Report: Cavs now willing to include Wiggins for Love; RIP Kevin Love to the Celtics if true
If this report by Bob Finnan of the Cleveland Morning Journal is correct, you can officially cross off Kevin Love joining the Celtics (if you hadn't already done so). According to Finnan, the Cavs are now willing to include #1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins in a deal for Love, something they were not prepared to do last week. From the article.
Rumors have surfaced that the Cavaliers wouldn’t include rookie swingman Andrew Wiggins in any possible deal for the Minnesota Timberwolves’ star.
A league source said on July 17 that the Cavs are now willing to trade the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 draft.
Wiggins, a 6-foot-8, 194-pounder, has played well at the Las Vegas Summer League, where he’s become a crowd favorite. The former Kansas star has averaged 13.7 points and 3.0 rebounds in the Cavs’ first three games. However, he’s shooting just 37.8 percent from the field.
Up until this point, it was assumed the Cavs wanted to hang onto Wiggins, largely because of comments made by Coach David Blatt.
However, a source said James wants the 6-10, 250-pound Love on the roster. And, what James wants, he normally gets.
The thinking is that Wiggins is going to be a very good player, a possible All-Star player, in time. But he’s raw. He’s a long way away from reaching that potential.
Love is an All-Star caliber player now. The union of James, Kyrie Irving and Love could be a championship in the making.
The Cavs are under the gun to win now. James is playing on a two-year contract that includes an out clause after the 2014-15 season if he decides to use it.
If the Cavs truly have put Wiggins on the table, expect this deal to happen as soon as Wiggins is eligible to be traded (30 days after he signed his rookie contract). Minnesota is not getting a better haul back than a 19-year-old potential superstar under team control for five seasons, and while Wiggins doesn't quite fit the Wolves peculiar "win now" approach under Flip Saunders, he's too rare a talent to turn down for a guy like Love who will not re-sign in Minny next summer.
And thus (again, if this is accurate), RIP to the Kevin Love in Boston era. Minnesota never seemed interested in Boston's offer. Whether that be because of the alleged Flip-Danny feud, the previous deal that sent KG to Boston (maybe Minnesota didn't want to seem like the minor league system for the Celtics), or just that the Wolves weren't interested in Boston's treasure check of picks, now it's clear that the Cavs have an offer that Boston cannot touch.
Sigh.
But hey, the summer of 2015 does still look good for the Celtics. Tons of young talent, tons of future first rounders, and tons of cap space. These things take time, and if the Cs can transition from being the oldest team in the league (in 2013) to young, exciting team with all kinds of cap space (by 2015) -- that's a pretty good turnaround.
But that doesn't mean this doesn't sting a bit. But whatever, we'll always have that weekend in Boston, Kevin.
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