Kevin Love rumors: Dion Waiters not expected to be part of a deal

Now that Miami Heat free agent forward LeBron James has officially announced he will be returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Cavaliers are trying to figure out how they can put players around James to help him win a championship next season.

More from Cleveland Cavaliers

• NBA insider: Cavaliers should consider trading Donovan Mitchell
• Predicting NBA’s Christmas Day Schedule: Lakers, Warriors highlight slate of postseason rematches
• NBA Rumors: 3 teams that should trade for Joel Embiid
• NBA rumors: How Donovan Mitchell could wind up on the trading block
• The new NBA flopping rules explained

The name that keeps coming up is Minnesota Timberwolves’ power forward Kevin Love. Love is one of the elite players in the league and clearly will not be returning to the Timberwolves one he can become a free agent after the 2014-2015 season. That has led many to speculate the Cavaliers could offer the top-overall pick of the 2014 Draft, swingman Andrew Wiggins.

Of course, they will try to acquire Love without including Wiggins first.

On Friday afternoon, a report surfaced the Cavaliers were offering guard Dion Waiters, the fourth-overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft, forward Anthony Bennett, the first-overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft and an additional first-round pick for Love.

Chris Broussard of ESPN.com does not believe Waiters will be a part of any trade for Love.

The report makes sense because it is unlikely the Timberwolves would accept any trade that doesn’t include Wiggins. If he isn’t included, they could probably land a better offer from someone else.

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. Waiters put up 15.9 points, 3.0 assists and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 43.3% from the floor, 36.8% from beyond the arc and 68.5% from the free throw line last season.