The Kevin Love trade rumors are now all about the Cleveland Cavaliers, as the Chicago Bulls now are out of things according to reports from ESPN and the Cavs are ready to trade Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett along with a first round pick to get it done and that should happen in August for LeBron James and his team.
The Cavaliers have Andrew Wiggins and Bennett and according to Pro Basketball Talk, the deal is a when not an if anymore. LeBron is thrilled and he wanted this deal to go down and now the team looks to be championship favorites. Love is the best young player out there on the trade market and he comes in after averaging 25 points and 12 rebounds last season. The deal can't be done before August 23 since Wiggins was signed and can't be traded for 30 days and now the two sides will put the details in on the deal.
Cleveland first offered Minnesota Dion Waiters and Anthony Bennett with a first round pick, but the Wolves wanted a deal around Wiggins. Some in the NBA think that Minnesota was trying to drive the price up on Love and while the Warriors did not bite on Thompson, the Cavs did on Wiggins. While Cleveland looks to be the favorite for a deal now, Chicago is a major threat because of the package they have put together.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, the three players are on non-guaranteed contracts and that was necessary to get the deal done, as Minnesota wants to offload Martin and get some salary cap relief. The team likely will receive two former number one overall picks in Wiggins and Anthony Bennett along with a future first round pick. It's likely that JJ Barea or Martin will be moved in the deal and there is a chance that both players could be traded, as they have $25 million plus between the two of them in their deals on the cap.
Kevin Love is the top trade chip on the market and he has been in that position since before the deadline last year and if he somehow makes it to free agency, he will be the center of ravenous attention. The Wolves don't actually want to trade Love, but they really don't have much of a choice. Love has been one of the best young players in the game and he is coming off of a season where he averaged over 25 points and 12 rebounds per game and now he has the chance to be a major trade chip. Love is the major target on the market and now the central division is battling to get him.
Wiggins signed with Cleveland officially on and that means he can't be traded for a month, but sources report that will not hinder the deal or negotiating. The Cavaliers first did not put Wiggins in their initial deal, instead offering Anthony Bennett and Dion Waiters with a first round pick next year, but that wasn't enough for Minnesota. Now the team is playing Chicago and Cleveland off each other and so far it's working, but many think the real target is the Golden State Warriors and Thompson. Reports say that Flip Saunders likes Thompson the best of any of the targets, but the Golden State Warriors are not willing to trade him yet and possibly won't at all.
