Bulls making renewed push for Kevin Love

[jonathanlambert33]

The Cleveland Cavaliers are firmly in the lead to acquire Kevin Love but the Chicago Bulls are making a renewed push to get into the trade mix for the All-Star power forward, according to sources close to the process.

Sources told ESPN.com the Cavs are increasingly optimistic that they are progressing toward a trade framework that the Minnesota Timberwolves will accept in exchange for Love to pair him with his Team USA teammate LeBron James.

Cleveland's offer, sources said, would be headlined by No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins, 2013's No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett and a future first-round pick. At least one more player might have to added to the package to satisfy NBA trade rules.

Sources say that the Bulls, though, have re-entered the race and would appear to be the biggest threats to the Cavs, thanks largely to the Golden State Warriors' resolute unwillingness to add longtime Wolves target Klay Thompson in any deal.

Although the full extent of the Bulls' offer wasn't immediately known, it is believed Minnesota would seek a package from Chicago featuring forward Taj Gibson and defensive ace Jimmy Butler in addition to other assets. The Bulls shelved their Love interest while trying to sign Carmelo Anthony away from the New York Knicks but, according to sources, have re-emerged as contenders.

http://m.espn.go.com/nba/story?storyId=11247946&src=desktop&rand=ref~%7B%22ref%22%3A%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reddit.com%2Fr%2Fnba%2Fnew%2F%22%7D&ex_cid=sportscenterFB

 

[elcheato]

I posted it in the NBA thread, but there is a no way the Cavs have offered Wiggins if the Wolves are still taking offers.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

To me you have to take into account what Minnesota really wants. Maybe we can sit here and say nobody can beat Cleveland's offer, but if Saunders truly wants to still be competitive (retool instead of rebuild if you will) like reports indicate then I could see where a package of Gibson, Butler and more can be enticing. Or Klay, Lee, and more, etc.

And maybe Cleveland has offered Wiggins but Minnesota isn't really excited about what else would come their way. Maybe they don't want to take on the salary that Bennett is owed, like I suggested a few weeks ago. Maybe that pick isn't really enticing because Minnesota knows it will be late first round. Lots of scenarios.

 

[elcheato]

I don't believe that Flip is dead set on being competitive. He's foolish if that was his stance. I think it's also important to note that he use to work for ESPN. It's obvious where ESPN is getting leaks from on the Kevin Love situation.
 
I just don't see Flip declining an offer including Wiggins and still looking around, that would be so idiotic. The #1 pick in a draft is one of the most valuable commodities a team can ever have. 4 years on a rookie scale contract, and supreme control with RFA after the fact, on a player who you expect to be a star.
 
Again, I don't believe the Cavs have offered Wiggins, but if they did and Flip said he still had to look around, I'd pull the offer immediately.

 

[elcheato]

By the way, I don't remember who reported it/said it, but someone said the Wolves do want Bennett. You know what you're talking about 100% of the time, you really do. I don't think anyone knows more about the NBA on here then you, but you're wrong about this Bennett situation with him having zero/little value because of his contract.

 

[elcheato]

Also, what more could the Bulls really be offering than they were a month ago? They can't move Mirotic for a month now. In reading between the lines, I think this is all just Flip trying to get the Cavs to offer Wiggins (or just increase their offer).
 
Everyone was talking about the Cavs holding off on signing Wiggins so they could include him in trades right away. I think it's the opposite, and that they were waiting to sign him because they know it would be almost impossible to match salaries on deals for Kevin Love that included Wiggins with a dollar value of $0. If they had signed him right away, they would be in position to trade him at $5.5 million real soon here, but they haven't even done that yet.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

Well I mean I think you said it yourself earlier, it's earlier. Even if Cleveland did offer Wiggins they would have to wait 30 days. So that's the same situation you mentioned with Mirotic.

And if you had to wait 30 days to make a move official, which GM wouldn't take that opportunity to keep looking? I don't think this indicates Cleveland hasn't offered Wiggins, rather it's Saunders doing his due diligence just like he should be doing.

 

[elcheato]

If they had offered Wiggins, why would they be waiting so long to sign him? The only reason would be to hold onto 1.5 million on cap space we have, but that's nothing. His cap hold is about 1 million lower than his expected first year salary, so technically they'd still be under the cap anyway, if that mattered.
 
Taj Gibson is in his 30s, and Jimmy Butler can't shoot. Their renewed interest has to do with the Cavs having a beatable offer.
 
edit: Taj Gibson isn't actually in his 30s, but he is 29.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

If they had offered Wiggins, why would they be waiting so long to sign him? The only reason would be to hold onto 1.5 million on cap space we have, but that's nothing. His cap hold is about 1 million lower than his expected first year salary, so technically they'd still be under the cap anyway, if that mattered.
 
Taj Gibson is in his 30s, and Jimmy Butler can't shoot. Their renewed interest has to do with the Cavs having a beatable offer.

It's not as easy as just signing a guy like people believe. Yes the league had a salary scale, but it still leaves room for a agent and GM to haggle back and forth to get better deals for each side. Then there's the language in the contract, still have to discuss bonuses, etc.

And 1.5M can still get you a solid player, especially with the vets that want to come to Cleveland. Then the exceptions once that money is gone, etc.

 

[elcheato]

 
The Cleveland Cavaliers are pursuing trade components to include as part of a package with Minnesota to acquire All-Star forward Kevin Love, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Cleveland's discussions with Minnesota have escalated with the Cavaliers' willingness to include No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins in the deal, sources said. Without Wiggins, there's no other combination of Cleveland players and picks that would interest Minnesota. Once Wiggins signs his rookie contract, a trade involving him can't be formally completed for 30 days.

The Cavaliers are working to obtain non-guaranteed contracts that could be a part of a package for Love, allowing the Cavaliers to deliver players that could be released immediately upon completion of a deal, sources said. This would give Minnesota salary-cap relief as part of a trade.

The Denver Nuggets have remained a strong contender for Love, offering a package that sources said has been the most appealing to Minnesota outside of the Cavaliers and a possible Golden State deal including Klay Thompson. So far, the Warriors have kept Thompson out of their offer to Minnesota.

Minnesota wants a package for Love to include guard J.J. Barea, who has $4.5 million left on his expiring deal – and possibly guard Kevin Martin, who has three years and $21 million left. As part of a larger deal, the Cavaliers want to include 2013 No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett and a future No. 1 pick for Love.

The Cavaliers have been offering future first-round picks for an experienced center, league sources said.

Love has demanded a trade before the start of next season, threatening to opt-out of his contract in July 2015 to sign elsewhere as a free agent.

Now, the second bolded part would be what makes me believe Wiggins might be in offers. If they're offering draft picks for a center, my guess would be because Varejao's contract could be involved in an offer to the Twolves, which would match contracts rather easily..

 

[elcheato]

https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/491663652454686720
 
I will never forgive these assclowns if they trade Wiggins, EVEN IF THERES A FIRE

 

[jonathanlambert33]

Gotta give credit to Dell Demps for his forward thinking and not being in the position the Cavs are in with trying to acquire contracts they once had.

 

[elcheato]

Eh, the Cavs were the team that started this trend of actively going out and getting non guaranteed contracts. It's not as if we wasted all of ours (because we had 3 of them that we've moved in the past few months). Bynum was used to get Deng (okay, that was kind of a waste), Hopson & Gee were used to get Haywood's 10 million dollar non-guranteed deal for next year so we can improve without cap space (trades with teams trying to avoid lux tax, natural S&T partner as well), and they both had to go to open up cap for LeBron. The position we're in now was unavoidable. It would be nice to have more non- guaranteed deals to move, but we moved 2 in a very shrewd move with next year in mind, and moved the other one last year to try to make the playoffs 
 
We have Varejao's half non-guaranteed deal as well, but LeBron wouldn't stand for him being moved.

 

[bosoxlover12]

If y'all want non guaranteed contracts, we'd love to give you Bogans for another 1st round draft pick

$5.3M non guaranteed contract? Mhmm

 

[RipCity32]

This would make more sense if they didn't just sign Pau.

 

[elcheato]

If y'all want non guaranteed contracts, we'd love to give you Bogans for another 1st round draft pick

$5.3M non guaranteed contract? Mhmm

Cavs can't match salaries on that.

 

[dcpwner]

This would make more sense if they didn't just sign Pau.

Not really...I don't think having Pau would make our FO turn their backs on KLove if the opportunity arose to acquire him. I see this scenario in which Flip idiotically chooses to retool instead of rebuild where the Bulls can put Mirotic or even Pau on the table for Love more towards the deadline so the Wolves could then maximize their time with Love and flesh out all potential suitors for a trade...this is all pretty much a pipe dream of mine wherein the Cavs don't just become the Heat all over again

 

[elcheato]

He's trying to get more out of the Cavs is all. They're going to agree in principal to a trade soon, and it will be official when Wiggins can be traded