If Lebron Goes To Cleveland

[Garbo]

Just a thought:

If Lebron does land in Cleveland, do you think the Raptors could compete with the Kevin Love offer from Minnesota?

The rumor is that Minnesota would seek to trade Kevin Love for Wiggins + ?

What if the Raptors offered, say

Demar
T - Ross
Valenciunas

In exchange for

Wiggins
Bennett
Verajao

It's a huge price to pay, but I think it works for both sides.

I wont explain why I think it helps Toronto, but I actually see it helping Cleveland. Unlike Love's soon to be huge contract, Cleveland receives Demar's affordable contract and he can play the part of Dwayne Wade. Valenciunas and Ross are both on the cheap, and would likely resign for less money to continue playing with Lebron. I believe this gives Cleveland a chance to be the dominant team in the East until Lebron decides to retire. When he does, Toronto is primed to take over with the new NBA superstar.

He's going to sign in Miami as soon as I post this..

[yabadabayolo]

I think a more realistic deql would be demar valanciunis ross and maybe a few picks for wiggins alone. No way they trade two former number ones and the only left from lebrons original tenure for any of our guys

[BobLoblaw]

No, I don't think so. Love is just far better. Cleveland would rather pair Love and LeBron. Love is a top 10 player in the league. That Raptors offer has a borderline all star and two role players.

No one can see what future holds for Valanciunas, so maybe this would look better in 5 years, but for now it's much better for Cleveland to just get Love.

Also, I suspect the Cavs can get Love without offering Wiggins AND Bennett. Even Wiggins alone is kind of pricey. Denver, Utah, Orlando, New Orleans didn't get a Wiggins caliber asset for Melo, DWill, Dwight or CP3. If Minnesota gets Wiggins + Varejao, that's a coup.

[JawsGT]

I think this is a terrible trade for the Raptors.

[JawsGT]

No, I don't think so. Love is just far better. Cleveland would rather pair Love and LeBron. Love is a top 10 player in the league. That Raptors offer has a borderline all star and two role players.

No one can see what future holds for Valanciunas, so maybe this would look better in 5 years, but for now it's much better for Cleveland to just get Love.

Also, I suspect the Cavs can get Love without offering Wiggins AND Bennett. Even Wiggins alone is kind of pricey. Denver, Utah, Orlando, New Orleans didn't get a Wiggins caliber asset for Melo, DWill, Dwight or CP3. If Minnesota gets Wiggins + Varejao, that's a coup.

How can you say that? You said Love is a top 10 player, while Wiggins is totally unproven and Varejao is not that good. No way I'd trade Love to CLE without Wiggins involved.

[BobLoblaw]

How can you say that? You said Love is a top 10 player, while Wiggins is totally unproven and Varejao is not that good. No way I'd trade Love to CLE without Wiggins involved.

I maybe don't understand the question, but what do you mean how I can say that? Love is expiring next summer, he wants to leave. Should I only use the word "coup" if they trade Love for Durant or something?

Wiggins would be a fantastic return in that situation. Some teams in recent years got less for players better than Love.

[JawsGT]

I maybe don't understand the question, but what do you mean how I can say that? Love is expiring next summer, he wants to leave. Should I only use the word "coup" if they trade Love for Durant or something?

Wiggins would be a fantastic return in that situation. Some teams in recent years got less for players better than Love.

Hey, if you consider that a coup than so be it. But a top10 player in the league, maybe even top5, and one the best big men in the game for an unproven #1 pick isn't a coup to me, regardless of past trades involving different teams and players. Just about every person I've heard or asked about the that trade say yes. If he can be had for less, than obviously you don't trade him, but if it is the only option, then I have to disagree with you that it is a coup. You are either massively underrating Love, or massively overrating Wiggins, or basing your idea purely on past trades for Melo etc.

[BobLoblaw]

Hey, if you consider that a coup than so be it. But a top10 player in the league, maybe even top5, and one the best big men in the game for an unproven #1 pick isn't a coup to me, regardless of past trades involving different teams and players. Just about every person I've heard or asked about the that trade say yes. If he can be had for less, than obviously you don't trade him, but if it is the only option, then I have to disagree with you that it is a coup. You are either massively underrating Love, or massively overrating Wiggins, or basing your idea purely on past trades for Melo etc.

You have to consider the assets side of basketball as well. There's much much more you have to consider when you look at trades than just "player A is better than player B." Market value, contract situation, a player wanting to stay with his team (and lots of other aspects that aren't as important in this case).

Love is a better player than Wiggins (for now anyway). But Love is not a better asset than Wiggins.

If I ask you what you would rather have as Minnesota's GM, (A) a top 10 player who's clearly going to leave in less than a year and who's already publicly discussing where he would like to play, or (B) Wiggins for the next 8 years (at least), I doubt you will sincerely tell me that you choose Love. I think you would tell me in a heartbeat that you would take Wiggins and you would be very very happy with it.

And yes, past trades are also important because they show the same thing. Those teams traded their superstars (including CP3, Dwight -- bigger superstars than Love at the time) for lesser assets than Wiggins. Wiggins is a better asset than CP3, Dwight, etc were at the time of their trades.

So yes, Wiggins is an absolute coup for Minnesota in my view. I they get him, it's a major win for them.

[imanshumpert]

DeMar, Ross and JV for Wiggins....

No, no, no, NO

Aaaaaaaannddd.....


NO!