Report: Cavs offered Wiggins, Bennett and a 1st for Love; Wolves still want more
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The last two No. 1 overall picks and a future first-round pick is apparently still not enough to pry Kevin Love from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The latest in the discussions between the Wolves and the Cleveland Cavaliers - who reportedly want to appease LeBron James by landing Love - comes from ESPN and is pretty astounding:
In an attempt to add Love, a three-time All-Star, the Cavaliers are willing to part with Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett, the top picks in the past two drafts.
One source said the Cavs are also willing to give up a first-round draft pick for next season. Any other players involved in the talks are not known.
That's an enormous haul, and appears better on the surface than any other offer the Timberwolves have received (especially since Golden State remains steadfast that they won't include Klay Thompson in a deal), but Minnesota "wants more than the Cavaliers are currently offering."
Trading away a 25-year-old superstar shouldn't be done on a whim, and asking for the world is a prudent strategy. However, it's unclear if Flip Saunders and company can really hope to get more than Wiggins, the top pick in one of the most loaded draft classes ever, Bennett, who had a bad rookie season but has impressed at Summer League, and a future first.
One additional obstacle in a potential deal comes via a wrinkle in the collective bargaining agreement: Until Wiggins signs his rookie contract, his cap hold on the Cavs' books is $4.6 million, but his salary for the purposes of matching dollars in a trade is $0. Once he signs, his cap hold and salary for trade will both be his salary, which will almost surely be $5.5 million.
A trade is far easier to consummate if Wiggins' $5.5 million salary is used rather than $0, as Love's salary is $15.7 million, and since the Cavaliers would cross the salary cap with his acquisition, they have to send out substantial salary. A Bennett-Wiggins package works after Wiggins signs, but after he signs the Cavaliers have to wait 30 days to trade him.
In short, there are a lot of angles to consider, and with training camps still months away, the Wolves have all the time in the world to try and get the best deal possible. Whether a better one will materialize, however, is unclear.