holfresh wrote:Why would the Cavs trade their only center and best interior defender who rebounded them to the Finals one year...

Read above.... also they all have room to pick up a free agent or make a lateral trade for a big.

VCoug wrote:I don't see Cleveland or Minny agreeing to this. Cleveland can't afford to give up Tristan Thompson without getting a legit center back. And I don't know why Minnesota is trading Lavine for Thompson when they already have KAT. Is it just to get rid of Pekovic?

Pekovic will be able to medically-retire in the not too distant future, so I don't see why the Wolves would opt to move him at all.

NardDogNation wrote:

VCoug wrote:I don't see Cleveland or Minny agreeing to this. Cleveland can't afford to give up Tristan Thompson without getting a legit center back. And I don't know why Minnesota is trading Lavine for Thompson when they already have KAT. Is it just to get rid of Pekovic?

Pekovic will be able to medically-retire in the not too distant future, so I don't see why the Wolves would opt to move him at all.

To improve the team

NardDogNation wrote:

EnySpree wrote:Melo to Cleveland
Shump & Tristan to Minnesota
Lavine, Rubio and Peković to the Knicks

Knicks could take a pick sprinkled here but that's being greedy. We get Rubio and Lavine (on a rookie scale) aka our new starting back court for Melo. Sounds good to me. We do take back a horrible contact but we could buy him out or release him. We could then just let Rose walk to compensate the cap. KP, Willy, Lavine, Rubio, a high draft pick... sounds like a nice rebuild happening here.

Minnesota does it cuz they want to get rid of Rubio and they want to improve the defense. It's rumored Thibbs loves Shumpert. Tristan is a Thibbs kinda guy too. They can put out Tristan, Wiggins, KAT, Dunn and Shump... that's a potential playoff team next year.

Cleveland gets Melo to help compensate for Love... when he comes back they have 4 elite level players on the roster. Melo, Lebron, Love, Kyrie... sprinkle in the rest of their roster and they just reloaded.

#boom

No other team but the Knicks would do this. The Wolves are fairly set insofar as big men are concerned, so I don't understand the interest in Thompsom. And then Shumpert (and JR) is just straight ass but is benefiting emmensely from the LeBron effect as did some other notable bums like Damon Jones, Booby Gibson, etc. Why would the T'Wolves want any of that, especially if they have to give up a talent like LaVine?

Cuz they get rid of 2 players they don't need and get 2 players they do need. Lavine is still growing. He's erratic and driving Thibbs crazy. They said they need too tightend the defense and this does it for them. If Dunn takes the next step and the draft well, that would offset the Lavine potential... this trade helps accelerate winning for them

EnySpree wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:

EnySpree wrote:Melo to Cleveland
Shump & Tristan to Minnesota
Lavine, Rubio and Peković to the Knicks

Knicks could take a pick sprinkled here but that's being greedy. We get Rubio and Lavine (on a rookie scale) aka our new starting back court for Melo. Sounds good to me. We do take back a horrible contact but we could buy him out or release him. We could then just let Rose walk to compensate the cap. KP, Willy, Lavine, Rubio, a high draft pick... sounds like a nice rebuild happening here.

Minnesota does it cuz they want to get rid of Rubio and they want to improve the defense. It's rumored Thibbs loves Shumpert. Tristan is a Thibbs kinda guy too. They can put out Tristan, Wiggins, KAT, Dunn and Shump... that's a potential playoff team next year.

Cleveland gets Melo to help compensate for Love... when he comes back they have 4 elite level players on the roster. Melo, Lebron, Love, Kyrie... sprinkle in the rest of their roster and they just reloaded.

#boom

No other team but the Knicks would do this. The Wolves are fairly set insofar as big men are concerned, so I don't understand the interest in Thompsom. And then Shumpert (and JR) is just straight ass but is benefiting emmensely from the LeBron effect as did some other notable bums like Damon Jones, Booby Gibson, etc. Why would the T'Wolves want any of that, especially if they have to give up a talent like LaVine?

Cuz they get rid of 2 players they don't need and get 2 players they do need. Lavine is still growing. He's erratic and driving Thibbs crazy. They said they need too tightend the defense and this does it for them. If Dunn takes the next step and the draft well, that would offset the Lavine potential... this trade helps accelerate winning for them

Ginobili drove Pop crazy when he first started coaching him too. It doesn't mean they would've traded him for the modern day equivalent of Shannon Anderson. And I've heard multiple reporters suggest that Andrew Wiggins is the bigger problem with that team, not Lavine. I'm not sure I agree with that but Wiggins definitely seems to only be concerned about scoring the ball and could likely fetch a better deal.

I also doubt they look to compound the issue by going with a two big format, if defense is your concern. Most teams are rolling out swingmen at the 4 spot, so I don't see how it'd be a good idea to play a big against that if your intent is to be good defensively.

EnySpree wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:

EnySpree wrote:

VCoug wrote:I don't see Cleveland or Minny agreeing to this. Cleveland can't afford to give up Tristan Thompson without getting a legit center back. And I don't know why Minnesota is trading Lavine for Thompson when they already have KAT. Is it just to get rid of Pekovic?

Kat is alone inside. Tristan gets him an enforcer to help him inside. Lavine can't defend yet. Shump still getting paid to play defense. I think it balances out the team. As it stand Minnesota needs experienced players mixed into their youth. Especially now with cousins and Davis together... Kat will need that help.

Gourgui Dieng is a pretty good player, albeit a poor fit next to KAT. Even so, I think it's unfair to say KAT is "alone" in the paint. Besides, the league is moving away from a two big format ao why would the Wolves foolishly value continuing the tradition?

Their record is wise than the Knicks... KAT is alone inside. And after the pelicans made the trade for cousins, you still say the league is moving away from two bigs front court? Btw... Tristan isn't close to as talented as KAT. Tristan is a double doubles energy guy. KAT needs that next to him. With Dieng off the bench, now you are talking about a playoff caliber front court with Wiggins. Dunn, Shumpert their current bench and their draft pick will improve the back court. That's a good situation for them

You're using one of the worst run teams in the league and a current lottery team as evidence that two-big formats are still relevant? In spite of the talent upgrade, people are still skeptical of the Pelicans even making playoffs.

As for the Wolves, they will still be "playoff caliber" next year as presently constructed. People are forgetting that their core is only 21 years old and by no means a finished product. They are still maturing and need time to actually grow. Trading for two overrated players doesn't help that process.