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.
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