Love not interested in staying longer in Minnesota

Well....well....well....

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-bas ... -next-year

Flip when asked if Celtics fans should calm down: "I've been there. They're never going to calm down. I think they still think they got "Tim Duncan in the draft"!

pwned

Love more likely to go, not less, with Flip’s return to Wolves as Head Coach

As long as it doesn't turn into another "Dwightmare" situation...although, I suppose that does give us all something to talk about.

As Rubio said, they might need a new (real) leader.

Rubio might as well be it, he looks like a great guy that teammates would follow...

phpBB [video]

Rubio might as well be it, he looks like a great guy that teammates would follow...

Yep - change your face and enjoy.

Rubio might as well be it, he looks like a great guy that teammates would follow...

phpBB [video]

Bring us back shadowgrin

Speak of the devil - Rubio says he is going to call Kevin Love when he is back in the US..... but the best part of the article was "Rubio is returning to the US to train in LA with a shooting coach."

"Rubio is returning to the US to train in LA with a shooting coach."

Something he should have done earlier...

Kevin Love is a number producer, not someone who can lead a team as a contender. He is a star, don't get me wrong, but not yet a superstar. I hope he proves me wrong.

I want to emphasize this. I've been saying this for a couple of years now. Kevin Love will NEVER be a first option on a team that makes it past the 2nd round.

"Rubio is returning to the US to train in LA with a shooting coach."

Something he should have done earlier...

I think it's exciting. I don't know how much he will improve though!

What was Rubio doing the whole time rehabbing his knee? Could've practiced shooting a ton but didn't get anywhere with it. I want him to improve though.

Can't jump too much when rehabbing knee. Can't shoot jumpers when you can't jump.

Unless he wants to shoot like an old man with set shots or integrate bad body mechanics into his shooting form because of compensation for that healing knee when practicing those shots.

Thompson's father, Mychal, himself a former No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft and now a radio analyst on Los Angeles Lakers broadcasts, said Thursday on ESPN LA 710 AM that the Warriors and Wolves have been discussing a deal in which Golden State would also receive Martin from Minnesota in addition to Love for Klay Thompson, Lee and a future first. The Warriors do not have a first-round in next week's draft.

ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard reported Thursday that the Nuggets are offering Kenneth Faried, Wilson Chandler and the No. 11 pick for Love and Martin, but it remains unclear whether Love would be willing to sign a long-term deal with the Nuggets.

Boston, meanwhile, is a destination that holds some appeal to Love, but the strength of the Celtics' offer is their reported willingness to surrender two first-rounders in Thursday's draft (No. 6 and No. 7) in addition to a veteran such as Jeff Green or a younger player such as Kelly Olynyk and Jared Sullinger. Many rival teams believes Saunders wants players in return for Love who can produce right away.

ESPN.com reported last month that Golden State and Chicago were two destinations that greatly interest Love, who will undeniably have some say in where he winds up because he has the right to become a free agent in July 2015. But sources say that the Bulls appear to more focused on trying to find a way to acquire New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony rather than pursuing Love. Anthony has until Monday to decide whether to opt in or out of the final season on his current Knicks contract valued at $23.3 million.

All minutes and stats same as last year except:
Martin reduced to 30mpg from Thompsons 35.4, minutes given to Iguodala (on assumption he'll be healthier)
Love replacing Lee's minutes (so not maximum impact he could have if playing all 82 games at 34+ mpg)

Projection: 59-23
Range: 58-63
STDEV: .71, .64

"WinShares":

Code:

martin,kevin   11.1
curry,stephen   18.5
love,kevin   11.2
barnes,harrison   4.3
iguodala,andre   5.1
green,draymond   3.2
bogut,andrew   2.1
speights,marrees   1.6
o'neal,jermaine   0.9
crawford,jordan   0.6
blake,steve   0.3
bazemore,kent   0.1
douglas,toney   0.1
nedovic,nemanja   0.0
armstrong,hilton   0.0
kuzmic,ognjen   0.0
brooks,marshon   0.0

Shortened rotation with minutes as such and 82 games played (or 41 games played at full minutes for Bogut):

Code:

Player   MPG   "WS"
martin,kevin   29.0   10.1
curry,stephen   33.9   17.0
love,kevin   33.9   15.6
barnes,harrison   19.3   2.2
iguodala,andre   33.9   6.4
green,draymond   19.3   2.5
bogut,andrew   24.2   2.5
speights,marrees   24.2   6.1
crawford,jordan   14.5   2.2
blake,steve   9.7   0.5

Projection: 65-17
Range: 63-66
STDEV: .44, .56

Interesting scenarios. Denver and Golden State would be giving up some pretty good players without an assurance of Love re-signing, but I suppose nothing ventured, nothing gained. It'd be difficult to pass up an opportunity to acquire someone like Love.

More playing time for Harrison Barnes if it happens.

I will miss the Splash Bros. if this happens. Hope that this issue doesn't go like the Dwightmare though.

All minutes and stats same as last year except:
Martin reduced to 30mpg from Thompsons 35.4, minutes given to Iguodala (on assumption he'll be healthier)
Love replacing Lee's minutes (so not maximum impact he could have if playing all 82 games at 34+ mpg)

Projection: 59-23
Range: 58-63
STDEV: .71, .64

"WinShares":

Code:

martin,kevin   11.1
curry,stephen   18.5
love,kevin   11.2
barnes,harrison   4.3
iguodala,andre   5.1
green,draymond   3.2
bogut,andrew   2.1
speights,marrees   1.6
o'neal,jermaine   0.9
crawford,jordan   0.6
blake,steve   0.3
bazemore,kent   0.1
douglas,toney   0.1
nedovic,nemanja   0.0
armstrong,hilton   0.0
kuzmic,ognjen   0.0
brooks,marshon   0.0

Shortened rotation with minutes as such and 82 games played (or 41 games played at full minutes for Bogut):

Code:

Player   MPG   "WS"
martin,kevin   29.0   10.1
curry,stephen   33.9   17.0
love,kevin   33.9   15.6
barnes,harrison   19.3   2.2
iguodala,andre   33.9   6.4
green,draymond   19.3   2.5
bogut,andrew   24.2   2.5
speights,marrees   24.2   6.1
crawford,jordan   14.5   2.2
blake,steve   9.7   0.5

Projection: 65-17
Range: 63-66
STDEV: .44, .56

The Warriors are already a splendid rebounding team on defensive end. Even with Love replacing Lee, I don't think it'll make them that much better on this end. But offensive rebounding is probably area where Love can make the team better. The Wolves were 6th and Warriors were 18th last season.

Given that Love is more talented offensively than Lee, this benji's projection is pretty much on par with mine. 6-10 added wins from this season sound about right. Even with Klay Thompson gone (who btw is just little above average player imo), there are players that are good enough to replace him anyway so there's no real loss for the Warriors in this deal.

My various stats like Klay Thompson a fair amount, but Kevin Martin replaces enough of his value that when you factor in Love's huge leap over Lee (which is kinda insane since Lee is quite loved by my numbers) the team won't lose from the slight downgrade.

Kevin Martin's really great in a semi-starter/sixth-man role which is why OKC didn't hurt too much moving from Harden to him, even though they would have obviously been better with Harden. There's something similar here with Thompson who can probably soak up more minutes better, but with Barnes, Iguodala, Green, Crawford who can all take some of those minutes without too much trouble it's not a huge deal over the course of a season.

And Martin's great at making shots, and even pretty good at creating them, his problem is really that doesn't do much else.

Kevin Love, Warriors Deal Reportedly Now ‘Dead’

Dead deal. Damn.

Looks like Love to Cleveland is a done deal. Wiggins jerseys are now discontinued on NBA.com which might become a collector's item.

From the T-Wolves's perspective, they got a top pick for a guy that they would lose at the end of the season. From the Cavs' perspective, it makes no sense other than to appease Lebron. Couldn't they at least try Wiggins out and see if they win with him first?

It makes sense for the Cavs, too. Love is a proven All-Star talent who's at the beginning of his prime at age 25. Wiggins on the other hand may or may not develop into a great talent at the NBA level. Love is the safer bet as far as pushing them closer to being a contender in the immediate future.

Should be a fun next season with a new and powerful Cavs team.