All in all though, I think CLE made the right move that's fair for both sides. Love is a better player than Melo, so I thought that they would have to give up more than we did.

F500ONE wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:If I had to call it today, I'd go with what the Cavs are giving up. Wiggins can be a franchise caliber talent and there are only a handful of those in the league. There is no guarantee that Wiggins fulfill's that potential BUT potential has a market value and is therefore tangible. On the other hand, what we gave up for Melo were injury-prone role/complimentary players (who I'd still love to have back), nothing more. Talent like that are a dime a dozen and are readily available in free agency if you have the cap space.

All in all though, I think CLE made the right move that's fair for both sides. Love is a better player than Melo, so I thought that they would have to give up more than we did.

But Wiggins as of today isn't and Bennett is a bust.

There's also a 2016 pick hanging in the balance, unprotected

I'm curious to know what else could come of this deal, considering more moving parts

But potential still has a market value. When the Pacers traded Dale Davis for Jermaine O'Neal and Antonio Davis for Jonathan Bender, it wasn't because the latter two were better players/fits at the time. In the end, the former trade worked out wonderfully for them while the latter was a wash in the other teams favor but that's the risk one assumes when playing the potential game.

It's ultimately what the Wolves are doing now and quite frankly, I can't blame them considering what Wiggins can already do. It's not like they'd be able to sign him or a player of his ilk via free agency, so they need to get him early. As for Bennett, he looked pretty good in the summer league so I wouldn't call him a "bust" just yet. He'll never merit being a no.1 pick but it was a ****ty draft and someone had to go first. Even so, I see Bennett being an above average rotation guy in the same vein as a Rodney Rogers or maybe even the better version of the Morris twins (I still don't know the difference between Markieff and Marcus).

fishmike wrote:

F500ONE wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:If I had to call it today, I'd go with what the Cavs are giving up. Wiggins can be a franchise caliber talent and there are only a handful of those in the league. There is no guarantee that Wiggins fulfill's that potential BUT potential has a market value and is therefore tangible. On the other hand, what we gave up for Melo were injury-prone role/complimentary players (who I'd still love to have back), nothing more. Talent like that are a dime a dozen and are readily available in free agency if you have the cap space.

All in all though, I think CLE made the right move that's fair for both sides. Love is a better player than Melo, so I thought that they would have to give up more than we did.

But Wiggins as of today isn't and Bennett is a bust.

There's also a 2016 pick hanging in the balance, unprotected

I'm curious to know what else could come of this deal, considering more moving parts

Bennet is a bust? After one year at 21 years old he's a bust? WOW. OK. This is usually the part where we hear Gallo is still going to make all star games, Will Chandler will be healthy *this* year and we will horribly ragret nom saying some future pick.

The Cavs paid much more but its still actually a decent move for them, because its not about Love its about Lebron. The Love deal alone is terrible. 2 #1 overall picks? And Wiggins as regarded by everyone who has looked at him for 30 seconds as cant miss all star. Also Cle paid Love like Melo, except Love has never even been to the playoffs in his 6 years and has barely even sniffed a .500 season.

Everyone knew about Melo's strugles in the playoffs, but at least he was a guy who proved he could get you there every year. Love puts up great numbers on teams who are among the worst in the NBA. His stats have meant very little in terms of impacting the w/l column (we still look at *that* stat right?)

The real question is if your going to give up the two guys picked #1 overall and another pick, AND make that guy one of the highest paid in the league he better be a superstar and Kevin Love is NOT. Maybe its who Lebron wanted, but my god did they overpay.

Kevin Love's supporting cast has nothing to do with his team not making the playoffs? So, if you substitute Kevin Love for David West on the Pacers, are they better or worse? If you substitute Kevin Love for Zach Randolph on the Grizzlies, are they better or worse? If you substitute Kevin Love on the Clippers, are they better or worse? Now put those same players on the Wolves and tell me if those teams would be better or worse. Your answers should let you know the caliber of star that Love is.

We gave up nice young role players, but not two #1's like Wiggins and Bennet. No matter what people think of their chances to be great players they were overall #1's. Minny didn't lose out in this deal. They can still sell the potential of great young talent.

nixluva wrote:Love is a great number 2. He's not a guy that you say he's gonna close out the game for us. He's a great "Middle of the Game" guy. He's not the same as Melo who teams looked at as an Alpha, even if some Knick fans don't see him that way. He's closer to an Alpha than Love is. Love compiles stats but teams don't really have to change what they do for him. He doesn't tilt a defense in the way that the Alpha's do.

We gave up nice young role players, but not two #1's like Wiggins and Bennet. No matter what people think of their chances to be great players they were overall #1's. Minny didn't lose out in this deal. They can still sell the potential of great young talent.

Even if Love isn't a closer, you got to actually be in the game for that to matter. Love's talent puts his teams in position to win every night, he just doesn't have the talent to capitalize on the opportunity to do so. The fact is that the Wolves starting lineup had the best, positive point differential of any other starting unit in the NBA, which is a testament to the type of talent Love wields. The problem is that they have one of the worst benches in the NBA and they have a number of injury-prone players that play key roles for them.

I also don't think you can fault elite big men for not being closers, which has historically been the case (see Shaq, KG, Webber, etc.). It has nothing to do with their talent/heart and a lot to do with the ease at which the defense can collapse and force the ball out of their hands in the clutch (see Shaq, KG, Webber, etc.). On the other hand, it's much harder to collapse on a perimeter threat because of the dimensions of the floor and propensity for it to lead to easier shots around the rim. So why should Love be held to a different standard?