Is Kevin Love worthy of a max-level deal?

[Yung D-Will]

Joe Johnson got the max.


Therefore everyone in the leauge who's considered a borderline star deserves the max

[Jasper]

If a player the franchise feels should be a corner stone of their franchise for years to come :

I believe talking with the player and telling him this is just as important as the contract.
WHAT I am refering to is the "big Ticket" rule.

Any franchise should of learned a valuable lesson watching the T-Wolves for all the years strapped with little wiggle room because of Kevin Garnet.

I believe it would be smart on both sides to give a player in the first year the most money , and actually decrease the amount throughout the life of the contract as well as give bonuses , so that the team would have money to build around the franchise player.
If the player is at such an elite level , I would also tell him verbally that during the life time of his playing career , after his career , he would get a percentage of the actual franchise. Even if it's 1 or 2 percent , that could equate into millions down the road.

[kingBynum]

yes with teh numbers he puts up...hell Rashard Lewis got one of the highest paid contract for being a scrub

[G-train]

If a player the franchise feels should be a corner stone of their franchise for years to come :

I believe talking with the player and telling him this is just as important as the contract.
WHAT I am refering to is the "big Ticket" rule.

Any franchise should of learned a valuable lesson watching the T-Wolves for all the years strapped with little wiggle room because of Kevin Garnet.

I believe it would be smart on both sides to give a player in the first year the most money , and actually decrease the amount throughout the life of the contract as well as give bonuses , so that the team would have money to build around the franchise player.
If the player is at such an elite level , I would also tell him verbally that during the life time of his playing career , after his career , he would get a percentage of the actual franchise. Even if it's 1 or 2 percent , that could equate into millions down the road.

dude u smoking?
plus he aint signing up for 126m in a smaller cap like KG

[hawkfan]

I think Kevin Love's playoff performances speak for themselves.

I think the Knicks playoff performances over the last 10 years speak for themselves.

Kevin Love totally deserves a max level contract.
Young big who can give 20-10 on a regular basis.
Absolutely.

[Collie]

if theres no other comparable decent big man at the same time available, then yes.

Other than Dwight and MAYBE Blake Griffin, I can't really think of anybody comparable.

[TrueRob]

Young big who can give 20-10 on a regular basis.

Hopefully, he doesn't regress to a 15/7 big after he gets his money.

[Knicks101]

Is Shareef Abdur-Rahim a Hall of Famer?

[midatlantic09]

OP, he's averaging 25 pts and 15 rebs per game. What do you think?

[onhcetum]

He'll probably get the max because if he doesn't, another team will offer him the max and he'll walk... kind of like Joe Johnson got.

But to answer your question no... that belongs to the real superstars...

[blacknapalm]

yes and no. yes because he can fit into any system, stretch the 4, box out, is efficient, is a good passer and doesn't make many mistakes. he's in the upper tier of PF's for sure

no because can you really dump the ball into him in the post to rely on scoring late in games? is he a guy that can consistently dig you out of deficits? also, his defense is lacking even though he's made improvements this season.

that said, i'd have no problem with him getting the max since plenty of teams would take him as the #1 option. also, as others have pointed out...when you compare to some other guys that got max contracts, his really wouldn't be that questionable

[roffie]

if joe johnson is pretty much getting max, kevin love is more than qualified if that's the case..

[bdreason]

I wouldn't pay him max... but with guys like JJ and Gay getting max deals... why not?

[BankShot]

In an absolute vacuum.... no, Kevin Love's combination of skill/size/intangibles aren't worthy of a maximum-level contract in the NBA.

With that being said, considering the facts that the Wolves play in an undesirable market for free agents, and the slim likelihood that the Wolves could replicate his impact in the next one or two drafts, and the fact that there will likely be a team next summer that will make an offer near to the max for the Wolves to match..... all kinda adds up to it making sense for the Wolves organization to lock him up no matter what.

Like I've said before, the dynamics of value change mightily based on the attractiveness of a destination for free agents. It is absolutely worth an extra $3-$4-million per year to lock Love up NOW before he gets to experience the courtship of free agency.

[hawkfan]

Love is absolutely worth the maximum, either 4 years or 5 years, whichever.

Rubio-Love is Minnesota's Big 2, and when Williams improves that's their Big 3.

If the Wolves don't want to give Love the max, I am sure Orlando would love to add him and keep Howard. Or Chicago would love to add Love and then trade out Boozer - Rose/Love/Deng as Chicago's Big 3. Even New Jersey would love to get him, if they don't add Howard - Williams/Lopez/Love. The Lakers would love to add Love - Kobe/Bynum/Love and they trade out Gasol.