I like Love’s chances of becoming a decent player; he’s just too skilled and too strong to bust. At the very least you figure his rebounding, passing, and outside shooting will translate, leaving you with, again, at least a decent player. But you simply cannot play him and Al in the same frontcourt. Undersized? Check. Pedestrian one-on-one defense? Check. ZERO help defense from either one? Check. Overmatched athletically most nights? Check.

Seriously, if you’re going to pick a 6’9” guy with limited upside to play in the paint with Big Al, Joey Dorsey at #31 would be a much more complimentary pick. Just my opinion.

Now, if Glen Taylor hired me to run the zoo tommorrow, and after doing some research I thought Love was hands down worth that lottery pick (and, who knows, he might be, as I believe most of the wings/combo guards projected to go high in this draft are overrated), then I’d possibly consider moving down to the Clippers’ spot (who I imagine must be salivating at the chance to pick between Mayo and Bayless), get that future owed pick back, and pick Love at #7. And then, for the second time in about a year, pull off a franchise-altering move involving Al Jefferson. Think 76ers for a signed-and-traded Andre Iguadola and their first round pick. Or the Bulls (if they take Rose) for something involving Noah and Deng. Or see if the Warriors would be interested in essentially redoing their offer for Garnett last year (sans all the cap filler): S&T Biedrins, Wright, and their pick for Big Al.

Now, this is all crazy fantasy GM talk, of course. Stuff like that never happens. But a Love-Jefferson frontcourt ain’t exactly baked all the way through, either, so forgive my whimsy.

Realistically, though, here’s hoping if they do take Love they at least manage to shed dead weight or get some additional picks. (And if they do take Love, I think the Clippers idea makes more sense than Memphis; although I do like Lowry and Warrick, I just have a real bad feeling about that owed draft pick, as in that-will-be-the-one-year-the-Wolves-win-the-lottery bad.)

And I probably would do S n’ P’s suggestion of Toine + Shaddy + both 2nd rounders and the 3rd pick for Darko, Mike Conley and the 2 1st rounders.

But, why wouldn’t Memphis just consider Love for themselves? The strength of their team is the perimeter: Miller, Gay, Warrick, and the potential of a Conley/Lowry PG rotation. If I’m Memphis, unless Beasley falls to #3, I’m not going to go nuts trying to move up when it’s likely I can just grab a power forward with, questions aside, holds a dominating performance record at a major contending program in a major conference who will be willing move the ball around to my perimeter players and rebound. Also, isn’t it likely Lopez-if that’s who they preferred-would be there at #5 ,as well? I just don’t see them willing to move up if it costs them much.

...just doesn’t seem like it would work out, does it? I guess it would be nice if it turned out he had a massive wingspan and standing reach, but…well, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Even if they get players like Lowry and Warrick, what does that say about Shaddy? Where would Brewer go with Warrick around? I’d feel a lot better about this draft if they hadn’t FUBAR’d the last 3. Each one of those 3 picks, by themselves, are fine. However, taken as a whole, they’re insane.

Here’s hoping that they decide otherwise and take Gallinari or Mayo with the 3rd pick…or trade down as far as they can for Gallinari.

Also…I think my deal suggestion only works if the Heat pass on Beasley…which I don’t think will happen.

...is an interesting player. I don’t know if the Wolves can get away with 2 back-to-the-basket guys like that in the paint without having any shooters around them, but he definitely has talent . He passes and rebounds well. I don’t know about his defense, but it sounds like he’ll be available heading into the 20s.