With all the major free agents signing with teams by now, the focus of the NBA off-season has turned to the Kevin Love sweepstakes. Things have definitely picked up in the past few days, as teams are starting to make a real push to acquire the All-Star.
Earlier today, reports emerged that the Chicago Bulls were pushing to trade for Love. More information on trade talks have started to trickle in, and according to ESPN, the Cleveland Cavaliers are quietly confident that they will be the team to land the All-Star.
Sources told ESPN.com that the Cavs firmly believe they are progressing toward a trade framework that the Minnesota Timberwolves will accept in exchange for Love and enable Cleveland to pair the versatile big man with Team USA teammate LeBron James.
Cleveland’s offer, sources said, would be headlined by No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins, 2013’s No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett and a future first-round pick, with one source close to the process insisting Tuesday that the Cavs are destined to acquire Love. At least one more player might have to added to the package to satisfy NBA trade rules.
It would be difficult to see a team topping the Cavs package. In Wiggins, the Wolves would be receiving a potential superstar they otherwise are not going to get in a Love trade.
With the Cavs emerging as the front-runner, another team that has been linked to Love since May seems to be dropping out of the race to acquire his services. According to Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News, the Golden State Warriors refusal to include Klay Thompson in any trade offer has all but taken them out of trade talks with Minnesota.
Won't offer Klay T. So they're not in it. RT @johntwentytwo Is it safe to say that GSW is quietly out of the mix for Love at this point?
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) July 22, 2014
While most rumors you see at this point in the off-season are smokescreens from teams trying to make a big move, it is still interesting to see the Warriors insist they will not include Thompson in any Love-centric deal. While Klay is a great shooter and potentially an All-Star, adding the Wolves big man would make the Warriors one of the favorites out West.
