miller, etc. Maybe a 3 way trade with someone else involved to make everyone happy.