Kevin Love Opts out

[SsKSpurs21]

The Cleveland Cavaliers have repeatedly said they plan on re-signing Kevin Love this offseason.

But executives around the NBA predict the Cavaliers will eventually agree upon a sign-and-trade involving Love. The Cavaliers would be able to recoup rotation players and picks by dealing Love, while also making their big man rotation make more sense.

For Love to be worthy of a max contract, Love needs to be a higher usage player as he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“LeBron (James) needs to have the ball so much for you to be as good as you can be, and you need to be very selective about the guys who get to have it when he doesn’t,” David Griffin said. “You cannot have too much ball dominance around him.”

The Cavaliers are fairly certain to keep Tristan Thompson over Love given the fact that Thompson has the same agent as James.

I doubt he will get a max contract offer after this past year but could be a nice consolation prize if we strike out on LMA or Gasol.

His defense is questionable but I am sure he can learn a few things from Tim. If we can get another solid rim protector of maybe Ibaka caliber then thats a pretty solid front court with Kawhi.

[CGD]

Pre injury thought it was a no brained but post injury? Makes me think he's going to LAL now

[Chinook]

If he's willing to take what's left ($15-17 Million), I'd totally go after him. The Spurs main goal as it pertains for free agency is for them to get the best outside talent while keeping as much of their inside talent as possible. Love and the core is much better than LMA or Gasol with core guys missing.

[BillMc]

Cavs should have just kept Wiggins.

[SsKSpurs21]

If he's willing to take what's left ($15-17 Million), I'd totally go after him. The Spurs main goal as it pertains for free agency is for them to get the best outside talent while keeping as much of their inside talent as possible. Love and the core is much better than LMA or Gasol with core guys missing.

most likely will have to do a sign and trade involving splitter.

[ducks]

doubt he fits in here
Duncan shots outside love shots outside

[BillMc]

most likely will have to do a sign and trade involving splitter.

Cavs don't need Splitter, they've got plenty of depth in the bigs. What they need is Danny Green. Love opting out or doing a sign and trade concerns me as that may allow them to get the cash to get Green outright.

Can you do a "double" sign and trade? They sign Love, we sign Danny and trade them?

[Seventyniner]

Love, or Aldridge for that matter, would be the #1 option on offense instantly. That's not an issue.

[ducks]

green to cavs might push them over the top imo
irving d is not the greatest but green would help that imo

[Seventyniner]

Cavs don't need Splitter, they've got plenty of depth in the bigs. What they need is Danny Green. Love opting out or doing a sign and trade concerns me as that may allow them to get the cash to get Green outright.

Can you do a "double" sign and trade? They sign Love, we sign Danny and trade them?

No, the Cavs won't have the cap space for Danny. They could only offer the MLE, and Danny will get far more than that.

[BillMc]

green to cavs might push them over the top imo
irving d is not the greatest but green would help that imo

Agreed.

[Chinook]

Cavs don't need Splitter, they've got plenty of depth in the bigs. What they need is Danny Green. Love opting out or doing a sign and trade concerns me as that may allow them to get the cash to get Green outright.

Can you do a "double" sign and trade? They sign Love, we sign Danny and trade them?

No to most of that. The Cavs are potentially over the tax next season even if they lose Love for nothing. They aren't S&Ting for Green. Also, they have only one PF under team control if Love leaves. They may not need Splitter, but they would be able to use Diaw.

[BillMc]

No to most of that. The Cavs are potentially over the tax next season even if they lose Love for nothing. They aren't S&Ting for Green. Also, they have only one PF under team control if Love leaves. They may not need Splitter, but they would be able to use Diaw.

They've got Mozgov, Andy Verajo (I'm too lazy to look up spelling.:lol) and Tristan Thompson is a LeBron favorite, he'll be back. My point is Splitter does nothing for them. Maybe Diaw does help, but a strong defensive wing to cover for Kyrie is probably their top need.

You're right on the Cavs being over even if they lose Love for nothing. I was wondering aloud if a sign and trade for Love with another team might allow them to get some cap relief somehow. I don't pretend to know the ins and outs of it.

[Dancelot]

Cavs should have just kept Wiggins.
This

[TheGoldStandard]

Spurs will make a phone call but that's about it. I'd be shocked if he ended up visiting.

[TheGreatYacht]

I'll take him next to Timmy, fuck it :tu


http://youtu.be/vn6hJEY4KQs

[look_at_g_shred]

Not shocked. Dude was never happy there to begin with..

[baseline bum]

Cavs don't need Splitter, they've got plenty of depth in the bigs. What they need is Danny Green. Love opting out or doing a sign and trade concerns me as that may allow them to get the cash to get Green outright.


They can only free up about $10 million in capspace if Love opts out, assuming they're signing Thompson (a lock with LeBron's agent), assuming JR Smith is smart enough to stick with his player option, and assuming they tell Dellavedova and Shumpert to walk.

[baseline bum]

I can't say I'd be that happy trading for Love after seeing what he looks like with lower usage. I'd rather just pray Splitter can have one more healthy playoffs like 2014 and add some bench depth at the 3 and 2.

[TheGoldStandard]

I can't say I'd be that happy trading for Love after seeing what he looks like with lower usage. I'd rather just pray Splitter can have one more healthy playoffs like 2014 and add some bench depth at the 3 and 2.

Love would kill in the pick n roll or pick n pop shooting jumpers or passing on some hi lo action with Duncan of his man stepped up to defend. Plus he can rebound

[pgardn]

Love is so bad on D.

Old Tony and Love on the floor together is a scary thought.

[cd98]

Love would be perfect for Spurs offense, tho.

[cd98]

Individually bad defenders can still play good team defense.

[cjw]

They can only free up about $10 million in capspace if Love opts out, assuming they're signing Thompson (a lock with LeBron's agent), assuming JR Smith is smart enough to stick with his player option, and assuming they tell Dellavedova and Shumpert to walk.

I read that JR might opt out and look for more. Looking at next year, they have:

$21.6 James
15.9 Irving
9.6 Varajao
6.8 Thompson (QO)
5.0 Mozgov
1.1 Dellavedova (QO)
0.8 Harris
===============
$60.8 subtotal plus holds for six roster spots puts them around $63.8 million. That assumes JR and Mike Miller both don't opt-in. I imagine Miller will at the very least. With a cap just over $67 million, they almost certainly will operate over the cap and just have the MLE.

Haywood's contract would allow them to do a sign-and-trade for almost anybody given it's non-guaranteed pre-8/1. That's their ace in the hole - $10.5mm outgoing contract.

[look_at_g_shred]

Love is going to LA

[Richie]

If he's willing to take what's left ($15-17 Million), I'd totally go after him. The Spurs main goal as it pertains for free agency is for them to get the best outside talent while keeping as much of their inside talent as possible. Love and the core is much better than LMA or Gasol with core guys missing.

We cant get that kind of space without losing someone with Timmy taking $6m

[Chinook]

We cant get that kind of space without losing someone with Timmy taking $6m

We still have no idea how much Tim wants if anything. I'm going under the assumption that the Spurs will only use cap space if Tim leaves. That gives them $15 Million. But even swapping out Tim at $6 Million for Tiago gives them $17.5 Million or so. That was in the range I was talking about.

[024]

Love is a rebound whore. He sacrifices defense so he can get into optimal position for a rebound. That's why he'll always be terrible on defense. With Duncan getting older and the Spurs talking about trading Splitter, the Spurs can't afford more holes in their interior D.

[Spur|n|Austin]

I think a lot of people expected this - nice to see things starting to get interesting this offseason. Seems like there's going to be a lot of shaking up.

[Texas_Ranger]

why would anyone want a Matt Bonner that can rebound?

[rjv]

i actually think love could become a splitter with an outside shot, but he wouldn't just be used for spacing as he was in cleveland (which is one of the reasons i think he left). however, the lure of playing in LA looms large.

[vander]

good job GM James.

[Shabazz]

David West has also opted out

[tholdren]

Cavs should have just kept Wiggins.
THIS

Cavs would have won the NBA with Wiggins - James strikes again. Why in the hell do they continue to listen to him? The owner and the coach need to grow a pair and tell him to concentrate on playing basketball because he sucks at identifying talent.

[houston spurs fan]

Cavs should have just kept Wiggins.
Totally agree...

[AFBlue]

This is good for the Spurs by adding depth to the F/C market, even if Love himself is not a Spurs target. I think he'd actually be a good system fit, but I don't see him being interested in SA as a destination. Still, as I said it's good news regardless.

[CGD]

This is good for the Spurs by adding depth to the F/C market, even if Love himself is not a Spurs target. I think he'd actually be a good system fit, but I don't see him being interested in SA as a destination. Still, as I said it's good news regardless.

Just waiting for the "mavs to pursue Love" rumor.

[AFBlue]

Just waiting for the "mavs to pursue Love" rumor.

:lol

No doubt it's coming.

[Sean Cagney]

:lol

No doubt it's coming.Oh yeah you know that is coming and soon. They want to sign all FA's every year and switch the team up with just random parts thrown together, that is why they don't win more honestly and don't ever get chemistry.

[AFBlue]

Oh yeah you know that is coming and soon. They want to sign all FA's every year and switch the team up with just random parts thrown together, that is why they don't win more honestly and don't ever get chemistry.

Yep. That FO is awful. They honestly don't deserve Dirk's loyalty or such a good coach.

[NickiRasgo]

I read that JR might opt out and look for more. Looking at next year, they have:

$21.6 James
15.9 Irving
9.6 Varajao
6.8 Thompson (QO)
5.0 Mozgov
1.1 Dellavedova (QO)
0.8 Harris
===============
$60.8 subtotal plus holds for six roster spots puts them around $63.8 million. That assumes JR and Mike Miller both don't opt-in. I imagine Miller will at the very least. With a cap just over $67 million, they almost certainly will operate over the cap and just have the MLE.

Haywood's contract would allow them to do a sign-and-trade for almost anybody given it's non-guaranteed pre-8/1. That's their ace in the hole - $10.5mm outgoing contract. I saw that too and conclude that their off-season will be difficult. And a lot of bandwagon fans acting like it's like 2K. Thompson, who only good at defense and rebounding likes to ask closer to a max contract. Delly's contract would be like close to Mills, as well as Shumpert if he stays. JR opted-out and wants more that what he's receiving right now.