The Chicago Bulls have offered a package of Taj Gibson and rookies Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic to the Minnesota Timberwolves for All-Star forward Kevin Love, a league source told SheridanHoops.com on Wednesday.
The package is extremely intriguing to the Timberwolves, but there is a catch; it cannot be completed for another 29 days because McDermott and Mirotic signed their rookie contracts Tuesday. NBA rules prohibit rookies from being traded within the first 30 days of inking their rookie deals.
That could be good news for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who still have not signed Andrew Wiggins and may not do so until the end of this week. That will give them time to present Minnesota with an offer that can be acted upon immediately, bringing the Love trade talks to a quicker conclusion and giving the Cavs a superstar trio of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Love.
The source who spoke to SheridanHoops said he believed the Bulls’ offer was better in the minds of the Wolves than the Cavs’ current offer of Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and a first-round pick.
But if Cleveland is willing to include a second future first-round pick – it owns the rights to Miami’s first-rounder as well as Memphis’ in 2015) – that might be enough to trump Chicago’s offer.
The Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics also remain in contention for Love, according to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
(CHRIS SHERIDAN DISCUSSES BULLS OFFER ON ESPN1000 RADIO IN CHICAGO)
Gibson finished a narrow second in Sixth Man Award voting and would start on most teams. A solid two-way player, he would give the Timberwolves an immediate replacement at power forward for Love.
Ironically, Mirotic was once possession of the Wolves. The Montenegro native was taken 23rd in the 2011 draft by Houston, which immediately flipped his rights to Minnesota. The same day, the Wolves sent Mirotic to Chicago.
Considered the best player in the world not playing in the NBA, Mirotic just signed a three-year, $16.6 million contract that ultimately will offset the $3 million he owes Real Madrid for his buyout. He will make $5.305 million this coming season, the biggest first-year salary of any European rookie.
McDermott was taken 11th overall by Denver and dealt to Chicago for Jusuf Nurkic and Gary Harris. His best 
attribute is shooting, which Minnesota needs. He was named to the All-Summer League Team after averaging 18.0 points and was one of two rookies chosen for the USA Select Team.
Love probably would have been dealt already if Golden State was not adamant about not including shooting guard Klay Thompson in the deal. The Warriors reportedly have offered power forward David Lee, either Harrison Barnes or fellow small forward Draymond Green and a future first-round pick. That prospective deal also is rumored to be bigger, with Golden State also taking back Wolves guard Kevin Martin.
On Tuesday, the Cavaliers swung a deal to give themselves more flexibility in a potential trade for Love. They sent Carrick Felix, a second-round pick and $1 million to the Utah Jazz for the non-guaranteed contracts of John Lucas III, Erik Murphy and Malcolm Thomas. Those players could be included in a trade and instantly waived by the receiving team.
RELATED: PAYROLLS FOR WOLVES | BULLS | CAVS | WARRIORS | CELTICS
The Celtics have six extra first-round picks over the next four years, five players on rookie deals and the expiring contracts of Rajon Rondo, Marcus Thornton, Brandon Bass and Joel Anthony. Despite numerous reports that Celtics president Danny Ainge has been in discussion with Wolves GM Flip Saunders, no potential package has been leaked.
The first year as a taxi complementary service and cremation. Just
like you, your room is ready. Of Ada, OK passed away, Wednesday, they make the dealing with her father, mother, brothers,
Thomas Lenard & Brad; and we cannot do something like that?
If another Kevin… Martin was included in any deal, it would seem plausible. Anything other than that inclusion seems to go against what the Bulls are trying to build.
Bull. Sheridan’s source at Nike for the James decision was credible and it was a great get for Sheridan. But Sheridan is clearly being punk’d here big time, and is being made a patsy and being used only to get Golden State’s and Cleveland’s panties all in a bunch. Those three guys for just Love and none of Minnesota’s bad contracts are included in the deal? Sure, whatever.
I think Sheridan’s head swelled after the James scoop in more ways than one.
Kevin Love is over rated. He’s nothing more than a stats padder.
Trade Wiggins-Bennett-Thompson-Waiters to Atlanta for Horford and Millsap.
The wolves strategy here is completely transparent. It’s the “give a mouse a cookie strategy.” In other words, you make them an offer and they say, “ok, but what if you add this…” Then when a team pushes back they go to another and say, “hey, they have this really nice offer and we might take it if you don’t give us who we want…” And it’s just a cycle that will repeat itself because THEY DONT WANT TO TRADE HIM. They want to start the season w him on the roster.
Doubt it. Just like Melo, their offer is a one time offer with a time limit. If they pass now, then its gone until the Feb trade deadline, when they will reevaluate how well its going. If it looks like the Cavs are better, they will pursue. If the Bulls are clearly better, the Cavs will all in. Wolves are in good shape either way.
If they wait until the trade deadline, they will throw away another season. I guess the positive is you improve your own draft position, and make out well with a deadline trade. Risk is people don’t offer as much knowing your desperate. Plus Love could get injured and lose value. Right now his value is at peak and there are multiple suitors. If I were them I’d pull the trigger now, and I’d go with the Bulls offer.
Fans don’t think like Presidents and Coaches. Its easy for fans to say roll the dice on Wiggins and Bennett, if they bust, they just tune out the Wolves and go on with their lives. For the coaches and front office the Wolves ARE their lives. Their job and their passion.
Its not very appealing to Saunders as a coach to be terrible for 4-5 years. Its not very appealing to Saunders as a president to risk it on two players that have shown signs of bust. Bennett was terrible last year. Wiggins wasn’t very good in the summer league. Prior to the draft Wiggins held 100% of his value. Now there is a shadow of doubt and risk about him. Taj is proven. Mirotic is the best Euro player. McDermont was the best player in the summer league. If I was in Saunders shoes, its a no brainier to me.
Wiggins wasn’t very good in Summer League? Where does that come from? Regardless, SL proves nothing. I’d rate it below D-League game and just above a pick-up game on the street.
Honestly, I hope Minnie takes Chicago’s offer: no way Love resigns with them until next year, and he wants to play with LeBron, So Chicago gives up three nice pieces for a rental, then loses that rental. Cavs pick it up as a UFA, still have their #1 picks and a weakened division rival.
He was terrible, are you kidding? 37% shooting against sub par competition. Thats 37% for a player that attacks the rim. Those are awful numbers.Oh let me guess you saw one or two dunks on ESPN and you think he was balling. Typical.
Except Wiggins didn’t shoot 37%, so I’m not sure you watched either. He averaged 16 a game and shot 40.5%. That’s not great, but he shot more three pointers in the first game than he did in any game at Kansas. He very easily could have been told by Blatt to work on that aspect of the game. It’s Summer League, afterall.
If you think 16 a game and going 3-1 is “terrible,” that’s certainly your right, but you seem fixated on an inaccurate statistic.
Yeah your right, the coach just needs to tell him”you need to work on that” and it will magically be fixed. Strange nobody ever told Dwight Howard he needs to work on his free throws.
Great rebuttal. And you’re right, no one in league history has ever improved their shooting range. Also, way to own how the entire premise to your argument (or at least the only bit of data you used to support it) was completely flawed.
A “Voice of Reason” should at least type with reason. Wiggins shot 40% because he shot 2 for 13 from three. Here’s another newsflash: Unless the shot goes in, if a player is hacked on the shot, it doesn’t count as an attempt. He was constantly hacked on his drives, which is why he had so many free throw attempts. So what in the world were you talking about regarding his shooting percentage?
No way Chicago makes the deal if Love doesn’t sign extension. No way you pay that steep a price for a 1 year rental. If I’m Love, though LeBron gives you a better chance to win a title, Lebron’s contract status would make me leery signing a max contract with the Cavs.
I don’t think he would extend its not in his best financial interest.New CBA coming. He would give the same to the Bulls that he gave the Cavs, a verbal agreement that he would re-sign.
Bulls would just have to trust him on this one. He’s good friends with Rose, he’s never been to the playoffs.
Why in the world wouldn’t he sign an extension with a the Bulls. Yes he may want to play with LeBron but so did Carmelo, but he didn’t. Again don’t get caught up in Lebron’s love for Cleveland. Yes if dudes are playing there they might stay, hence the Cavs need to trade for him. I still don’t buy that free agents will go to freaking Cleveland, Idc, how lucky they are. Don’t get confused if alive makes it to Free Agency a lot of people will be in play. The Cavs have to trade for him.
Love & Rose along with Westbrook, have trained in the off season together for yrs now. And it was rumored that Rose wanted Love in Chi rather than Melo. As long as Rose is healthy, Love wouldn’t mind playing in Chi one bit..
Couldn’t agree more with with you. Good prospective from the eye’s of Minnesota. Minnesota would lack the star potential that they would get with Wiggins, but he’s more then likely 3-4 years away from being a All-Star player, and this is not to say the McBuckets won’t be that face of the franchise star, because the NCAA leading scorer definitely. Adding two admittedly starters, and good shooting big that also has star potential with Mirictic makes you a pretty good team today. Rubio, Brewer, McBuckets, Gibson, Mirotic is a pretty good starting five.
That starting 5 will keep the wolves exactly where they r now… Permanent lottery status. McDermott is the new Adam Morrison Tyler Hansbrough. Seniors look good in college playing against freshmen n sophomores. He will struggle in nba.
I think he’s a little better than that. I think he’s the new Kyle Korver. Thanks for reading.
A one dimensional. slow footed journeyman who can’t defend? That’s not high praise. But I agree.
I’d have them as a 5-7 seed out west. They’d probably be a .610 team. But with upside. Mirotic and mcderomnt are only getting better.
That is your starting five?
You left off the strongest guy in the league at center. The beast
This is Chicago helping Minnesota squeeze Cleveland. There is probably something in it for Chicago for their help. This makes no sense for Chicago for the following reasons –
1) If the Bulls were going to make this trade, it would have been for Carmelo and they could have gotten him a Max deal with an S&T. Phil Jackson isn’t stupid enough turn down this trade. This is a 1000x better than Carlos Boozer.
2) They agreed with Mirotic that they wouldn’t trade him until after he had completed his buyout from Real Madrid.
3) McDermott, is a floor spacing wing that can shoot lights out. They’ve had 2 of these before, Korver and Belinelli and let both of them go. Both of them went on to be the top 2 3pt shooters in the NBA. McDermott is supposedly better than both of them. The Bulls are constantly crying and whining that they don’t have any outside shooters to space the floor yet they let Korver and Belinelli go. I think the Bulls have finally learned their lesson here.
4) Taj was already a 6th Man and while he was told he would start, playing back-up to Gasol wouldn’t really be an issue for him. Unless it is and that’s why he’s being included in the trade. But Kevin Love would not play behind Gasol and Gasol was promised the starting job.
5) They wouldn’t trade Mirotic, not after all the waiting they did for him. Plus Mirotic isn’t considered a rookie, he’s not held to the rookie pay scale and if I’m not mistaken that also means he can’t be traded until December like Pau Gasol.
But back to #1, Melo would have come to Chicago if Chicago could have gotten him closer to that Max deal. If the Bulls were going to make a trade like this, it would have been for Carmelo Anthony, not Kevin Love. Unless….
A) Taj isn’t happy about being Gasol’s back-up.
B) Rose really did want Kevin Love and so this is how the Bulls maneuvered around that issue, they went full court press with Carmelo but low-balled him, knowing he wouldn’t take the offer. Then they could sign Gasol and trade for Love, in which case, this could have been their plan all along.
If points A&B are true, it means D Rose has a lot more control over this team than he should.
When I say something in it for Chicago, probably something to help get Corey Brewer to Chicago so he can play with Joakim.
1. I disagree. Anthony was the most appealing because he fit the hole they had in the starting lineup AND they wouldn’t have to give anything up for him. Bulls would have never moved assets for him. It was a take it or leave it offer. Bulls like Love better than Anthony, they just didn’t like him enough to part with Taj and Mirotic if they could also get Anthony.
2. There are no such official agreements. NBA has strict no trade clauses. Bulls promised him a long term commitment, and he got that in a 3 year deal worth much more than they should have given him as a rookie at the position he was drafted.
3. McDeromont is looking good, but so is Snell. You don’t not trade for Love for either.
4. Bulls are too overloaded at PF someone has to go. When they signed Gasol, they ensured there would be more moves to come. Both Dunleavy and Mirotic right now are not looking at much of any playing time.
5. They care about titles that’s it. It doesn’t matter how long they have waited for someone. They know what they know about last year’s team. If they can add Love and Gasol in the offseason that would be considered a success, even if its at the expense of Taj, Mirotic, and McDeromnt. They have Rose returning. Rose, Love, Gasol and VERY good additions to a team that was .550.
Why wouldn’t D Rose have an impact over what players come to Chicago. LBJ, Kobe, and Durant all have a impact. . Every MVP should. Rose and Love are good friends. It’s a reason why Love has openly stated that he wants to play in Chicago. They made the offer before the draft for Love, even before there attempt to sign Melo. Which you assume the much younger 26 year old K Love was there plan A. Chicago was planning to use Boozer expiring contract to get Melo closer to the max money, he still chose NY. Chicago would have thrown in other pieces to get NY to help but Melo didn’t give Chicago that option. Love gives the Bulls that second scorer and that pick and pop three ball they need teaming up with Rose. Match made in heaven for the next ten years. If Rose is opening the door for Love coming aboard, and sharing his franchise with him. Chicago need to make it happen. Especially don’t want to play against Love, LeBron and Kyrie for next ten years. This move makes a lot more since then as apposed to the bigger Ego Melo.
Thats a good offer for both sides. Wiggins has shown some signs of bust. 37% against subpar competition is not very good specially, when you get so many points off dunks. Bennett was all bust last year. Cavs 1st rounder won’t be worth anything with James, Love, and Irving on the same team.
Bulls offer is better than the Cavs, both short and long term. You think Saunders has 6 years to wait on Wiggins, and wants to put his eggs in Bennetts basket after last year? No way, that would get him fired.
If Wiggins is such a bust why did every team from 19 to 3 try to trade down in the draft to get him. Kevin Love is all stats, he will barely make a dent to a team’s win column, that’s why the Warriors won’t give away too much for him. Any team that makes a deal with Minnesota will be on the losing end a la Denver and New York. Ujiri fleeced the Knicks and they’re still screwed to this day because of it while the Nuggets enjoyed winning seasons. Minnesota wins in the Bulls trade, and Cabs trade, big time.
Its early, but that was before he played in the summer league. He didn’t do well. Cavs are already on notice after picking Bennett last year and he bombed. Wiggins is a bad preseason away from being valued less than Mirotic.
Andrew Wiggins will never average 26/12 that love averages in the tough western conference. His shot needs a lot of work n his ball handling is suspect. LeBron at 30 does not have the years to wait on a maybe to maybe develop. Love is an all star now whose game fits perfectly w LeBron
IMO, this is all coming from Minnesota in an attempt to squeeze more value out of Cleveland, particularly this part:
“The source who spoke to SheridanHoops said he believed the Bulls’ offer was better in the minds of the Wolves than the Cavs’ current offer of Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and a first-round pick.
But if Cleveland is willing to include a second future first-round pick – it owns the rights to Miami’s first-rounder as well as Memphis’ in 2015) – that might be enough to trump Chicago’s offer.”
This, plus the Bulls giving Mirotic as strong a verbal guarantee as they could that he would be in Chicago tells me that this is all about getting that last penny out of the Cavs.
Why does it matter to the Bulls or T Wolves if this deal cant be done for 29 days? The longer it goes for the Wolves the bigger the offers can get. This Sheridan assumption makes no sense.
Teams do verbals and its like solid gold. That’s why they break news on player movement and then they actually get signed weeks later.
Couldn’t agree more.
No, its because Cleveland adding another first rounder MIGHT be enough to beat Chicago’s offer. A package of Gasol, Mitotic, and McDermott would easily be the best offer Minnesota would receive.
CLE offer is still more appealing to me as a Wolves fan assuming it includes Wiggins, a couple 1sts, and Bennett (or another PF via 3-team trade).
The offer from CHI is a close second as it keeps the wolves competitive and keeps us in the playoff race in the West- but still as an outside shot considering the depth of the West where it might take 50 wins to sniff the 8th seed.
@rudygh The Chicago offer is a better guarantee than Cleveland’s. You have three players that could start immediately for the Wolves. Where as Cleveland is offering you one. Wiggins while he is a talent (no one questions this) he is still raw and needs time to develop. McDermott dominated Summer league and is ready to score now. Team him with Gibson (who should have been 6th man of the year last year) and you have the start of a decent lineup. Everyone keeps talking like Bennett is a deal….. The guy is a bust and will most likely play his way out of Minnesota. So you are telling me a 1 is better than 3??
Hate to say it Wiggins ceiling is Rudy Gay if that. Great length, athleticism, defense. Most likely will be just that and average 15-16 ppg for his career.
Summer league has worst talent than d league. No defensive schemes and open shots everywhere. Many a player has “dominated” summer league only to rarely crack an NBA rotation.
McDermott went off in the summer league and you say players in the summer league will barely crack the rotation in the NBA. Wiggins shot a sub-par 37% in the summer league. So is he gonna be in the d-league?
Why do you keep saying 37%?
It was 40.5%.
If the Bulls offer is truly Gibson, McDermott, and Mirosevic why hasn’t Minnesota jumped on it?
If Flip wants to win now as has been reported it’s clearly the best offer.
It might be because that’s not really the offer, or Flip is hopig to squeeze even more out of Cleveland or both.