The Cavaliers have reached an agreement in principle to acquire All-Star forward Kevin Love from the Timberwolves to form the NBA’s latest significant Big Three alignment, league sources confirmed.
But don’t go crowning LeBron James and the Cavs kings of the East just yet, say some opponents.
“It is a really good move for both sides,” one rival general manager said. “Minnesota is getting players with tremendous upside and a first (-round pick). Cleveland gets an All-Star power forward, a stretch four who will excel with LeBron James.
“Still, if — and it’s a big if — Derrick Rose is healthy, I stay with Chicago to come out of the East,” the GM said.
The deal, first reported by Yahoo Sports, will send the last two No. 1 overall picks, Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett, plus a protected 2015 first- round draft pick to Minnesota for Love, 25, who averaged 26.1 points and 12.5 rebounds in his sixth season.
By NBA rules, the trade cannot be finalized until Aug. 23, one month after Wiggins signed his rookie contract. And the teams are not permitted to discuss or acknowledge the trade until that time.
To make the deal, the Cavs must have a strong conviction Love, who has yet to make the playoffs, will opt out of his contract next summer and re-sign a five-year deal with them. But there can be no formal arrangement of such a deal because it would violate the rules of the NBA collective bargaining agreement. But Love told the T-Wolves he wanted out and pushed for a trade, something which Minnesota owner Glen Taylor acknowledged publicly.
So assuming it goes down as set forth, the Cavs would have James, Love and point guard Kyrie Irving at their core. That’s good. But good enough to reign in the East? Many see the Bulls as the team to beat, especially with Rose showing “elite” form for Team USA , according to coach Mike Krzyzewski.
“After this you have to say LeBron is the best player and probably the best GM,” one Eastern assistant coach said with a laugh. “LeBron brings everybody to a high level. Love has 3-point range and with LeBron, he’ll shoot better, rebound better, defend better, just be better.
“But I will stay with Chicago until further notice. I think the addition of [Pau] Gasol swings it in their favor.”
One opposing Eastern executive insists the “East is still wide open” with the Bulls, Cavs and Raptors as top contenders. And the exec was not too quick to heap praise on the Cleveland return because “Wiggins will be better than Love in the long run.”
Of course, the James-Love-Irving triad could be the next big thing in the NBA. The Miami Heat Big Three of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh is extinct, of course. But the Bulls are formidable with Rose, Gasol and Joakim Noah backed by a cast including Taj Gibson and Jimmy Butler.
“Again, this trade works well for both. Bennett gets a fresh start in Minnesota. Wiggins will be fine. Love is a quality player but he wanted out of Minnesota and they didn’t win anything with him so they get a great return for him,” the opposing GM said.
The moment James announced to the world “I’m coming home” to Cleveland, the Cavs were viewed as a playoff team, a viewpoint strengthened even more when Love, a three-time All-Star, is officially added.