• Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.

Kevin Love - Miami Ground Machine

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

Is Kevin Love a Hero for Saving a Dog?

  • Yes

    Votes: 28 48.3%
  • Too Right!

    Votes: 2 3.4%
  • Hotter than Jimmy G

    Votes: 15 25.9%
  • Jim Chones

    Votes: 13 22.4%

  • Total voters
    58
Love has dealt with injuries going all the way back to his Minnesota days. It’s pretty much an annual thing with him. He’s soon to be 31, he’s not a strong defender, and he’s signed for 4 more years, which isn’t ideal if, as you say, he has 2-3 good years left.

I’m not trying to trash Kevin Love. He’s a real solid player, when healthy, and is more of a complimentary piece, at this stage of his career. The only teams that would be interested in him are contending teams in need a stretch-4. Off the top of my head, I can think of Portland, Denver, & Houston. Maybe Indiana. The two LA teams, Utah, & Boston could have interest, but they lack the pieces to make a deal work. Beyond that, I struggle to find a good fit.

I suspect that, as with JR Smith, what the Cavaliers think the asset is worth and the type of offers they are receiving is not in the same ballpark. That could improve if Love stays healthy and has a productive first half of the season.
As shown, Love has been fairly healthy. Yes, he misses games. But missing 20 games is not a negative, it's a positive. This is a long season. If a guy can miss 20 games and be healthy for the postseason, that's a win in the NBA.

Yes, he's 31. He had an under 60 in Minnesota and then one where he missed most games there. Since his last year in Minnesota, he has been available for a lot of games outside of last year - and general thought is he would've played a lot more last year on a playoff caliber team.

Some of his injuries have also been a bit freaky. There are not durability concerns and no really concerns about him having to prove himself. Him playing and being effective will only help his value. But he has value now.

I won't disagree that he will have the most value in February if he is healthy and pulling good numbers like 20/12 on a consistent basis. But teams are interested now without that proof.
 
As shown, Love has been fairly healthy. Yes, he misses games. But missing 20 games is not a negative, it's a positive. This is a long season. If a guy can miss 20 games and be healthy for the postseason, that's a win in the NBA.

Yes, he's 31. He had an under 60 in Minnesota and then one where he missed most games there. Since his last year in Minnesota, he has been available for a lot of games outside of last year - and general thought is he would've played a lot more last year on a playoff caliber team.

Some of his injuries have also been a bit freaky. There are not durability concerns and no really concerns about him having to prove himself. Him playing and being effective will only help his value. But he has value now.

I won't disagree that he will have the most value in February if he is healthy and pulling good numbers like 20/12 on a consistent basis. But teams are interested now without that proof.

A young girl pulled on his arm and it came out of its socket
 
As shown, Love has been fairly healthy. Yes, he misses games. But missing 20 games is not a negative, it's a positive. This is a long season. If a guy can miss 20 games and be healthy for the postseason, that's a win in the NBA.

Yes, he's 31. He had an under 60 in Minnesota and then one where he missed most games there. Since his last year in Minnesota, he has been available for a lot of games outside of last year - and general thought is he would've played a lot more last year on a playoff caliber team.

Some of his injuries have also been a bit freaky.
There are not durability concerns and no really concerns about him having to prove himself. Him playing and being effective will only help his value. But he has value now.

I won't disagree that he will have the most value in February if he is healthy and pulling good numbers like 20/12 on a consistent basis. But teams are interested now without that proof.

So he doesn't miss 20 games in a season, except for this one time...and another time...oh, wait, this one other time too, except that doesn't really count because tanking.*

Freaky injuries also happen to other players, and the most durable players still minimize their time missed from them and make up for it with availability at other times.

I'm as pro-KLove as probably a clear majority of this board, and was and am still in favor of the extension, but let's put proper context into our analysis of these things. It will help us understand thing like how there's probably a disconnect in our estimation of his trade return, and what other teams have seen.

This is like when we tried to defend previous Browns QBs in that they would've succeeded in this or that situation; the best QBs are able to succeed reasonably well in less-than-ideal situations.

*This can still be a legitimate reason, but still, 60 games missed is quite a lot, and is 3x more than the 20 threshold.
 
Last edited:
So he doesn't miss 20 games in a season, except for this one time...and another time...oh, wait, this one other time too, except that doesn't really count because tanking.*

Freaky injuries also happen to other players, and the most durable players still minimize their time missed from them and make up for it with availability at other times.

I'm as pro-KLove as probably a clear majority of this board, and was and am still in favor of the extension, but let's put proper context into our analysis of these things. It will help us understand thing like how there's probably a disconnect in our estimation of his trade return, and what other teams have seen.

This is like when we tried to defend previous Browns QBs in that they would've succeeded in this or that situation; the best QBs are able to succeed reasonably well in less-than-ideal situations.

*This can still be a legitimate reason, but still, 60 games missed is quite a lot, and is 3x more than the 20 threshold.
There is no disconnect.

I have bee talking to people from NBA teams all this week. His trade value is very high. This is not a fan guess. I have been with execs from all the major sports all week and we have been chatting. I work in the business.

I don't know of anyone directly pursuing him, but I do know teams like Portland, Miami, Houston, Dallas, and many others place a very high value on Love and feel that the media often underestimate his ability. These are people that talk directly with the decision makers when it comes to trades and player signings.

This is not my estimate. This is what NBA execs have told me. Granted, I work in production and the people here are Game Ops, but they know the personnel people in their org quite well. Most expect the price to acquire Love to be high and think for many teams it would be worthwhile, depending on their situation.

I can also tell you the Heat people are hearing no legit buzz in their org about getting Westbrook - they've heard they just don't have the ammo. And I heard the same thing from the OKC contingent.
 
I can also tell you the Heat people are hearing no legit buzz in their org about getting Westbrook - they've heard they just don't have the ammo. And I heard the same thing from the OKC contingent.
With Westbrook’s awful contract, the Heat have plenty of ammo. It really won’t take much to get him.

The Heat just don’t seem to want to give any of it up—including Adebayo and Herro (whom they just signed).
 
With Westbrook’s awful contract, the Heat have plenty of ammo. It really won’t take much to get him.

The Heat just don’t seem to want to give any of it up—including Adebayo and Herro (whom they just signed).

Heat have no ammo. They can only give 1 first round pick to OKC since OKC already owns their 21 and 23 firsts. 1 25 first + scraps ain't getting him. And since they are refusing to include Herro or to a lesser degree Bam (I don't think Bam is good) they don't have the ammo or true desire to add Westbrook.
 
Heat have no ammo. They can only give 1 first round pick to OKC since OKC already owns their 21 and 23 firsts. 1 25 first + scraps ain't getting him. And since they are refusing to include Herro or to a lesser degree Bam (I don't think Bam is good) they don't have the ammo or true desire to add Westbrook.
Heat will have to include some combination of Bam, Herro, & picks, if they want Wesrtbook. Otherwise, other teams can offer more and I see him ending up in Minnesota, Orlando, New Orleans, or Detroit. I wouldn’t discount Houston either, if they can find a third team to take CP3, which is a big if.
 
You guys are vastly overrating Westbrook's value around the league. I guarantee you, if they could get straight expiring money and ONE positive asset, they would take it.
 
Heat will have to include some combination of Bam, Herro, & picks, if they want Wesrtbook. Otherwise, other teams can offer more and I see him ending up in Minnesota, Orlando, New Orleans, or Detroit. I wouldn’t discount Houston either, if they can find a third team to take CP3, which is a big if.

I would think OKC would want Justise Winslow over Bam. Im not sure that's even enough. The Thunder are loaded with picks and I still think if the offers aren't good, that they just use a couple of those assets to build around Westbrook and ride it out. The bulk of those assets are years away and what they do in the next couple years doesn't really effect their rebuild if they want to hold off.

I think CP3 could end up on the Lakers if they are able to roll some of their contracts into bigger ones thru out the season. It might be the only place that would take him on at this point.
 
Heat will have to include some combination of Bam, Herro, & picks, if they want Wesrtbook. Otherwise, other teams can offer more and I see him ending up in Minnesota, Orlando, New Orleans, or Detroit. I wouldn’t discount Houston either, if they can find a third team to take CP3, which is a big if.

They don't have picks. You can only deal up to 2026 for picks right now. Miami already traded their 21 and 23. So they can't deal 20 22 24 so they can deal either their 25 or 26. Miami also has to give more money then they take back in a trade. Can't deal Leonard for 60 days. If Westbrook gets traded its not going to be to Miami.
 
They don't have picks. You can only deal up to 2026 for picks right now. Miami already traded their 21 and 23. So they can't deal 20 22 24 so they can deal either their 25 or 26. Miami also has to give more money then they take back in a trade. Can't deal Leonard for 60 days. If Westbrook gets traded its not going to be to Miami.
They can remove protections from the 2023 pick, which is currently lottery protected.
 
They can remove protections from the 2023 pick, which is currently lottery protected.

Does making Miami better benefit OKC? They also own their 21 first unprotected which is suppose to be the double draft. If Heat have Jimmy and Westbrook during the 20-21 season they will still be competitive. OKC would have to weigh if the 23rd unprotected is worth a lesser pick in 21. I don't think it is. Westbrook may want Miami but OKC has zero reason to send him there for a pick in 25 and them removing protections on another pick.
 
Does making Miami better benefit OKC? They also own their 21 first unprotected which is suppose to be the double draft. If Heat have Jimmy and Westbrook during the 20-21 season they will still be competitive. OKC would have to weigh if the 23rd unprotected is worth a lesser pick in 21. I don't think it is. Westbrook may want Miami but OKC has zero reason to send him there for a pick in 25 and them removing protections on another pick.

Also the 2023 pick is the year both Westbrook and Butler are on expiring deals. Miami won't have any incentive to tank and they will flip those contracts for players to get them to win. Don't the Heat talk about how they never tank?
 

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Video

Episode 3-13: "Backup Bash Brothers"

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Spotify

Episode 3:11: "Clipping Bucks."
Top