Sport360° view: With the ball in their hands, Cavs can’t miss

Jay Asser 12:36 19/07/2014
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  • Resurgent: The Cleveland players listen in as David Blatt gives them their orders during an NBA Summer League game.

    Should the Cleveland Cavaliers trade Andrew Wiggins to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Love?

    If you’re Minnesota, you hope so.

    You’re not going to get a single better asset for a player that’s almost surely leaving next summer.

    If you’re Cleveland though, the answer isn’t as clear.

    The Cavs really can’t go wrong with this decision.

    Either way, they’re likely to be better than just fine.

    But it’s still a decision that needs to be made and one that could have major consequences.

    The case to trade for Love is easier to make.

    He’s coming off a season in which he averaged 26.1 points and 12.5 rebounds, was third in Player Efficiency Rating – only behind LeBron James and MVP Kevin Durant – and is a top 10 player.

    It’s always tough to mortgage the future for the present, but the thing is, Love is only 25-years-old.

    He’s just three years older than Kyrie Irving and even after James’ career is on the downward trajectory, he’ll still be in his prime.

    Love is definitely the better option for trying to win now, which only makes sense with James turning 30 this season.

    But Wiggins could be a better two-way player down the road.

    His defence is already excellent and he has a lot of potential on the other end of the floor with his eye-popping athleticism.

    Love’s offensive fit with James and Irving is mouth-watering, but he can’t affect games like Wiggins will be able to on defence.

    And of course, Wiggins is six years younger than Love and on a rookie contract, while the latter commands big money.

    Still, you make the trade if you’re Cleveland.

    Pairing James with another top-flight player is a scary proposition for other teams.

    The last time James got a chance to play with another one of the league’s best in Dwyane Wade, they won two championships even as Wade started to decline.

    But no decision has to be made immediately.

    Cleveland can let it play it out in the season and see how Wiggins translates in his first year before making a move or standing pat at the trade deadline in February.

    They’ll still have the trump card for any Love deal and Minnesota appear as if they don’t mind waiting themselves to see if they can make the playoffs this year and perhaps convince Love they’re heading in the right direction.

    The Cavs might or might not be better off in the future with Wiggins, but it’s a given they’re better in the short term with Love.

    It’s as simple as going with the known commodity in this case and in Love, that commodity is quite the prize.

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