Trade rumors continue to swirl around Cavaliers forward Kevin Love, with Shams Charania of The Athletic and ESPN’s Brian Windhorst becoming the latest to weigh in on Love’s situation.
According to Charania, league sources have said Love would prefer a move to a contending team. Charania also reiterated what ESPN reported on Friday, indicating that the Cavs have been open to engaging in discussions with teams about a potential trade involving Love.
Windhorst, meanwhile, stated on his podcast that he thinks Cleveland’s phone lines “were always open” on Love, adding that the five-time All-Star seems “clearly unhappy” with the Cavs (hat tip to RealGM). Love expressed frustration over the weekend with the team’s struggles, and Windhorst suggests that the big man’s relationship with first-year head coach John Beilein may have accelerated the Cavs’ timeline for a trade.
[RELATED: Report: John Beilein’s Coaching Style Is Alienating Players]
The Cavs got off to a solid start this season under Beilein, winning four of their first nine games. Since then, they’ve dropped 12 of 13, and many of those losses have been blowouts. The team was hammered by 47 points in Philadelphia on Saturday.
After recording 18.3 PPG and 13.4 RPG on 48.1% shooting in Cleveland’s first nine games, Love has averages of 13.9 PPG and 7.6 RPG on 39.6% since then, and has battled a back injury.
While Love still has star-level upside, potential trade partners will be wary of his recent injury history (he hasn’t played more than 60 games in a season since 2015/16) and of his contract, which still has three years and $91MM+ left on it after this season.
Don’t they all
Salary dump to the Mavs? Could use the rebounding
I am a Mavs fan since 06. i do like Kevin Love and think he would be a HUGE upgrade over dwight powell (in just about every catagory besides hussel), i just dont like his contract. Dallas signed/resigned a lot of players to 3 years deals. So when Luka is a RFA, they can go out and sign everyone Luka wants. After they spend all their cap, they can go in the negative and resign Luka.
So then why did he sign that contract in the first place?
The real question is why did they give him that huge contract.
If we want to talk Mavs trades. I suggest going after Michael Kidd-Gilcrest (a ‘lite’ shawn marion version) for lee, 2nd rounders and/or justin jackson.
Iggy for practically same thing above. Would love to somehow get Josh Jackson as well or instead of iggy.
If detorit goes fire sell and a pipe dream- id like drummond or griffin. Detorit can shed griffin contract. Or det trade Drummond and at least get somwthing in return since he can walk away for nothing in offseason. (Dwayne casey used to work on carlise staff and have a good relation). Jalen brunson, dwight powell, seth curry would be great young additions for a rebuilding team.
Dallas needs a true center and a defensive minded wing. Dwight powell cant guard, some of the best west teams. And finney-smith got destroyed trying to guard lebron, pg13 kawhi etc
The Cavs want picks and are not really trying to reduce salary beyond this year. Love is leaving only because he wants to, probably because the young guards are not getting him the ball & may not like a been-there vet being around. (Tristan is more polite like a Canadian).
GM Altman has made his bed and now has to lie in it.
If DETROIT was smart, they would move their expirings, give weakening Griffin a rehab year, and assume no 2020 playoffs with the record they have. Start 2020 with a changed cast.
I think dealing Griffin is not likely.
Matching up players for a KLove trade is as usual difficult though I think KLove would be a good influence on Griffin. KLove can play the 5 & maybe is better there, though has not been a willing hedger.
Griffin is 34.2 with 37+40 left; Love is 28.9 with 31+31+30 left (23.1 min).
Piston Expirings: Drummond 27.1 (PO), Jackson 18.1, Galloway 7.3, Maker 3.6, & Frazier 1.9.
Piston chips: Kennard 3.8, Doumbouya 3.3, minimals Brown, Wood & SviM, any r1 and any r2 except 2020.
KLove for Drummond, Doums, & a 2021 r1. Drummond could leave but the Cavs may not have gotten a “knock-out” offer for Love.
A Love + Griffin frontcourt is probably not what you want to have on the defensive end…
Pistons could get more dangerous though with Love. I am thinking, a trade will be to a team that needs to trade, more than to a GM that loves Love, since Love’s been available.
I think the owner wanted to bribe him through the rebuild, since he has has already won a title. But Love had no input on the coaching hire.
How much worse would it really be? They’re not exactly a defensive juggernaut with Drummond, and he’s limited offensively. A Love-Griffin pick and pop could be hard to cover, especially if Griffin is feeling frisky.
Haha who’s the idiot now!!!
Are you calling the guy with the $120MM contract an idiot?
masai hello?
3 team deal: Love & CP3 to Miami; Winslow, James Johnson and the 2021 Miami pick OKC owns to Cleveland; Goran, Meyers, and Waiters to OKC. Miami goes for it in their prime Butler window; Cleveland gets to try a Winslow/Sexton backcourt, moves Garland to the 6th man role for the time being, and picks up an unprotected 1st; OKC replaces the bloated CP3 contract with 2 expirings plus 1.5 yrs of Waiters who fits the SG 3&D mold more (with Ferguson) that’ll force Shai to take the next step as a PG.
If I’m OKC I’m a hard no on this deal. They’ve got what could be a very good Miami 1st, and they’d like nothing more than to see the Heat struggle.
Not to mention, if OKC is patient, they can get more for CP3. They don’t have to trade him at all, and it’s not like he’s a bad guy to have on your team (contract notwithstanding).
Maybe suns, Tyler Johnson and some others
Cleveland is dreaming if they think they’ll get a 1st for Kevin Love without taking back some long-term money.
Miami and Portland are the only two options. Portland knows that, and I suspect they’ll offer Bazemore plus a couple of seconds, because they’re the only team that’s willing to offer cap relief.
Miami, on the other hand, would probably offer Waiters or Johnson , along with Winslow. It’s not a bad haul for Cleveland, but it’s not going to make their cap situation better for another year.
Phoenix is the last possibility, but I think they’ll stand pat. No reason to go all in for Kevin Love when you’ve got Cameron Johnson and Dario Saric. Saric is a good bet to re-sign, and Johnson is a good young player.
Can see them giving Bazemore now Hood is out for the year. If Miami has a first to give then I could see them offering J Johnson and D Waiters plus the first.
Cavs may not worry about their cap situation– after this year. Because of that they have more options. They may like a money player, but, Griffin or Hayward may be out of reach.
John Wall, A. Schofield and a 2020 first rounder and 2 seconds for Kevin Love and Colin Sexton
Wizards give Bradley Beal some talent to compete. He gets a young PG and a experienced second star PF.
Wizards would have great PF/C depth but gives them a a chance to be good now and in the future.
Cavs get a good first rounder and a former all star PG who is currently injured which allows you to tank this year. Wall is a great passer which the team needs. Then along with their own pick they have a good chance to have 2 good picks plus they also get some seconds.
Involving Wall & Sexton/Garland is good if GM Altman doesn’get conservative or ignore KLove’s wishes.
To deal with Miami they would probably have to involve OKC.