The Minnesota Timberwolves are trading Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers and later the team could look at a deal with Ricky Rubio, as the team now has Zach LaVine from the NBA draft and teams like the Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers all could be interested down the line if the Wolves opt to make a move.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, Rubio may ask for a five year extension when he is eligible to sign a new deal and while that doesn't mean he will necessarily be traded, it's quite a bit to ask for when he has not yet established himself in the NBA as a top guard. Eric Bledsoe is having a similar situation playing out, as he is a restricted free agent and is asking for five years and a ton of money, while his team is offering far less. The Wolves aren't looking to deal Rubio, but that could happen down the line now after the team picked Zach LaVine in the NBA draft.
The Nuggets were reportedly interested in a Love deal earlier in the offseason and they could look at Rubio, while teams like the Pistons and Pacers also could be in the mix. Teams looking at Rajon Rondo may also look at Rubio and while the Wolves want to keep him, they at least have a backup option in LaVine. Rubio is a great talent and at only 23 he still has potential to develop.
LaVine comes in as a teenager and he averaged 9.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game as a freshman and his athleticism is out of this work. LaVine has showed that off on social media already and during his time at UCLA he proved to be an athletic and versatile player. LaVine can play in multiple spots and if the team opts to trade Rubio one day, he can take over at point guard.
The Timberwolves felt they had no choice but to trade Love to the Cavaliers, as he said that he planned on testing the market this offseason and likely would leave Minnesota. Love said he wanted to test the market and that missing the playoffs was weighing on him for his career and now it appears that he is going to the Cavs. The two teams cannot pull off the deal until later in August, but barring an unforeseen setback, the deal should go down with Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett. The Wolves reload with two numbers one overall picks and a first round draft pick, while the Cavs are adding an elite forward to their mix with James and Kyrie Irving.
The Timberwolves had a solid offensive unit last season that ranked third in points per game with over 106 per contest, but losing Love will likely take a bite out of that. The team has to find a way to keep things going and they are looking to add someone like Thaddeus Young as a possible replacement for Love and they could deal with the 76ers to get that done. Love is coming off of a strong season with 26 points and 12 rebounds per game and no matter who they get, it will be hard to make that production up.
