NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz on Jimmy Butler Trade, Kevin Love and More
The NBA world is buzzing on all sides.
The first coaching change of the 2018-19 season occurred Sunday. If that spurs a teardown of the roster, it could mean a five-time All-Star will soon move to the trade market.
And let's not forget, a certain four-time All-Star is still awaiting his change of scenery more than a month after making his trade request.
Let's examine the latest.
Timberwolves Want Eric Gordon?
It hasn't always been easy to get a sense of the what the Minnesota Timberwolves covet in a Jimmy Butler trade. If anything, their biggest desire has seemed to be that the trade request somehow goes away without costing head coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau has favorite swingman.
This latest update, though, is more concrete.
League sources told ESPN's Malika Andrews that scoring guard Eric Gordon would "be mandatory" in any move that sends Butler to the Houston Rockets. Houston had recently put four future first-round picks, Marquese Chriss and Brandon Knight on the table, but Stadium's Shams Charania relayed the Wolves had "shown no inclination of moving" on the offer.
The problem seems to be that Houston put forth a forward-focused package, which would often interest a team being forced to part with its best player. But Minnesota—or at least Thibodeau—has a strong desire to remain competitive without Butler, hence the preference for 29-year-old Gordon over picks and a recent lottery prospect.
Of course, the Rockets are searching for what they hope will be the final piece that pushes them ahead of the Golden State Warriors. Butler might be a needle-mover in that sense, but his impact could change considerably whether he's joining an intact rotation or one now forced to cover up the 33-odd minutes formerly ticketed for Gordon.
But hey, at least this type of back-and-forth analysis feels something like a trade negotiation. Given how long Butler has waited in limbo, it must be promising to hear about a relatively realistic target for the Timberwolves.
Kevin Love the Centerpiece Of Possible Cavs' Teardown?
An 0-6 start cost former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue his job. It might soon propel the franchise into what many have felt was an inevitable rebuild to start the post-LeBron James era in earnest.
To be clear, the Cavs haven't reached that point yet.
"If they decide to blow it all up, I don't expect that decision to be made until we get close to the deadline," an executive told Sean Deveney of Sporting News. "They still think they can win."
But how much longer can they cling to that belief?
They're the only remaining winless team, and they might be in even worse shape than that sounds. They have yet to finish within six points of their opponents. Four of their six losses have been decided by double digits. On average, they're being trounced by a league-worst 12.6 points per 100 possessions.
With a glut of costly experiences left over from their LeBron's former supporting cast, this roster is screaming out for a change. If the Cavs start cutting costs, every pricey, experienced player might be up for grabs—including $120 million man Kevin Love, whom Deveney said "is expected to be the centerpiece if a talent dump happens."
Love's season has started on a disastrous note. He's been a dreadful shooter out of the gate (32.3 percent overall, 29.2 percent outside), and a nagging foot injury could keep him sidelined for some time.
But his healthy version shouldn't have trouble attracting suitors, even at his high pay rate. On his best days, he's a potent scorer from inside and out, an active rebounder and a clever distributor.
Cavs' Plan To Replace Ty Lue Hits Snag?
The Cavs felt they only needed six games to decide Lue's fate. One might think the quick trigger was indicative of a clear-cut succession plan behind the former skipper.
But it's not working out that way.
Preferred interim coach Larry Drew hasn't agreed to the position yet and reportedly wants a longer commitment before doing so, per Charania and ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski:
This seems like a smart leverage play on Drew's part. He might seal his own fate by wearing the interim label on an obvious rebuilder, so it's wise to ask for something more. This also probably isn't the most coveted opening at the moment with the roster stuck between two different eras.
That said, it will be interesting to see Cleveland's response.
The Cavs still haven't picked their direction yet, so it would be hard to commit to any coach. They also might want to see how this group responds to Drew, since his track record isn't the greatest (career 143-169 record).
So, even though Lue is out of the picture, it could take a little while before getting any clarity on the situation.
Statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com.
