There’s “fresh optimism” that the Cavaliers will be able to deal power forward Kevin Love before next month’s trade deadline, Marc Stein of the New York Times tweets. Love recently expressed frustration regarding his long-term status with the franchise. Love is in the first year of a four-year, $120.4MM extension. He’s averaging 16.5 PPG and 10.6 RPG in 30.6 MPG this season.
We have more from the Eastern Conference:
- The Sixers let point guard T.J. McConnell walk in free agency but the Pacers reserve doesn’t harbor ill will toward his previous team, Mark Monteith of the Indianapolis Star relays. McConnell signed a two-year, $7MM with Indiana, though his salary for next season isn’t guaranteed. McConnell recorded his first double-double of the season against his former club with 11 points and 10 assists on Tuesday. “Nothing but respect,” he said of Philadelphia’s organization. “I would never hold any grudges.”
- Celtics fans should not expect a trade to upgrade the frontcourt, according to Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. It’s unlikely they’ll find a deal for a quality big man that doesn’t involve moving one of the team’s top five players, Forsberg continues. They could add a proven role player before the trade deadline but they might be better off waiting to see which players wind up in the buyout market, Forsberg adds.
- The Raptors’ quick start puts them in a tricky position regarding the trade market, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated notes. It was generally assumed that Toronto would be a seller with the ability to dangle the expiring contracts of Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka. The one-year extension handed to Kyle Lowry was done in part to make the veteran point guard more tradeable. But now there’s a window for the club to make a run at another championship, Mannix adds.
If the C’s go after anyone it should be Willie Cauley-Stein imo he would be the perfect pickup
Okogie, dieng and a future lottery protected 1st rd pick for love.
Then flip covington, Teague, culver a future 1st rd pick for lavine and dunn.
And see if phoenix bites on a layman and vonleh plus 2rd picks for saric.
Twolves starting 5 towns love wiggins lavine dunn bench saric bell nowell …
And the gang is almost back together just missing rubio…
No defense but should make for an interesting offense.
Explain why the Bulls would make that horrible trade. Lol
To get out of lavine contract pick up a 1st rd, get salary relief, pick up a 3 and d wing on a team friendly contract and a young guard with possible upside. Granted it all depends on how they feel about lavine.
Why would they want to get out of his contract? He’s their best player and only makes about 18 million. That’s good for a guy who averages around 24ppg and isn’t even 25. Dump him to get a draft pick you hope ends up as good as him?
Because covington might fit the coach’s schemes better. And like i said it all depends on how they feel about lavine. If they view him as a core player that they can build around, it won’t happen. If not covington culver and a 1st is not a salary dump. And if they valued dunn they would have extended him. Opening up 19 million to sign a free agent is a nice bonus. Besides we have seen paxon make odd decisions before.
That first line would hopefully not be called “fresh optimism” by the Cavs for trading KLove.
Also “flip” usually means a re-trade, or a buy-sell, which in the NBA means no consolidation after acquiring.
Semantics… and if you think it’s wishful thinking, maybe, but i doubt that the cavs receive a better offer. Contenders are not going to give up any player that can help them for love. At least okogie is young and has plenty of potential and a 1st rd pick is what they desire.
The Cavs have Okogie types that they ivested in. A protected first will likely be delayed at MIN’s present rate but that would be the key to the trade… where it’s at.
This sounds like an attempt to drum up interest in Love. Nothing has changed as far as Love’s contract or his play. Can’t imagine why any team would be more interested now than they were a month ago.
The only team (s) bidding are Phoenix and or Portland, and neither is going to give up much. Portland might part with Collins, but that’s probably too much.
Cleveland is probably stuck with Love until the summer at the earliest.
One would think, but Stein bought it!
Wall for love. I’d be happy.
Risky tactics by Love and his agent to resign with the Cavs because nobody would pay him as much as the Cavs then become “disgruntled” with the team forcing them to attempt a trade. Eventually may have to unload him for less than he is worth.
How is 30m to Lowry more tradeable?
Hi is still playing at an elite level and it would be a contract expiring just in time for the big 2021 free agent class. I don’t think the contract was given to him to make him more tradeable, but it was a byproduct of the contract.
I know he has a tendency to run hot & cold, but Enes Kanter has largely been a positive in the frontcourt for the C’s this year. His highest game score of the year came against Embiid. He’s clearly not going to stop Embiid, but if he can do enough to offset Embiid’s production, I feel good about the other 4 guys matching up with the Sixers other 4 (Kemba vs. Ben Simmons especially).
Now, the Bucks are a whole other kettle of fish, but who is available for the Celtics to trade for that’s capable of even making a dent in Giannis’s production? If the need to make a move is, as it seems to be, driven by the Sixers and Bucks matchups, it feels like they are capable of hanging with the Sixers well enough to get by and incapable of upgrading enough to make a difference against the Bucks, so I don’t mind them rolling with the crew they have already.