Tweet
I was listening to the Eye on Basketball Pod today, which includes a lot of commentary on the Rudy Gay shot-chart from the Houston game.
(http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-...ts-shots-shots)
Further into the Podcast, they turn their attention to the Minnesota Timberwolves and the hot start that they are off to. Minnesota of course cannot be talked about without the impending free agency of Kevin Love (Player option for 2015-2016). Minnesota is desperate to improve their team and build a championship contender around Love, before he has the chance to leave.
Here is my proposition to improve Minnesota, weaken the Raptors, and give the Raptors possible assets with which to enjoy:
Toronto Trades: Kyle Lowry, and Landry Fields
Minnesota Trades: Derrick Williams, Alexey Shved, Shabazz, Muhammad, and the rights to swap 2016 First Round Picks
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=lx76tcp
Rational for Minnesota:
All three players that they are trading are highly expendable. Shabbazz has played under 4 minutes total this season, Derrick Williams is left without a position playing 17 minutes off the bench/is not wanted, and Shved is playing terribly as their back-up PG.
Lowry gives them a huge upgrade at back-up PG, and I think with his shooting/defense he could play some minutes in a double PG line-up with Rubio.
Landry has had a great bounce-back year, and has been the most consistent wing player in Toronto (not a huge accomplishment so far). His IQ and movement without the ball could work brilliantly with Rubio's clever passes. Not to mention his ability to find the open shooter (Love). Can play back-up minutes at SG or SF, along with a very weird small-ball line-up at PF (Love at C).
Rational for Toronto:
Losing Lowry makes the Raptors worse, and allows them to say goodbye to mediocrity. Buycks or Sved as your starting PG? The Raptors will immediately start to fall down the standings (further). Despite that though, they get some prospects in return. Williams was the 2nd overall pick in 2011, and it would be interesting to take a flyer on him. Shabbazz was 14th in last's year draft.
But the piece that I would be most excited about is the right to swap picks with Minnesota in 2016. I don't think Fields or Lowry are enough to get a straight pick (but perhaps I am underselling them), but a pick-swap? I think there is a solid chance that Love leaves in 2015...meaning that a 2016 pick would be my target.
Minnesota's 2014 pick is top 13 protected, and top 12 protected in both 2015 and 2016. If it is not conveyed by that point, it becomes a 2016 second round pick. So the language would need to be clear that this can only be completed if the pick is top 12.
Thoughts?
(http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-...ts-shots-shots)
Further into the Podcast, they turn their attention to the Minnesota Timberwolves and the hot start that they are off to. Minnesota of course cannot be talked about without the impending free agency of Kevin Love (Player option for 2015-2016). Minnesota is desperate to improve their team and build a championship contender around Love, before he has the chance to leave.
Here is my proposition to improve Minnesota, weaken the Raptors, and give the Raptors possible assets with which to enjoy:
Toronto Trades: Kyle Lowry, and Landry Fields
Minnesota Trades: Derrick Williams, Alexey Shved, Shabazz, Muhammad, and the rights to swap 2016 First Round Picks
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=lx76tcp
Rational for Minnesota:
All three players that they are trading are highly expendable. Shabbazz has played under 4 minutes total this season, Derrick Williams is left without a position playing 17 minutes off the bench/is not wanted, and Shved is playing terribly as their back-up PG.
Lowry gives them a huge upgrade at back-up PG, and I think with his shooting/defense he could play some minutes in a double PG line-up with Rubio.
Landry has had a great bounce-back year, and has been the most consistent wing player in Toronto (not a huge accomplishment so far). His IQ and movement without the ball could work brilliantly with Rubio's clever passes. Not to mention his ability to find the open shooter (Love). Can play back-up minutes at SG or SF, along with a very weird small-ball line-up at PF (Love at C).
Rational for Toronto:
Losing Lowry makes the Raptors worse, and allows them to say goodbye to mediocrity. Buycks or Sved as your starting PG? The Raptors will immediately start to fall down the standings (further). Despite that though, they get some prospects in return. Williams was the 2nd overall pick in 2011, and it would be interesting to take a flyer on him. Shabbazz was 14th in last's year draft.
But the piece that I would be most excited about is the right to swap picks with Minnesota in 2016. I don't think Fields or Lowry are enough to get a straight pick (but perhaps I am underselling them), but a pick-swap? I think there is a solid chance that Love leaves in 2015...meaning that a 2016 pick would be my target.
Minnesota's 2014 pick is top 13 protected, and top 12 protected in both 2015 and 2016. If it is not conveyed by that point, it becomes a 2016 second round pick. So the language would need to be clear that this can only be completed if the pick is top 12.
Thoughts?