Cavaliers to trade Wiggins for Love – report
Andrew Wiggins and Kevin Love AP photos
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers has reached a tentative agreement to trade the two most recent number one overall picks to the Minnesota Timberwolves for star forward Kevin Love, US media reported Thursday.
The Cavaliers will send 2014 overall top draft pick Andrew Wiggins and last year’s No. 1 selection, Anthony Bennett, to the Wolves, Yahoo Sports reported on Thursday. Wiggins and Bennett are the first two Canadian players to be taken first overall in back-to-back National Basketball Association draft years.
Minnesota would also get a first-round choice in 2015 in exchange for Love, a three-time NBA all-star who has reportedly stated that he would opt out of his contract with the Wolves in 2015.
Nothing is official and any deal involving Wiggins cannot be finalized until August 23. NBA rules stipulate that a draft pick cannot be dealt until 30 days after he signs his contract and Wiggins signed his July 24.
Yahoo Sports also reported that Love would still opt out after the upcoming season, but will sign a new contract with the Cavaliers for five years.
Speculation surrounding a trade for Love has been rampant since superstar LeBron James re-signed with Cleveland last month.
In 77 games last season, Love averaged 26.1 points and 12.5 rebounds for the Timberwolves. He has spent his first six NBA seasons with Minnesota and owns career averages of 19.2 points and 12.2 rebounds.
Landing Love together with 2012 Olympic gold medal teammate James and guard Kyrie Irving would give the Cavaliers a “Big Three” to rival what James enjoyed with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, where he led the Heat to two titles and four NBA finals before announcing last month he was leaving to return to the Cavaliers, which he spurned in 2010 to join Miami.
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