Kevin Love - Miami Ground Machine

[LeeBuckeye]

Knowing that we need to be a bottom 10 team, there is no point in keeping Love if LeBron leaves. Allowing him to increase his value by making him a first option is meaningless, because the naysayers will just dismiss them as empty stats if we're still losing. Injury risk or no injury risk, there is also the component of having to add a player of that magnitude late into the season which isn't ideal for any team with serious playoff aspirations. Kevin is not a high maintenance guy who demand the ball but his effectiveness requires touches in the first quarter and I'm not seeing anybody re-tool their game plan for a few months only to change it half way through the season.

 

[TitleTown]

It really depends what you can get for him, doesn't it? If the offers are underwhelming, why not keep him, make him the centerpiece of your team offensively, and see if his value increases?

Ok, lets think this through:

Imagine you're a GM of a team, if Love puts up good numbers between fall and the trade deadline, are you really going to think he "improved" or something?

Now, if your argument is that more teams will be willing to deal of something for him at the trade deadline, then maybe that's worth it. But I still think the injury risk out-weighs any potential gains from waiting to the trade deadline.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Knowing that we need to be a bottom 10 team, there is no point in keeping Love if LeBron leaves. Allowing him to increase his value by making him a first option is meaningless, because the naysayers will just dismiss them as empty stats if we're still losing.

Sure, but not every team is run by "naysayers". All you need is one team to look at him, think "damn, he could really help us", and make an offer. Again, this is all dependent on what kind of offers we would get for him now. I'd say we'd want at least a first round pick with minimal protection. If all we'd get this summer would be lottery-protected offers, I'd say screw it.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Ok, lets think this through:

Imagine you're a GM of a team, if Love puts up good numbers between fall and the trade deadline, are you really going to think he "improved" or something?

No. But we've all observed the phenomenon of LBJ making players around him look...not as good as they really are, simply because he is so dominant. Some teams might wonder if KL's diminished production is due to "the LBJ effect", or simply because of "diminishing skills". So if he becomes the centerpiece and balls out, some teams (again, you only need one) may decide he really does have a lot left in the tank, that LBJ (and the lack of any real offensives system in Cleveland) was the true culprit, and decided to make a stronger offer for him.

The key point is that not every team sees players the same way -- opinions can vary pretty drastically, so you only need one team to see him in a more positive light.

 

[TitleTown]

No. But we've all observed the phenomenon of LBJ making players around him look...not as good as they really are, simply because he is so dominant. Some teams might wonder if KL's diminished production is due to "the LBJ effect", or simply because of "diminishing skills". So if he becomes the centerpiece and balls out, some teams (again, you only need one) may decide he really does have a lot left in the tank, that LBJ (and the lack of any real offensives system in Cleveland) was the true culprit, and decided to make a stronger offer for him.

The key point is that not every team sees players the same way -- opinions can vary pretty drastically, so you only need one team to see him in a more positive light.

Alright. I like that rationale.

What about the injury risk, though? Even given your reasons for keeping Love around, I'm still not sure it's worth the risk.

 

[Cavatt]

Alright. I like that rationale.

What about the injury risk, though? Even given your reasons for keeping Love around, I'm still not sure it's worth the risk.

Makes you wonder about AV and how we didn't trade him at his highest value. I think showing Love is still a real star would help his value though.

 

[Triple-S]

View: https://twitter.com/Gambo987/status/1012428081917657088

 

[sailfish]

View: https://twitter.com/Gambo987/status/1012428081917657088

In what context is it 'absurd?'
Absurd that the Suns would have interest in a player like Love.
Absurd to think that trading for Love would qualify as a blockbuster trade?
Absurd to think the Cavs would trade Love?

 

[KilgoreTrout]

No. But we've all observed the phenomenon of LBJ making players around him look...not as good as they really are, simply because he is so dominant. Some teams might wonder if KL's diminished production is due to "the LBJ effect", or simply because of "diminishing skills". So if he becomes the centerpiece and balls out, some teams (again, you only need one) may decide he really does have a lot left in the tank, that LBJ (and the lack of any real offensives system in Cleveland) was the true culprit, and decided to make a stronger offer for him.

The key point is that not every team sees players the same way -- opinions can vary pretty drastically, so you only need one team to see him in a more positive light.

I don’t think it was just an LBJ Effect; I think it was also a Ty Lue Effect, and a Kevin Love Effect. I think he is physically- and mentally-fragile now.

Remember: He hated Blatt, who knew something about offense. Love chose to have this role. He went from being a 25 and 12 threat to score from anywhere, to being an 18 and 10 spot-up shooter. He will never be more than an 18 and 10 guy for anyone, anymore. I’ll be glad when he’s gone. I hope we get something for him.

 

[Otsego Mar]

In what context is it 'absurd?'
Absurd that the Suns would have interest in a player like Love.
Absurd to think that trading for Love would qualify as a blockbuster trade?
Absurd to think the Cavs would trade Love?

Absurd as in the rumor is unsubstantiated, is my guess.

 

[MrX]

He went from being a 25 and 12 threat to score from anywhere, to being an 18 and 10 spot-up shooter. He will never be more than an 18 and 10 guy for anyone, anymore. I’ll be glad when he’s gone. I hope we get something for him.

I wouldn't say that. Would he be a spot-up shooter on a team not Iso dominant? Love had seasons before Cavs 2,600-2,700 mins. He averaged 39 mins per game one year.

Last year he only logged 1,600 mins and only averaged 28 mins per game.

His per 36 mins stats look very good. 22.7 pts 11.9 rebs while shooting career high 55% eFG%

The thing about having LeBron on your team is everyone starts to look bad. Even on a players best day LeBron looks like the one with the better game. Love was disappointing during the playoffs but his season stats are where I would expect playing only 28 mins a game.

 

[fan0283]

I wouldn't say that. Would he be a spot-up shooter on a team not Iso dominant? Love had seasons before Cavs 2,600-2,700 mins. He averaged 39 mins per game one year.

Last year he only logged 1,600 mins and only averaged 28 mins per game.

His per 36 mins stats look very good. 22.7 pts 11.9 rebs while shooting career high 55% eFG%

The thing about having LeBron on your team is everyone starts to look bad. Even on a players best day LeBron looks like the one with the better game. Love was disappointing during the playoffs but his season stats are where I would expect playing only 28 mins a game.

Wouldn't say everyone starts to look bad. He balled out in the regular season but his postseason woes were his fault and his alone.

He has holes in his game that will always cause him problems in the postseason and it's not just his athleticism. For example he has near zero peripheral vision backing down in the post so he can't effectively create for others or sense double teams. Add this to a limited post repertoire and you have a very guardable player

 

[avs2000]

I wouldn't say that. Would he be a spot-up shooter on a team not Iso dominant? Love had seasons before Cavs 2,600-2,700 mins. He averaged 39 mins per game one year.

Last year he only logged 1,600 mins and only averaged 28 mins per game.

His per 36 mins stats look very good. 22.7 pts 11.9 rebs while shooting career high 55% eFG%

The thing about having LeBron on your team is everyone starts to look bad. Even on a players best day LeBron looks like the one with the better game. Love was disappointing during the playoffs but his season stats are where I would expect playing only 28 mins a game.

Lebron did to love what he did to bosh in Miami. It is just the cost of playing with a talent like lbj

 

[Green Lantern]

In what context is it 'absurd?'
Absurd that the Suns would have interest in a player like Love.
Absurd to think that trading for Love would qualify as a blockbuster trade?
Absurd to think the Cavs would trade Love?

Maybe the trade rumor was absurd in that it wasn't real to begin with..how's that?

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Alright. I like that rationale.

What about the injury risk, though? Even given your reasons for keeping Love around, I'm still not sure it's worth the risk.

There's a chance of injury risk with anyone.

I'd say it depends on the offers you get right now. Even if LBJ leaves, I think there is a value for the younger players having some vets from whom to learn and to help it not be a complete shitshow. So if the offers are underwhelming, you keep him and see if his value goes up when he is the No. 1 option. If it doesn't...well, the offers were underwhelming anyway, so you haven't lost as much.