It took a month, but the Kevin Love trade is now complete and the Cleveland Cavaliers are ready to make a run for a championship with LeBron James and the deal sent Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, Thaddeus Young as well as a trade exception to the Minnesota Timberwolves, while the Philadelphia 76ers received two players and a first round pick from the Wolves.
The Love trade had been set for quite some time, but Wiggins could not be traded for 30 days due to NBA rules about rookie contracts and that kept things from officially happening. According to ESPN.com, Love was traded to the Cavaliers for Wiggins and Bennett, while Young was acquired from the Sixers for a 2015 first-round draft choice, guard Alexey Shved and forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, which helps clear cap space for Minnesota. Love was the top trade target in the NBA and now he is with the Cavs and the team has the chance to make a run for their first championship in the city since the 1960s.
The deal now is official and it comes after a very long process that saw teams like the Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls as well as the Phoenix Suns make runs at Love. The Timberwolves received a very nice haul from the Cavaliers and this is a deal that is basically a win-win, as Minnesota knew that Love was going to leave as a free agent next summer anyway. The Nuggets did not get a haul like this when they traded Carmelo and the Magic surely did not get a haul like this in their trade of Dwight Howard. Of course Wiggins and/or Bennet could end up as busts, but receiving two former number one overall picks for a player the team knew would leave is a nice package.
The Timberwolves also now have the chance to be a decent team after getting Thaddeus Young, as he can at least make up for some of the production that Love will take with him. The Wolves won't be a championship team, but with Ricky Rubio, Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, Thaddeus Young and Zach LaVine, the Timberwolves have some actual talent and potential at their core. The Cavs now are in a much better position than the Timberwolves, but they have LeBron James and a chance ot win a championship.
The eastern conference has some solid teams like the Heat, Pacers, Bulls and Wizards, but right now no one can match what Cleveland has. That of course doesn't mean the team will win the east, but they have a very good chance to get it done and they have the best Big 3 in the east with Kyrie Irving, LeBron James and Love. Miami should still be a very good team after signing Luol Deng and they have him along with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and a very good bench with names like Danny Granger, Josh McRoberts and Shawne Williams to fill things out.
