The Cleveland Cavaliers may now be willing to trade Andrew Wiggins for Kevin Love this summer, as ESPN reports that LeBron James has signaled to the Cavs he wants a deal for Love and the team could be willing to put the number 1 overall pick from the 2014 draft in a package with the Minnesota Timberwolves to acquire Love to try and win now with James.
According to ESPN.com, sources report that the Cavaliers have changed their minds and have now said they are willing to trade Wiggins, changing course from previously when he was held out of the proposed deal. The team was willing to trade Dion Waiters, Anthony Bennett and a first round pick for Love and now that appears to have changed.
Love has said he is "intrigued" by the idea of playing with James in Cleveland and that he would be open to a trade from the Timberwolves. Minnesota has been reluctant to trade Love since they want to make one last run at signing him and at making the playoffs, but this could be one of the best deals they will get. The team likely will trade him at the deadline if a deal doesn't go down this summer, but experts like Chris Broussard and Michael Wilbon on ESPN say that the longer the deal takes, the less attractive it will be since teams can wait out Love to hit free agency.
The Cavaliers made a huge splash by getting James back and now he will be the main focus in the east while he remains in Cleveland and if they get Love, the team will be vaulted into favorite status for the championship. Love wants to be in the playoffs, something he has not done in Minnesota yet in his six year career and he is starting to get into the prime of his career and he wants to be in a better overall situation. The Wolves have young talent like Ricky Rubio and Shabazz Muhammad, but so far things have not gone right for the franchise.
Owner Glen Taylor has said he doesn't want to trade Love, but the team may not have a choice, as the power forward has said he plans on testing the market when he gets the chance, which would be in the summer of 2015 after next season when he has an opt out clause.
The Cavaliers missed the playoffs last season again, but now with LeBron coming back the east is wide open and while the Cavs may not be a championship team, they should make the postseason in 2015. The central is now the main spot, as the Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers and Cavs will battle it out and the Miami Heat should still be good too, now that they have added Chris Bosh and Luol Deng and the team is also adding Dwyane Wade.
The Cavs are looking at a possible Kevin Love trade and that obviously would make the team even better, but it will take a massive deal to get that done and right now the team is willing to add Andrew Wiggins to the deal. Wiggins started off his pro career in the summer league with 18 points against number two pick Jabari Parker and the Milwaukee Bucks and now he is with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving on the Cavaliers for the time being.