The Kevin Love trade talks have picked up between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls and now those two teams are favorites to land the deal, as the Wolves are eyeing Andrew Wiggins from the Cavs and also are looking at Thaddeus Young from the 76ers and now the Houston Rockets or Boston Celtics could jump in as the Cavs and Bulls work out a deal this month.
The Cavaliers and Bulls each have to wait to make the trade since they signed their rookies and cannot trade them for a month, but sources say that will not hinder the deal. According to ESPN.com, the Cavaliers are still front runners for the deal, but there is a chance the Bulls or another team wows the Cavs by the end of August.
The Cavaliers originally were looked at as a long shot before the draft to get Love, but that was before LeBron James made his decision to come home and now it looks like a prime destination. The Cavs offered Anthony Bennett and Dion Waiters along with a first round pick in their original package, but the Timberwolves wanted more and played the Cavs and Golden State Warriors off each other. Cleveland eventually relented and have now offered Andrew Wiggins, Bennett and a first round pick to Minnesota for Love and now they are just waiting for the clock to run out.
The Golden State Warriors originally were the team in deep negotiations with the Cavaliers around the NBA draft, but the team did not want to give up star Klay Thompson. The team has offered Harrison Barnes and David Lee in their package for Love, but reports say the Wolves want Thompson over anyone in any of the deals, so that likely will not get done unless they deal Klay.
Love has turned into one of the best young players in the league and he has been a double-double machine in his time in Minnesota and now he wants to win. Love has said it pains him that he has not yet made the playoffs in his six years in the league I and if he moves to Cleveland or Chicago he surely will be in the postseason this year. Last season Love averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds and factored into the MVP race for the first time and now he has the chance to be the main factor in the offseason for the league, as his move will shift the power in the eastern conference.
The Cavaliers see Love as the piece that puts the team in championship contention and it also would be a win over the Bulls, a division rival. The central division could be the best in basketball this year, as they have LeBron James back in Cleveland and the Bulls getting a hopefully healthy Derrick Rose and they have also added Pau Gasol too. The Indiana Pacers come back after being first in the conference last season and they should be right in the mix again even with LeBron coming into the division.
