Rumours
With the NBA season well and truly over, the rumour mill is well and under way, even with a possible lockout. Lets take a look at some of the rumours and see if they benefit each team or not:
Kevin Love + Number 2 Pick 2011 Draft for Pau Gasol
The topic of Pau Gasol and the Minnesota Timberwolves was discussed last week as the Wolves had apparent interest in the Los Angeles Laker All-Star forward
And apparently they DO have interest in Gasol, notably because of his relationship with guard Ricky Rubio, whom they will sign this week.
And with the Timberwolves stating earlier this year that they do want veteran players, could this trade take place? My advice for the Timberwolves: DON’T DO IT! Why? Because Kevin Love can become a great player maybe not Hall of Fame great but still a very good player, he’s better than Gasol at rebounding (15.2 compared with Gasol’s 10.2) and scoring (20.2 compared to Gasol’s 18.8) the only thing Gasol is better than Love at is Defence and he has more experience but he’s going to get more experience, he’s 22! And who’s to say he cant get better at defending further down the line? And trading the number 2 pick in the draft, yes it may be a very weak draft this year but there possibly getting a very versatile player in Derrick Williams who has a lot of size and athleticism and is a pretty good 3-point shooter (56.8% in college) who is sufficient cover for Beasley and Love and you never know he could become a starter in the future.
Trading all of that for a guy in his 30s who has (maybe) five good years left in him. They have free agency to get veteran player, Vince Carter this summer? Caron Butler? Kenyon Martin? They all have experience and can add quality from the bench.
No Deal!
Rudy Gay to the Cavs?
Gay is a tremendous player, no doubt about it. He’s a terrific scorer from everywhere on the court and has proven he can take and make the late shots in games. He also happens to be a true small forward. Gay fulfils many needs for Cleveland. His services, however, may come at too high a price. Not only would the Cavs be taking on nearly $70 million, the trade would also mean almost certainly passing on Derrick Williams and they would have to sacrifice the fourth overall pick in the trade, meaning the Cavs would also be forced to pass on probably Enes Kanter.
However I do like the idea of bringing in a veteran to add some stability to the team while they begin to grow into a contender once again. Antawn Jamison and Baron Davis won’t be around much longer, and the Cavs would be wise to use the trade exception to their advantage if possible. Giving up the fourth overall pick when it could very well yield Enes Kanter is a huge risk. It’s also evident that the Grizzlies would demand more.
I say, let them keep him. Memphis is in a good position now with their young core and early playoff success. Wait until the first offer comes in for restricted free agent Marc Gasol. Wait until the small market Grizzlies realize they have four large contract extensions with Gay, Zach Randolph, Mike Conley and Gasol and may need to unload a little salary to avoid losing the franchise money. Wait until Memphis decides to pick up the phone and make the call, looking for a taker for one of their higher priced stars.
No Deal!
Andre Iguodala for Chris Kaman?
However it is being widely reported that the 76ers want more than just Kaman in return for their franchise player. The Clippers are in a very good position as they have one of the best up-and-coming duos in the league with Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon, good potential in DeAndre Jordan, Eric Bledsoe and Al-Farouq Aminu, as well as cap space and an unprotected 2012 first-round pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 76ers are aided from this too as trading Iguodala means Thaddeus Young moving into his natural position of SF, thus meaning more playing time for Evan Turner at SG, because last year the 76ers played Young at PF, Iggy at SF and Brand at Centre but if the trade happens then Young will go SF, Brand at PF and Kaman at Centre and this means a big change in there salary cap, for the better!
The Clippers also benefit from this deal, as Iguodala will add a wining mentality to the clippers and more talent(a lot more talent), the Clippers also want DeAndre Jordan to become there first choice Centre as they feel he is ready now to start 82 games for them at about 32minutes per game to start with. I would trade Aminu, Kaman and a 2nd round pick for Iggy because they have enough cover at the SF spot with Ryan Gomes and Jamario Moon plus Eric Gordon can play there if needed. But I would NOT under any circumstances trade the 2012 pick as this draft holds some good players, and I will be doing an article on those players, so watch out for that. I think with a bit of serious thinking on both sides this trade could happen.
Clippers: DEAL!
Content courtesy of Alex Green
