Boston, the Lakers (twice) and the Heat (twice) all essentially had three max guys (KG/Ray/PP, Kobe/Pau/Bynum and Bosh/Wade/Bron). They all managed to continue attracting free agents (ring chasers) and making decent draft picks in some cases. Those three teams also account for four more Finals appearances in which they lost. So, um, what exactly are we criticizing here? And what are they going to do with this magnificent "flexibility" between now and the time Wiggins gets his max deal? Maybe sign a player like Kevin Love, if they are insanely lucky.



>But this is also where you get to -- is Bennett in the deal?
>Thompson? Because while I don't expect either to be Kevin
>Love, they could still show real progression playing alongside
>LBJ.

Two guys that play the same position as each other and kinda sorta the same one as LeBron or Love? Who gives a shit? Bennett was a colossal bust in year one and what he does in summer league means shit to me. Guys like Waiters and Thompson will be solid pros but are they deal-breakers in a trade like this? I could see some reservation on Bennett if you seriously value his potential, but not enough to hold up the deal. Obviously the core of this deal is good for both teams, now, as I said, it's a battle to see who comes out ahead in peripheral assets. That said, they are still peripheral.

Wiggins is the center-piece, sure, but that's where
>you're left with the question of how serious a contender is
>left once Love arrives. Wiggins backstops LBJ, offers a
>bridge to the future, Thompson or Bennett COULD make Love less
>of a dire need. That's part of the flexibility you sacrifice
>flexibility, too...

What has either of those guys done to prove they are ready to play for a contender right now? Fucking nothing. This is not about asset management, if it were, you might be right. But it's not, it's about winning and it's about winning immediately. There is no reason to wait when you have the best player in the league. Would someone have taken this attitude if Michael Jordan went to some team like the Timberwolves when he came back the first time? Of course not, they would have immediately tooled up with veterans, especially if a star in his prime were magically available.


>Kevin Love only plays one side of the floor. Wiggins might be
>ANYTHING, in what world is trading away supposedly the best
>draft prospect in years before he even plays a minute anything
>less than rash?

In how many "years" are we talking? Two? He is very promising but I wouldn't say he is like heads above Anthony Davis. Do you think Wiggins is clearly going to be a better player than Love? How could anyone believe that, Love is a top 20 player in the league by even a pretty conservative estimate. Any time you add a great rebounder, your defense is not going to suffer that much, that's something I think is lost in these "one side of the floor" arguments.