There have been some new developments on the Kevin Love trade front within the last few hours.
The Cleveland Cavaliers may be willing to “up the ante” in an effort to acquire Love, but the Wolves may want to hang on to their superstar.
According to a report in the Cleveland News Herald, the Cavaliers are now willing to include Andrew Wiggins in a deal for Love. Talks about Love joining the Cavaliers have intensified in the wake of LeBron James returning to Cleveland.
Cleveland Cavaliers now willing to include Wiggins in Kevin Love trade offer http://t.co/93I94KhZmj
— Bob Finnan (@BobCavsinsider) July 17, 2014
Wiggins, a 6-foot-8 wing, has become a crowd favorite after three Las Vegas Summer League games. He is averaging 13.7 points and 3.0 rebounds a game.
The News Herald reports the new deal would include Wiggins, power forward Anthony Bennett, a first-round draft pick and maybe center Brendan Haywood to even out the contracts.
The news comes just a few days after it was reported the Wolves and Golden State re-opened trade talks over the weekend.
Love can opt out of his contract in a yearm and reportedly has told the Wolves he intends to do so if he is not traded prior to the end of next season.
While the Wolves have been talking with Golden State and Cleveland, until this Wiggins report neither team has appeared willing to meet Minnesota’s asking price.
The News Herald reports the Cavaliers wanted to hang onto Wiggins, but LeBron wants Love on the roster.
The clock is ticking for the Wolves if they intend to trade Love.
NBA.com’s Steve Aschburner writes that intermediate deadlines are already looming. Aschburner reports the Wolves have until the end of September to move Love, or they will open training camp with a potentially unhappy superstar.
According to Aschburner, the saga could then drag until the NBA’s Trade deadline in February.
That doesn’t seem to bother the Timberwolves though.
FOX Sports Net reports Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said Wednesday the team plans on having Kevin Love when they begin training camp in October.
The latest on Kevin Love? Hear from the man who cuts his check, TWolves owner Glen Taylor http://t.co/eexroWIpvr pic.twitter.com/KrNOkW9KAv
— NBA.com (@NBAcom) July 17, 2014
“Our plans are he’s going to stay, and we’re going to prepare for him and have him be part of our season this year,” Taylor told NBA TV during the Wolves’ Summer League game in Las Vegas. “There’s a lot of speculation that he wants to go to another team. I guess my response to that (is) we’re going to look at anything that makes sense that would make our team better. But we’re not going to just move a superb player like that without getting equal or more value back.”
That could be a risky venture for the Wolves, leaving them just 82 games to convince the forward – who has never been to the playoffs with Minnesota – that the team can contend for a title.
