The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to trade Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers and now names like Ricky Rubio, Alexey Shved, JJ Barea, Luc Mbah a Moute, Kevin Martin and Corey Brewer could be in the mix to get traded after the deal is complete, as the team is acquiring Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett and wants to clear salary cap space and they could be used in a potential trade for Thaddeus Young with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Rubio likely isn't getting traded this season, but if he asks for a five year max deal the team may consider it, while names like Shved, JJ Barea, Luc Mbah a Moute, Kevin Martin and Corey Brewer are now on the trading block with the Love deal agreed on. According to Pro Basketball Talk and Yahoo Sports, Minnesota is looking to deal players to free cap space and after Martin and Barea were rumored to be moving in the Cavaliers deal, it looks like that will just be for the main package.
The Wolves may look at other deals with the players involved from the Cavaliers side if John Lucas and others are moved, as Minnesota is reportedly targeting Thaddeus Young as a replacement for Love. According to Pro Basketball Talk, the team may look at trading Anthony Bennett to get Young and that would be an interesting move for the Sixers, as that would add another young player to the team and he has heaps of potential after being a number one overall pick.
The Timberwolves obviously did not want to trade Love, but they felt that they had no other option since he was nearing free agency and made it clear he wanted to test the market. After reports of a "handshake" deal between the two teams, Yahoo Sports reported that the Cavs and Wolves agreed on the deal and it will send Love to the Cavaliers for Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and a future protected first round pick.
There were reports that the Wolves may use a third team in the trade, but that appears unlikely now and the team may look at making moves after the trade is complete. The team will receive two former number one overall picks and reports have the Wolves potentially sending Anthony Bennett to the 76ers for Thaddeus Young. Minnesota is looking at Young to replace Love and while he is not the same caliber of player, he can give the team some solid support in place of Love.
The new reports have Love signing a five year, $120 million contract in the future and that would make sense, as the Cavs gave up some of their own future to get him. The move makes the Cavaliers easily the favorites in the east and also in the entire NBA. The team will have some tough teams to get through in the finals depending on who makes it, but they won't have to worry about playing the west until the championship series.
Love gives the team more experience and the team now has Kyrie Irving, James and Love as their three best players and that trumps anyone in the east. Love could be the tipping point for the Cavs to make it to the finals and they should easily be the favorite to win the east.
