A Look Back at the Kevin Love Trade
By Jack Allen
The Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Philadelphia 76ers made a 3 way trade earlier this month. Minnesota received Anthony Bennett, Andrew Wiggins, Thaddeus Young and $6.3 Million. The 76ers received a 1st round pick, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, and Alexey Shved. And of course, Cleveland landed Kevin Love. Kevin Love for the last six years has been the face of the T-Wolves franchise, but now joins up with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving in what the players are calling, “The Land.” Kevin Love has never played in a playoff game in his career and neither has Kyrie Irving. I can honestly say that I believe in LeBron and the Cavs starting five through the regular season to finish atop the Eastern Conference. When it comes to playoff time, will Kevin Love and the rest of the Cavaliers be ready? Due to lack of experience Im seeing a first round exit to possibly the Hawks, Knicks or the Nets. Each of those teams have playoff experience and aren’t projected to place at the top of the conference, but can compete with top teams.
As for the 76ers, I don’t think they are close to being a top team yet, and they’ll probably finish in the cellar similar to last season. They have a very bright future with young blue chip prospects such as Nerlens Noel, Michael Carter-Williams, and their latest 1st rounder, Joel Embiid. The Sixers will probably have the opportunity to draft another top prospect and only then will they be ready for a possible playoff-birth in a year from now. Looking at this season though, it’s going to be a rough time for Sixers fans as they watch their team struggle through their schedule in a deep rebuild.
Finally, the T-Wolves. With a completely new look, I already think that they’ll contend to reach the playoffs. It would mark the first time since the 2003-04 season that the Timberwolves were in the playoffs, when they lost to the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. They likely should make the playoffs this season, led by the young guns of Andrew Wiggins, Thaddeus Young, Anthony Bennett, and Zach LaVine, in addition to Ricky Rubio. With a motivated and passionate fan base, the team is primed for a return to playing basketball in late April into May. I’m predicting that Andrew Wiggins will win rookie of the year and will be the leader of the team. Not once had they made it to the playoffs with Love, but with the core that they have now, the Timberwolves will be good for a long time in the NBA. They should start off the next few years in the middle of the pack with early playoff exits, but two seasons down the road they’ll be definite title contenders if they can keep their core players. I’d say that the Timberwolves were the real winners of this trade but it should be fun to see how it plays out!
The rest of the NBA must watch out for the young core the T’Wolves have built. (From Left: Bennett, Wiggins, Young, LaVine) (Via Timberwolves)
Jack Allen is a writer for dabuzzza.com. He is a fan of the New York Mets, New York Islanders, New York Knicks, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners, Queens Park Rangers, and West Virginia Mountaineer football and basketball. His favorite athletes are David Wright, John Tavares, Geno Smith, Allen Iverson and Charlie Austin. He is a very passionate and determined fan. You can follow him on twitter @JackAllen99.
LeBron Agrees to Deal with Cleveland Cavaliers
By Brett Malamud
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Kingdom is restored. LeBron James has agreed to rejoin the Cleveland Cavaliers. The move was made official on Lebron James’ Instagram today. The Akron native LeBron has some unfinished business to take care of, as he never won a title with Cleveland in the seven seasons that he was there. He will team up with a championship caliber lineup that includes Kyrie Irving and Andrew Wiggins. It should be interesting to see how the fans treat LeBron. The way he turned on the Cavs four years ago will not be easily forgotten by the fans. But I still believe that they’ll welcome him back with open arms.
All in all, the Cavs are back. And they’ll be better than they ever were.
LeBron is back in Cleveland and will try to finish what he started.
Brett Malamud is a Computer Science Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy
The Three Major Questions Heading Into Tonight’s NBA Draft Plus Mock Draft 2014
By Nick Guy
- What will Cleveland do?
The choices seem to be down to three: Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins or Trade out. While nobody would ever imagine trading out of the first pick in a draft where there are such high ceiling players, we ARE talking about the Cavs. One rumor has the Orlando Magic offering the 4th and 12th picks plus scoring forward Aron Afflalo. If Cleveland is truly in love with Joel Embiid this might make some sense as they could try to add Embiid with the 4th pick and add a second lottery pick and a good player in return. On the other hand if Embiid’s injury problems are chronic and Wiggins or Parker turn out to be…well you know the rest. As for Parker, there are rumors swirling that he wants no part of Cleveland and would be much happier in Milwaukee. If I am the Cavs I would not listen to anyone or anything and just take the best player, pair him with Kyrie Irving and move on. In my eyes that would be Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins has the most upside of anyone in the draft and will be a future star in the league.
- Where will Joel Embiid land?
Is Embiid’s injury bad timing or good timing? Depends who you ask. I would say bad timing for Joel Embiid but maybe lucky timing for the Cavs? As the draft banter has progressed in the last month or so all I kept hearing was Embiid was going first to the Cavs who were drooling at his potential. My thoughts? Always take the best player which to me means Andrew Wiggins 1st, Jabari Parker 2nd and Joel Embiid 3rd. I wondered if Cavs management had been stuck in a cave for the past 30 years and never heard the stories of Sam Bowie and Michael Jordan or Greg Oden and Kevin Durant? Is it possible they would pass on Wiggins and Parker to pick the injury prone big man with potential? Bad timing for Philly who at pick number 3 had to be giddy in thinking the Cavs would leave them Wiggins or Parker. How lucky can Cleveland be? First they come all the way up to win the lottery and snag the 1st pick and then an injury might actually force them to take the best player? WOW!! With that said, please understand that this is not to denigrate Joel Embiid who is an exceptional prospect. Just not the top prospect. So where does he land? I think the highest spot he could go is 3rd. The 76ers will choose between Embiid and Dante Exum or possibly maneuver within the top 6 or 7 with someone who will take a shot at Embiid. I don’t think he will last past Boston at number 6 and the teams most involved seem to be the 76ers, Celtics, Lakers and Magic.
Look for Joel Embiid to go in that 3-6 range in tonight’s NBA Draft (Via USA Today)
- How will LeBron and Melo’s free agency impact the draft?
When you are chasing free agents of this magnitude there are always two things to remember. First, the more cap room you have the better off you are and second, only one team gets them and the rest are left in limbo. So what does this mean for the draft? Teams will look to couple expiring deals with draft picks to create room for marquee names. The Lakers have already offered #7 with Steve Nash’s contract to suitors. The Bulls are looking to offload their 2 first rounders with Carlos Boozer to fit a max guy. Houston, Miami and OKC are all looking at moving out of the bottom of the first round and into the top of the second round where contracts are not guaranteed. The NBA draft has become a chess board where cap space has become more valuable than a mid level prospect. Expect to see at least a half dozen and potentially more first round picks move tonight. All the movement will be designed to free up valuable space and the beneficiaries of that could be teams like Philly, Utah, Detroit, Phoenix, Cleveland and Milwaukee. Those are the key teams that will have the maneuverability to add a player with an expiring contract without trading one away plus get a sweetener in return. Should be a very interesting night.
And now Mock Draft 2014
I will not include trades but I expect at least 6 or 7 and maybe as many as 10 or 12 before the night is over.
1. CLEVELAND- Andrew Wiggins-Kansas
2. MILWAUKEE- Jabari Parker-Duke
3. PHILADELPHIA- Dante Exum-Australia
4. ORLANDO- Joel Embiid- Kansas
5. UTAH- Noah Vonleh-Indiana
6. BOSTON- Doug McDermott-Creighton
7. LA LAKERS- Marcus Smart-Oklahoma State
8. SACRAMENTO- Aaron Gordon- Arizona
9.CHARLOTTE- Nik Stauskas-Michigan
10.PHILADELPHIA-Julius Randle-Kentucky
11. DENVER- James Young-Kentucky
12. ORLANDO-Elfrid Payton-Louisiana Lafayette
13. MINNESOTA- Rodney Hood- Duke
14. PHOENIX- Dario Saric- Croatia
15. ATLANTA- Zach Lavine-UCLA
16. CHICAGO- Gary Harris- Michigan St
17. BOSTON-Jusuf Nurkic- Bosnia
18. PHILADELPHIA- Kyle Anderson –UCLA
19. CHICAGO-Adreian Payne- Michigan State
20. TORONTO- Tyler Ennis- Syracuse
21. OKLAHOMA CITY- Jerami Grant- Syracuse
22. MEMPHIS- Shabazz Napier- UCONN
23. UTAH- Mitch McGary- Michigan
24.CHARLOTTE- TJ Warren-NC State
25.HOUSTON- Jordan Adams-UCLA
26. MIAMI- Patric Young- Florida
27. PHOENIX- KJ McDaniels-Clemson
28. LA CLIPPERS- PJ Hairston_ Texas Legends
29. OKLAHOMA CITY- Cleanthony Early- Wichita State
30. SAN ANTONIO-Clint Capela- Switzerland
This Weekend in College Basketball
Recapping the most important news from this past weekend
By Jared Bursky
Future Stars Make Their Decision
Last Tuesday, we were able to get a glimpse of how dynamic freshmen can make an immediate impact in college basketball. We also saw extraordinary talents in Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker and Julius Randle who represent the future of the NBA. Five ranked teams were in action Friday, including number one to be Michigan State, but that was hardly on the minds of many college basketball fans. Friday featured seismic announcements from four of the top high school basketball recruits in the country.
Committed to Duke
1. Jahlil Okafor (6-10, 265) ESPN 100 # 1
Chicago, Illinois
Whitney Young H.S.
Center/ Power Forward
2. Tyus Jones (6-1, 171) ESPN 100 # 4
Apple Valley, Minnesota
Apple Valley High School
Point Guard
Analysis
Duke will be loaded next year with Okafor and Jones coming in as a package deal. They are the perfect compliments. A pass first, true point guard and a dominant low post big man along with returners mean big things for Duke next year.
Jahlil Okafor and Tyrus Jones both chose Duke on Friday (Via ESPN, IconSMI)
Committed to Kansas
1. Cliff Alexander (6-8, 225) ESPN 100 #3
Chicago, Illinois
Curie High School
Power Forward
Analysis
Illinois or Kansas? His choice was Kansas, but not before he mistakenly picked up the Illinois hat at first at his announcement. You know this one is hurting in Champagne, Illinois but for now, Kansas will plan on doing great things with Alexander.
Committed to Arizona
1. Stanley Johnson (6-6, 220) ESPN 100 #9
Fullerton, California
Mater Dei High School
Small Forward
Analysis
Arizona got Aaron Gordon in last year’s recruiting class, now they have another stud to follow. Johnson is a great scorer and has the tools to make an immediate impact in an Arizona program that seems to be back near the top.
Friday Action
MSU Survives Columbia
Michigan State, coming off a huge win in Chicago against #1 Kentucky, struggled with a tricky Columbia squad for thirty-five minutes. The Spartans were able to pull away in the final minutes and finished with a 64-53 win. The fact that this game was this close is shocking.
Saturday Action
Wisconsin Rallies against Green Bay
The Badgers overcame a seven point second half deficit to defeat Green Bay on Saturday. Green Bay junior Keifer Sykes scored a career high 32 points but it wasn’t enough against Wisconsin, who was lead by Frank Kaminsky’s 17 points.
Battle of Defense: #10 Ohio State shuts down #17 Marquette
52-35? Sounds like Peyton Manning just lead the Broncos to a win. However, Ohio State limited Marquette to 35 points due primarily to the great performance of Aaron Craft (10pts 7 reb 10ast 2stl). Marquette shot just 19% from the field in the defensive struggle.
Sunday Action (Upset City Edition)
Indiana State over #21 Notre Dame
The Sycamores had five players score in double figures as their balanced attack outlasted Notre Dame 83-70 in South Bend. Notre Dame received solid production from their starters but the bench could not contribute much as the Irish were sent to their first loss.
Belmont shocks #12 North Carolina
Another upset on the road. Belmont went into Chapel Hill and defeated the Tar Heels 83-80 on the shoulders off J.J. Mann (28 points). UNC got a terrific effort from James Michael McAdoo who had 27 points and 13 rebounds. This was one of three home losses on the day for teams in the ACC.
#7 Michigan Falls in Ames
Not that this was not an upset; Michigan is a very good team, but Iowa State does have something brewing in Ames. #7 Michigan’s Mitch McGary made his season debut Sunday but in a losing effort, as the Cyclones defeated them 77-70. Melvin Ejim led Iowa State with 22 points.
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Jared Bursky is a freshman Physical Education major at SUNY Cortland. He was a Captain and starter for his high school basketball team and is pursuing coaching basketball at either the high school or college level. He roots for the Isles, Yanks, Jets, and Knicks but his favorite sport to watch is college basketball. You can follow him on twitter at @jbhoops10
Tuesday Preview: The Champions Classic
By Jared Bursky
How great is it that the Final Four begins tonight? Hold on a minute. It’s only November 12th. You would hardly know with the matchups in Chicago tonight. At 7:30 #1 Kentucky takes on #2 Michigan State, followed by #4 Duke and #5 Kansas, in what may be a preview of this year’s Final Four. Here is what you should be looking for in the two matchups:
#1 Kentucky v. #2 Michigan State (7:30 ESPN)
Quick Notes
- The game will be the earliest ever matchup between #1 and #2. Previously the earliest was November 29th.
- Kentucky’s freshman class, regarded by many as the best class ever, battles against its first ranked opponent.
For Michigan State to win it must:
TAKE CARE OF THE BALL. Michigan State opening the season with major problems in the turnover department has seemed to become an annual event. Oddly, as March approaches these problems are typically solved, but to beat a team with the talent of Kentucky, turnovers cannot happen. Easy baskets will feed confidence to this young Wildcat team, and that’s when they will really start rolling. Michigan State needs to be efficient on offense lead by the evolving Keith Appling on the point guard position. Making life tough on Kentucky may show their inexperience.
For Kentucky to win it must:
REBOUND. We all know Michigan State will rebound at a high rate on both sides of the ball. Kentucky’s toughness will be tested most on the boards. For the Wildcats to win, they MUST compete on the boards, especially on the defensive end. If Michigan State imposes its will on the offensive boards, Kentucky will have a hard time. Extra possessions for the likes of Harris and Payne are bad news. The Wildcats have the athletes to rebound effectively, but with their inexperience, they have yet to see a machine like they will see tonight. Expect the team that controls the boards to have the inside track to win this game.
Key Matchup:
Branden Dawson/Adreian Payne vs. Julius Randle
Randle is undoubtedly the pulse of this Kentucky team, posting double-doubles in both of his first two games. If Michigan State can contain him and make him work on the defensive end it can be successful. On the flip side, if Randle gets into a rhythm early and attacks the boards like he has been, Kentucky could build confidence early and turn that into success.
X Factors:
Michigan State- Keith Appling, PG: This year will be Appling’s third year at the point. Entering his sophomore year he transitioned from the off guard position. If he can take care of the ball, provide some scoring, and distribute to Harris and Payne, Michigan State can come out of Chicago with a win.
Kentucky- Willie Cauley-Stein and Dakari Johnson, C: One seven foot center is dangerous, who knows what the possibilities are when a team has two. Kentucky does. You know Izzo wants to establish his guys in the paint early. If these two can provide rebounding and rim protection, Kentucky will be in great shape.
#4 Duke v. #5 Kansas (9:30 ESPN)
Quick Notes
- Coach K 3 – Bill Self 0: Self has lost all three matchups against Duke.
- Another 1 v 2: Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker, the top two recruits coming into this year, battle for the first time at the college level.
For Duke to win it must:
APPLY PRESSURE ON THE BALL. Kansas has an inexperienced backcourt with Duke being the exact opposite. Quinn Cook and Tyler Thornton need to make life hard for Kansas’ guards. Duke once again has an uncanny ability to make shots from beyond the arc. Open looks for Jabari Parker, Rodney Hood, Cook and Thornton would prove to be a nightmare for Kansas. If Duke pressures the ball to create turnovers and bad possessions, the running game and three point shot could get going early and often. Duke also does not have Mason Plumlee as a rim protector anymore. They do not have great size in the frontcourt. Preventing easy entries into the post will be critical to Coach K and the Blue Devils
For Kansas to win it must:
HAVE SECONDARY SCORING. Kansas cannot rely on Andrew Wiggins to carry them. Duke will attack in waves with different players. Having point guard Naadir Tharpe back from a one game suspension will surely help the Jayhawks, but Kansas needs a group effort. Cue Perry Ellis and Tarik Black. Ellis really started to come on toward the end of last season while Tarik Black, a transfer from Memphis, has the potential to dominate a game in the paint. If Kansas can feed these two guys on the block and score early, Kansas can open up opportunities for Wiggins and fellow freshman Wayne Seldon Jr. to make plays.
Key Matchup:
Andrew Wiggins vs. Jabari Parker
Hold on a minute. We get to see #1 and #2 play at 7:30, and it might get better at 9:30? Wiggins and Parker may be the BEST matchup of individuals we will see all year long. Parker was the number one recruit for so long until Wiggins skyrocketed past him. Does a small rivalry exist here? Maybe. What we do know is that two of the best freshmen and players in America will matchup against each other tonight in Chicago, and the winner of this matchup puts his team in a great position to get a meaningful early season win. This is a must see, period.
Wiggins and Parker will go head to head in this early season matchup (Via USA Today Sports)
X Factors:
Duke- The Bigs: Discounting Parker whose versatility will have him in different spots, Duke’s big men accounted for only 15 of its 111 points in its opening game win vs. Davidson. Amile Jefferson and Josh Hairston in particular, need to provide rebounding, toughness, and more offensive output. With incredible scoring and versatility from its guards, Duke will cruise if this happens.
Kansas- Andrew White III, G/F: This 6-6, 210 sophomore chipped in 12 points in Kansas’ first game. More importantly he nailed 3-5 attempts from beyond the arc. Kansas does not have a bevy of shooters to rely on, so if White can come off the bench and make shots, pressure will be taken off the shoulders of Wiggins. If White is in rhythm and Kansas decides to attack from the inside out, Tarik Black and Perry Ellis will have a great spot up option to kick out to.
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Jared Bursky is a freshman Physical Education major at SUNY Cortland. He was a Captain and starter for his high school basketball team and is pursuing coaching basketball at either the high school or college level. He roots for the Isles, Yanks, Jets, and Knicks but his favorite sport to watch is college basketball. You can follow him on twitter at @jbhoops10
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