So you may or may not have heard, but sources better plugged in than us (and all sources with better than a HughesNet connection fit this definition) are claiming that Kevin Love has told Timberwolves management that he will not opt in for the final year of his contract, and is planning on leaving the Wolves following the 2014-15 season. That got me thinking, what deals would we like to see Wolves GM/Future interim head coach Flip Saunders make for the Olympian/All-Star/All-NBA power forward?
A ranking in order of least to most exciting (and these are all deals that would make sense, from CBA and common sense standpoints, as far as I can tell):
6. Golden State Warriors: David Lee and Harrison Barnes plus their 2015 1st Round pick
This deal sucks for a lot of reasons. First of all, I know David Lee was an All-Star and Harrison Barnes was good in college and during the playoffs last season. I don't care. Lee is to Love what Aldi is to Trader Joe's. And who knows how good Barnes is. If he had really showed Golden State's front office something, they wouldn't have given up their left testicle to get Andre Iguodala. (Okay, maybe they would have, but he wouldn't have regressed, he would have learned from Iggy.)
Plus, not getting an additional draft pick until 2015 (the W's traded theirs to Utah as part of the Iguodala deal) makes this deal basically a fireable offense.
5. Golden State Warriors: David Lee and Klay Thompson plus their 2015 1st Round pick
This one is getting closer, but sort of how Pluto gets closer to the sun once every Wrens album or so. All of the above still holds true for Lee and the 2015 pick. But, Thompson has proven himself to be a legitimate NBA offensive weapon, and a not-terrible defender. Not totally fireable, but pretty close.
4. Phoenix Suns: Eric Bledsoe and 2 1st Round picks
Mini-LeBron is not LeBron, but he's pretty good. This one would have to be contingent on Bledsoe signing a contract extension with the Wolves, otherwise it makes little sense. Bonus with this deal: it effectively closes, once and for all, the David Kahn era in one fell swoop.
3. Chicago: Someone named Mirotic, Taj Gibson, Jimmy Butler plus their 2 2014 1st Round picks
The case for this deal revolves around being able to package three middle-of-the-first round picks to move up to grab someone more useful. I'm wary of this deal because: a) the last time we heard of someone tearing it up in Euro Ball like Mirotic is, it was Ricky Rubio, and b) the likelihood of being able to move up into the "money" picks of the 1st round with three decent picks is decreased, since the only team dumb enough to do this is the Minnesota Timberwolves.
2. Washington: Bradley Beal, Nene, 2015 1st Round Pick for Love, Kevin Martin
Bradley Beal is really good. A backcourt of Rubio and Beal would be a lot of fun to watch. A frontcourt of Pekovic and Nene might actually be capable of murder. Plus, getting rid of Kevin Martin here!
1. Cleveland: 2014 #1 Overall pick, plus Who Gives a Fuck What Else
Okay, Wolves fans, set aside your envy of Cleveland's run of "luck" in the lottery over the past four years. I have a hard time believing even the Wolves could screw up the #1 overall pick in this year's draft. If the Cavs offer the number 1 pick, you're basically promised 7 years of a solid NBA player in exchange for a guy who has basically said he's walking after this year. If that means having to take on Jarrett Jack or Alonzo Gee, as well, it's still really really worth it.
