Kevin Love has torpedoed a deal that would send him to Cleveland in exchange for a package that included the Cavaliers' No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, according to Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.
Did Kevin Love stop a potential trade to Cavaliers for No. 1 pick?
Reports surfaced Wednesday that Cleveland tried to put together a package for the Timberwolves’ All-Star power forward.
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The deal reportedly fell apart after the Minnesota big man refused to re-sign with the Cavaliers long-term. Love has been at the center of trade rumors for weeks, and the Cavaliers are weighing their options after news broke on June 19 that Kansas center Joel Embiid had injured his foot.
Why it makes sense
The Cavaliers don't need yet another power forward, unless of course it's one of the best in the game. Love would immediately be the best player on the Cavaliers roster, and a 1-2 punch of him and Kyrie Irving would be devastating on offense.
Canis Hoopus
Cleveland was somewhere near the middle in three-point percentage last season, so adding Love to their roster would not only help them get out in transition but solidify their presence from beyond the arc. Love would also fill the rebounding hole left by the oft-injured Anderson Varejao, who the Cavs can't be sure to rely on as they move forward.
The No. 1 pick is incredibly valuable, as we know, but if you can get back a guaranteed All-Star at one of the most important positions in the NBA, you go for it.
Why it doesn’t make sense
The question in this proposal is more about what else the Cavaliers would have to give up. It would likely have to involve a combination of Dion Waiters, Anthony Bennett, Jarrett Jack, Tristan Thompson or Tyler Zeller.
Cleveland has a lot of young, developing talent and betting the farm on five years of a Love-Irving duo is a no-brainer. But a one-year chance? Absolutely not.
The East is weaker than the West, but it’s not that weak. Cleveland narrowly missed the playoffs last season with a record of 33-49, and without several starters in place of Love it’s not a guarantee they would make the cut, let alone go deep enough to entice Love to stay.
The Cavaliers want to be relevant, and badly, but at what cost? Trading for Love without a guarantee he would re-sign and a mismatched roster would essentially put the Cavs in the same spot the Timberwolves find themselves in right now.
Likelihood it happens
The deal is already dead, but it’s a day from the draft and Cleveland is on the phones around the clock at this point in time. I don’t think it’s a likely scenario that it surfaces again, but you really can’t count it out of the picture until Love is in another uniform. Let’s say a 2/10 chance of happening on draft day. Grade: C+
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