Love joins LeBron at Cleveland

Jay Asser 08:15 24/08/2014
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Big coup: Cleveland now have a devastating offence of Love, James and Irving.

    After a drawn-out summer of uncertainty, Kevin Love’s future is finally known as the former Minnesota Timberwolves superstar heads to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for rookie prospect Andrew Wiggins.

    While the Timberwolves and Cavaliers reportedly reached an agreement in principle weeks ago, the trade couldn’t officially be confirmed until yesterday when Wiggins’ rookie contract reached the 30-day provision.

    Minnesota also receives 2013 No1 draft pick Anthony Bennett, as well as forward Thaddeus Young from the Philadelphia 76ers and a trade exception worth $6.1 million (Dh22.4m).

    In return, Philadelphia gets forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, guard Alexey Shved and a 2015 firstround pick via the Miami Heat.

    Love now joins LeBron James and Kyrie Irving in Cleveland where the trio will form one of the most devastating offensive units.

    The Cavaliers finished with just 33 wins in a weak Eastern Conference last season and won the draft lottery for the third time in the last four years. They’ve yet to make the playoffs since James left for Miami in 2010, but will be favourites in the East this coming season.

    The 25-year-old Love is coming off his best year in which he averaged a career-high 26.1 points per game, good for fourth highest in the league just behind James’ 27.1. He also ranked third in rebounds with 12.5 per game and tied for eighth in 3-pointers made with 190.

    Despite losing their star man, the Timberwolves exchanged one franchise cornerstone with another by landing Wiggins, who is six years younger than Love and comes on a rookie salary scale.

    Bennett, meanwhile, will get a fresh start after struggling in his first season when he averaged 4.2 points, and Young, a veteran but still just 26 years old, arrives after scoring a career-high 17.9 points per contest for the 76ers last year.

    The three players will add to Minnesota’s core of point guard Ricky Rubio, big man Gorgui Dieng and incoming rookie Zach LaVine.

    For Philadelphia, they gain financial flexibility with Mbah a Moute and Shved on expiring contracts and add the Heat’s first-round pick,.

    Love will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, while James can opt out of his deal, but both are expected to stay with Cleveland with an eye towards the league’s upcoming TV deal, which is expected to continue increasing the salary cap.

    Recommended