Kevin Love rumors: Timberwolves only speaking to Cavaliers, deal a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if’
Since the day Miami Heat free agent forward LeBron James decided to leave the Heat in favor of a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the speculation around the Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves’ power forward Kevin Love has continued to grow.
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The Timberwolves realize they have to trade Love before the 2015 trade deadline or will risk losing him for nothing. The Cavaliers have a plethora of assets including three former number one overall picks, point guard Kyrie Irving (2011), forward Anthony Bennett (2013) and swingman Andrew Wiggins (2014) and two former number four overall picks, big man Tristan Thompson (2011) and guard Dion Waiters (2012).
Wiggins and Bennett have been at the center of the trade talks and the Cavaliers would also likely take back one of the Timberwolves’ veteran guards, J.J. Barea or Kevin Martin.
According to Brian Windhorst and Marc Stein of ESPN.com, the the Timberwolves are now only talking to the Cavaliers and a deal between the two is a matter of “when” and not “if.”
Story going online now with @WindhorstESPN: ESPN sources say Kevin Love trade to Cleveland increasingly looking like "when" not "if" deal
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 31, 2014
ESPN sources say Wolves currently only in talks w/Cavs on Love deal; Bulls essentially moving on and GSW still not giving up Klay Thompson
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 31, 2014
Love averaged 26.1 points, 12.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game last season while shooting 45.7% from the field, 37.6% from three and 82.1% from the charity stripe last season. Bennett averaged 4.2 points and 3.0 rebounds per game while shooting 35.6% from the field, 24.5% from beyond the arc and 63.8% from the free throw line. Wiggins averaged 17.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks per game for the Jayhawks last season while shooting 44.8% from the field, 34.1% from beyond the arc and 77.5% from the free throw line.