Report: Nets interested in Kevin Love, JaVale McGee
The Brooklyn Nets still have roster spots to fill after unloading Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince and Rodions Kurucs in the James Harden trade, which involved the Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers in addition to the Houston Rockets. With Allen going to Cleveland in the deal, the Cavaliers found themselves with an excessive amount of big men on the roster, already featuring Andre Drummond, Kevin Love, Larry Nance Jr. and JaVale McGee on their roster.
It turns out the Cavs are looking to move on from some of those bigs — and according to Jason Dumas of KRON 4, the Nets are interested in two. Dumas is reporting the Nets “are in active discussions with the Cleveland Cavaliers to acquire” McGee. Additionally, Dumas reports the Nets “have interest in” Love, who played with Kyrie Irving and Joe Harris previously in Cleveland.
The Cavaliers will look to flip a number of their bigs for draft capital. Andre Drummond & Kevin Love could both be moved, per source. I’m told Jarrett Allen is off the table. — Jason Dumas (@JDumasReports) January 25, 2021
McGee is averaging 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game while logging 16.8 minutes a night off the bench. Love has been out with a calf injury since he aggravated it in a December 27 game.
This post originally appeared on NetsWire. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
With a Kevin Love Trade Not Likely, the Brooklyn Nets Are Targeting Another Former NBA Champ That’s a Lot Cheaper
]
Bringing in James Harden cost the Brooklyn Nets quite a bit. Outside of the large number of draft picks and swaps they had to send to the Houston Rockets to acquire the disgruntled former MVP, the Nets also had to part ways with young center Jarrett Allen, who was shipped to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the four-team deal that also involved the Indiana Pacers.
Brooklyn has had a big problem with interior defense since the trade and is apparently looking at a number of options to help fill that void. There were reports flying around on Monday that the Nets might be looking to involve the Cavs in the process by trading for Kevin Love. While those talks seem to have fizzled a bit as the day has gone on, another former NBA champion and Love’s teammate in Cleveland, JaVale McGee, might now be in play.
The Brooklyn Nets’ interior defense has been terrible since the James Harden trade
RELATED: James Harden Officially Broke a Promise to a Rockets Fan by Crying His Way Into a Trade to the Nets
When you see a team that has Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving, defense certainly isn’t the first thing that comes to mind, is it?
Okay, two-time All-Defensive First-Team selection DeAndre Jordan is there and has played decently enough. But he obviously can’t play all 48 minutes, which is why Jarrett Allen was a nice asset to have in the paint as a rim protector. Since his departure in the Harden trade, the Nets’ interior defense is the second-worst in the NBA.
The New York Post is reporting that Nets GM Sean Marks is preparing to sign Norvel Pelle (don’t worry if you don’t know he is) to fill one of the Nets’ three open roster spots. At 6’10” and 231 pounds, the Antiguan-Lebanese product takes up space in the paint but doesn’t have much NBA experience.
From 2013 to 2019, the 27-year old split his time between the G League and a number of teams overseas before joining the Philadelphia 76ers last season, for whom he averaged 2.4 points, three rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 24 games. Pelle apparently just has to clear the NBA’s Health and Safety protocols before joining the team. But it seems that Marks is also looking at other options just to give the Nets more options.
With a Kevin Love trade not likely to happen, the Brooklyn Nets have reportedly engaged in talks with JaVale McGee
Rumors ran wild on Monday that the Nets were exploring a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers that would bring five-time All-Star Kevin Love to Brooklyn. However, the Post is reporting that a deal for Love doesn’t seem all that likely as the Nets are looking to add more defense, which certainly isn’t Kevin Love’s strong suit.
However, Love’s teammate, three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee, who was traded to Cleveland in the offseason after spending two seasons with the LA Lakers, certainly doesn’t have a problem playing defense and would bring even more championship experience to Brooklyn than would Kevin Love.
It’s been reported that the Nets have already had discussions with the 13-year veteran, who has averaged 8.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 14 games with the Cavs this season.
And not only would JaVale McGee be the better defensive option, he’s also a lot cheaper than Kevin Love.
JaVale McGee is a much cheaper option than Kevin Love
Brooklyn Nets logo | Adam Glanzman/Getty Images
One of the reasons why the Brooklyn Nets might not be interested in trading for Kevin Love is his massive salary. The fact that he’s only played two games this season can’t be all that attractive either. He hasn’t played since scoring four points on December 27 in Cleveland’s 118-94 win over the 76ers as he’s been dealing with a right calf strain but is expected to return in early February.
But do the Nets really want to bring in a guy that’s owed more than $91 million between this season and the end of the 2022-2023 campaign? Especially when they have to pay the huge salaries of Durant, Harden, and Irving? That doesn’t seem to make much sense.
On the other hand, JaVale McGee is making $4.2 million this year and becomes an unrestricted free agent when this season concludes, which is infinitely more attractive.
Stats courtesy of Basketball Reference; Contract info courtesy of Spotrac
Nets express interest in trading for Kevin Love and we have no idea why
]
As fun to watch as the Brooklyn Nets can be when Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving are all clicking, Steve Nash hasn’t been able to turn this team into true contenders of late, largely on account of their poor rebounding and interior defense.
While the Cleveland Cavaliers acquiring Jarrett Allen in the Harden trade has made several of their bigs, JaVale McGee included, available in trade talks, the Nets are interested in the one who would potentially be the worst fit on their current roster.
Per Jason Dumas of KRON News, the Nets have expressed an interest in trading for Kevin Love, as the Cavaliers could look to unload him to both get Allen more minutes and stock up on draft picks.
The Brooklyn Nets have expressed interest in trading for Kevin Love, via @JDumasReports. — Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 25, 2021
The Brooklyn Nets need help on defense, and that doesn’t align with Kevin Love’s skillset.
After Love spent time as the third most important member of the Cavs’ trio…would he like to be the fourth?!
Love has averaged at least nine rebounds per game in every season during his 13-year career, and his 18.2 points per game average speaks to his quality on the offensive end, but he has played in just two games this season due to injury, which has taken a chunk out of his value.
While DeAndre Jordan and Norvel Pelle are complete non-shooters, Reggie Perry has developed a respectable jumper while Jeff Green, who often plays as the center when the Nets go small, can stroke it from deep. Love would give the Nets more size and rebounding, but he wouldn’t solve the defensive issues. Considering what it would take to get him and the Nets’ lack of assets, trading for Love doesn’t make as much sense as a much cheaper option.
Love can still score and get rebounds, and he would be an upgrade for a loaded Nets team, but he has some deficiencies on the defensive end right now, and fixing that is much more important than getting yet another shooter.