The Warriors are interested in Love, but want to keep Thompson. (USATSI)
More Offseason Analysis: Coaching changes, news | Free Agency | Draft
The Golden State Warriors, one of the teams Kevin Love is reportedly interested in, could immediately become title contenders based on talent if they acquired him. They would need to do so without completely gutting their growing core, though, and Golden State doesn't want to include shooting guard Klay Thompson in a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to the Bay Area News Group's Marcus Thompson:
Ideally, the Warriors could pull it off with a package of [David] Lee, forward Harrison Barnes and the 2015 draft pick. That's probably the best the Warriors could offer.
A team source said the Warriors don't want to give up Klay Thompson to land Love. Draymond Green doesn't make enough to impact the trade financially. That leaves Barnes, whom the Warriors stuck by during his sophomore slump.
Perhaps Barnes and Green, in tandem, would qualify as enough young talent to pair with Lee -- but that's giving up too much as Green has proved invaluable off the bench. Maybe the Warriors could get their hands on another first-round pick to bolster their offer.
It makes sense to start negotiations there. If the Warriors can somehow add Love and keep Thompson, just imagine that offense. Stephen Curry, Thompson and Love all on the perimeter, launching threes? Recently hired head coach Steve Kerr could run just about anything and it'd work well. That doesn't mean Golden State should flat-out refuse to talk about trading the 24-year-old shooting guard, though.
Thompson is a valuable player, one the Wolves should probably demand if they are going to send Love to the Warriors. He makes 42 percent of his threes and can use his size and strength on defense. He could have All-Star appearances in his future and he's in Team USA's talent pool. He is not, however, the same caliber of player as Kevin Love.
Despite the fact that Love has never made it to the postseason in Minnesota, he's a superstar, a franchise-changing player. Pairing him with Curry would be devastating for opposing defenses, and Golden State must seriously consider any deal centered around David Lee and young players. Even if one of the young players is Thompson.
Basketball Hot News
Lottery hands Cleveland Cavaliers No. 1 pick in NBA Draft. Again.
It’s on new GM David Griffin not to blow this one.
For the second year in a row the Cleveland Cavaliers have won the NBA Draft Lottery and will select No. 1 in the upcoming NBA Draft (June 26). The Cavaliers won the lottery with the ninth-best odds — they had a 1.7 percent chance of getting the top pick. But the basketball gods like them. The Milwaukee Bucks will draft No. 2, the Philadelphia 76ers third.
All are assured a top flight player — likely one of Joel Embiid, Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker. At least so long as Griffin doesn’t go off the rails with his pick like his predecessor.
This is the third time the Cavaliers will select No. 1 since LeBron James left them for Miami (the past four years). That’s a lot of Karma (and they didn’t need Dan Gilbert’s son Nick on the podium this year, it was Griffin).
The Cavs had the top pick last year and in a down draft then GM Chris Grant surprised everyone by selecting Anthony Bennett of UNLV, a guy who was injured and was already considered a project. He had just about as bad a rookie year one could have, with a PER of 1.1 midway through the season that climbed all the way up to a “not sure this guy lasts in the D-League” 6.9 by the end of the season.
But they have some interesting pieces, starting with Kyrie Irving (who will get a max contract extension this summer and he will sign it). Guys like Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson can be rotation players. This might spur Luol Deng or Spencer Hawes, two free agents, to consider staying. The Cavs have an open coaching vacancy that just got a lot more attractive.
The biggest loser with the Cavaliers leapfrogging everyone is the Detroit Pistons — by falling one spot from the No. 8 slot their pick goes to the Charlotte Bobcats, part of the Ben Gordon-Corey Maggette trade. Stan Van Gundy did not bring the Pistons luck.
Here is the first round draft order for the 2014 NBA Draft.
1. Cleveland
2. Milwaukee
3. Philadelphia
4. Orlando
5. Utah
6. Boston
7. Los Angeles Lakers
8. Sacramento
9. Charlotte (via Detroit)
10. Philadelphia (via New Orleans)
11. Denver
12. Orlando (from New York via Denver)
13. Minnesota
14. Phoenix
The rest of the draft (non-lottery):
15. Atlanta
16. Chicago (via Charlotte)
17. Boston (via Brooklyn
18. Phoenix (via Washington)
19. Chicago
20. Toronto
21. Oklahoma City (via Dallas, Houston and LA Lakers)
22. Memphis
23. Utah (via Golden State)
24. Charlotte (via Portland)
25. Houston
26. Miami
27. Phoenix (via Indiana)
28. LA Clippers
29. Oklahoma City
30. San Antonio
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