Report: Timberwolves publish newspaper ad with Wiggins, Bennett
August 23, 2014Browns continue ugly preseason against Rams
August 23, 2014Through several reports (including Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN, and Sam Amico, among many others) and now confirmed by the Cavaliers themselves, the Cleveland Cavaliers officially acquired Kevin Love today in exchange for Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, and Miami’s 2015 first round pick (which comes with top ten protection for this year and heads to Philadelphia in this three-team deal). The Philadelphia 76ers will send Thaddeus Young to Minnesota in exchange for the draft pick, Alexey Shved, and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute.
Kevin Love will wear No. 0 with the wine and gold as Nate Thurmond’s No. 42 hangs in the Quicken Loans Arena rafters.
With the offseason acquisitions of LeBron James, Mike Miller, James Jones, Shawn Marion (not official), and now Love officially, the Cavaliers have underwent an unbelievable and transcendent overhaul from the group that last hit the floor in mid-April. Of that unit, only five Cavaliers remain (Irving, Waiters, Thompson, Varejao, Dellavedova).
Love cannot sign an extension with the Cavaliers until early January when the third anniversary of the last contract that he signed passes. However, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! has reported that the Wolves and the NBA granted Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert permission to speak to Love at the Las Vegas Summer League in July. One would reasonably believe that those talks centered around the prospect of Love staying long-term in Cleveland.
With permission of Wolves and NBA, Dan Gilbert and Kevin Love met in Las Vegas during July summer league, sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 23, 2014
The trade has been widely considered a done deal for weeks, the only thing holding up execution was Andrew Wiggins being unable to be traded for 30 days following the signing of his rookie contract. One late-breaking development was Bennett heading to Minnesota rather than Philadelphia.
Love, a 6-10 three-time All-Star, averaged 26.1 points, 12.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 77 games last season while shooting .457/.376/.821 and playing 36 minutes per night. Love also posted a 26.9 PER, .591 TS%, .524 eFG%, 14.3 win shares, 120 ORtg, and 104 DRtg.
For those fans (including this writer) that purchased Wiggins jerseys following the draft, the Cavs are giving three options as to what to do with your No. 21 Wiggins jersey.
For now, though, Cleveland fans can rejoice and embrace a new era of Cavaliers basketball. LeBron James, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving. Together. In Cleveland. Now, think back to mid-April. Even if we don’t know for how long this will last and what heights it will take us fans to, let that thought sink in for a moment.
Related: All the numbers on new Cleveland star Kevin Love
Photo: Cleveland Cavaliers
22 Comments
In having trouble finding any reasons they won’t win the title this season.
“have underwent”?
I know you’re excited Kirk, but really…
http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/tcfi.gif
The Andrew Wiggins jersey was never produced so nothing to talk about last I heard.
Anything can happen that’s why they play the games I’m not about to overlook the western conference for a minute.
Last year, I recall Joe Banner saying that he wanted to “win every trade.” That always struck me as unnecessarily ruthless, implying that someone needed to “lose” a trade in order for there to be a winner. In contrast, this seems like a well-conceived 3-team trade in which – on paper at least – everyone gets something that makes them better.
GO CAVS. You have to think Jesus Shuttlesworth is in the fold next. If he feels healthy, how can he pass up this team? They now have about $4.25M they can deal in Lucas/Thomas/Harris/Murphy, most of it unguaranteed and the two 1st rounders (keep Memphis!) next year to try and trade for a defensive big man. I wonder if the Mozgov rumor has any legs? Maybe they wanted to make sure they secured Love first? Maybe Koufos?
I’ve seen some folks on Twitter who bought one. Maybe they allowed people to create their own jersey with Wiggins’ name and number… not sure.
So it has been rumored, so it was done
Go Gladiators!
http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view5/3477557/woopty-doo-o.gif
I miss the Thunderbolts
I miss the Force. 🙂
I miss the Crunch!
“Kevin Love will wear No. 0 with the wine and gold as Nate Thurmond’s No. 42 hangs in the Quicken Loans Arena rafters”
How long until Love is more worthy of the #42 than Thurmond? May of this first season?
He already is!
My understanding is that because they’ve already dealt their 2016 1st round pick, they can’t trade their 2015 1st round pick as well. (Stepien rule) I believe we can only trade one we got from somebody else.
I’d guess even proud Nate is embarrassed. He didn’t ask to have such attention brought to the broken down end of his magnificent career.
I miss the Rockers?
Interesting article on when the plan for K-Love came into being or supposedly:
http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/cavaliers-kevin-love-plan/story?id=25097977
Where’s the love for the Lumberjacks?
Ah! Your right. I’d like to hold on to that Memphis pick, especially if the NBA changes the lottery rules next year and all lotto picks get roughly equal odds. So other than trading future firsts and vet minimums, I don’t see them being able to make any other big deals this season.