Conspiracy Theories: Nike and Adidas shake down Flip Saunders: Love for Wiggins trade

           The talk of the NBA since Lebron’s announcement has been “Will Kevin Love be traded?” Though many have accredited the wit and stubbornness of Flip Saunders and his ability to hold for the best available assets in return, the real card holders are not the players but the Brand Executives.

Why the Trade Will happen

Wiggins can be a star, and Adidas has dibs on him for the next few years. What they will not sign for a quarter billion dollars is a player who emerges in the league as a spark plug off of the bench a la Jamal Crawford if best down the road. But if Adam Silver does his best David Stern deceptive puppet impression and allows the move to Minnesota, Wiggins will be marketed as a northern international superstar and become the best young Timberwolf since Latrell Sprewell and Kevin Garnett. Meanwhile in the buckeye state, Ohio will become the northeast Hollywood. Imagine putting Uncle Drew’s nike co-star to side kick along Lebron, along with the momentum of his return to Cleveland and the desire to keep him there. Plus you have Johnny Football mania going on in Berea, Ohio until September. Nike capitalizes big time; the Kevin and Kyrie storyline explodes not to mention Lebron building his own Nike empire in Akron. Adidas will capitalize with the marketing of Wiggins as a star by himself, with the potential to take over the northeast international market and Minnesota finally has a young core to build on with Rubio, Wiggins, and Pekovic. I am assuming that the trade would also consist of Minnesota dumping Kevin Martin’s contract and another subsidiary victim such as Ronny Turiaf or JJ Barea, both who could be great off the bench for the Cav’s. In exchange for Wiggins; and a combination of Anthony Bennet, Tristan Thompson or Dion Waters.


Why this Trade Won’t happen


As a result of Flip Saunders preventing Kevin Love from having his way he either a) keeps him in Minnesota for another grueling year and loses him in free agency for nothing which would be an epic failure for a franchise that continues to be the cellar dwellars of the west. B) Glen Taylor welcomes another proven young veteran as the next star alongside his spanish ball handler such as Klay Thompson, and they build a bench out of the bread crums. Andrew Wiggins takes a seat on a now deep bench, coming in for either Lebron or Dion Waiters. But he will still have to share a majority of team shots with Mike Miller, Thompson, Kyrie, Waiters and whoever else signs to join James. At best he finishes 4th in rookie of the year voting, and 5th in Sixth man voting after averaging 13.2 pts per game and 4.8 rebounds.



What will likely happen


Steve Kerr is working overnight to make this trade happen. Golden State believes that if they can pair Kevin Love with Steph Curry and Harrison Barnes that will be enough to elevate them in the wild wild west. News flash--it won’t and they will likely take a step backing making the playoffs as an 8th seed. In the east, Lebron will not accept mediocrity regardless if Love is his teammate or not, which means Dan Gilbert will be hard at work again. Look for Cleveland to continue to dangle Andrew Wiggins as bait for potential trades until October. Lebron does not wanting to take a physical beating during this next contract and as a result is in high pursuit of a big rebounding forward/center. If Love becomes unavailable look for GM James to orchestrate a transaction that would bring the likes of potentially Brook Lopez or LaMarcus Aldridge.