On LeBron James, Kevin Love, Andrew Wiggins, and the Eventual Sixers

LeBron James is a Cleveland Cavalier. There's speculation as to whether or not the Cavs will try to trade for Kevin Love. I'm going to assume any Cleveland/Minnesota trade would involve Andrew Wiggins going to the Timberwolves. I'm assuming this because Dion Waiters, Anthony Bennett, and one or two late first rounders should not be nearly enough to get a player like Kevin Love. As much as I love the player Wiggins could be -- and the idea of him playing next to LeBron on the wing is heavenly -- the Cavaliers CANNOT kibosh a Love trade because of him.

Because when you have LeBron James, you go. You go now. You don't hope Wiggins develops quickly or even that he ever reaches the upside he's capable of. You get the player Kevin Love is right now, and go win a title with the two of them next to Kyrie Irving. You already have Kyrie for five years. You'll get Bron for four. Do whatever it takes to get Love now, then sign him for four more years as soon as possible. That gives Cleveland at least 4-5 years as the (probable) favorite to win an NBA title.

I get not wanting to give up Wiggins. He is young. He is Canadian. He is cute. He can jump over a townhouse. He is hope. But contention is immediate, and he's going to take some time to develop in a lot of ways. Kevin Love is the better player right now, and he might be the better player in five years.

When you have LeBron, you go.

The Sixers will one day have a superstar player. They will one day have the opportunity to pair another star with that superstar. It will cost them young players and picks. We will have fallen in love with the players that they will trade. It will be sad. But you gotta make the move and be okay with it. Houston did it, and it is in the process of working out. Boston did it before them, and it worked out.

The goal now is to collect the most assets. But that's only in service of landing superstars and seriously contending. That's what matters. Being FUNBAD is a precursor to the calculated risks as the rebuild progresses and the tightrope gets a tighter.

I don't know when it's going to happen, but it will, and I want to make sure we're all prepared for some of our future fun young players and picks to get moved in favor of a well-paid star. Although Summer League championships are indisputably the best, I would like one of the bigger ones someday.

Meanwhile, here in Vegas, Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett take the court in an hour.