NBA season opener: Cavaliers will debut James, Love era vs. Knicks – http://t.co/QSsgtcqf3u / pic.twitter.com/dCgb9M23WV
— Sporting News NBA (@sn_nba) August 13, 2014
The trade to send Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers hasn’t even been finalized yet, and we already know when he and his soon-to-be Cleveland Cavaliers teammates will return to Target Center.
Love probably shouldn’t expect a warm reception from either the weather outside or the crowd inside on Jan. 31 when the two teams are scheduled to meet in Minneapolis.
The NBA released its schedule for the upcoming season Wednesday evening.
The Bleacher Report ranks the game as one of the top 10 games in the league this season.
“However, it will still be emotional for Love to return to Minnesota after six great seasons with the club. Hopefully there will be no hard feelings from the fans.
One the other hand, Wiggins and Bennett will try to show that Cleveland made a mistake by getting rid of them.”
Love’s visit to Minnesota doesn’t happen until after the NBA gives Love a Christmas present. Minnesota travels to Cleveland on Christmas Eve this year.
Love is reportedly heading to Cleveland for this year’s top pick from the NBA Draft, Andrew Wiggins. But the teams can not finalize the deal until 30 days after Wiggins signed his rookie contract (Aug. 23).
In exchange for Love, the Wolves also are expected to acquire last year’s No. 1 pick, Anthony Bennett, and a first-round pick from Cleveland in 2015. The Wolves may then package Bennett and the first-round pick to Philadelphia for Thaddeus Young, either as part of a separate trade or as part of a three-team deal.
While the trade is likely to make Minnesota one of the youngest and most athletic teams in the league, not everyone has high expectations for the Wolves. ESPN is picking the Wolves to win a Western Conference-worst 26 games in 2015-16. As a result, Minnesota isn’t in line for too many games on national television.
Wolves play 4 national TV games: NBA TV vs. Bulls on 11/1, at Lakers 4/10 & ESPN games Nov. 12 vs. Houston in Mexico CIty & Jan. 7 vs. Suns
— Jerry Zgoda (@JerryZgoda) August 13, 2014
The Wolves will open the season at Memphis on Oct. 29. Their home opener is the following night against Detroit.
According to the Star Tribune, they will have four, four-game homestands. The Wolves will also have nine days off for the All-Star break this year – they play on Feb. 11 against Golden State and are then off until a home game on Feb. 20 against Phoenix.
