Timberwolves Owner Says Love Trade is “Likely”

The most recent sign that a deal from Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers is likely to transpire, is when Glen Taylor the Minnesota Timberwolves team owner told a newspaper in St. Paul that a trade involving the All-Star was likely to happen by August 23 of August 24.

It just so happens that August 23 is the first day Andrew Wiggins the rookie for Cleveland can by traded per NBA signing rules for rookies.

Taylor added that Love, the team’s talented power forward, has been quite clear he does not want to remain in Minnesota.

On July 24, Wiggins signed a deal with Cleveland for four years, but due to league rules involving contracts with rookies, the Cavaliers cannot trade Wiggins for the first 30 days following the signing of a contract.

Minnesota owner Taylor said he thought it was most likely to happen since Kevin has indicated to him that he wants a trade to take place.

Taylor also added that he would prefer to keep Love on the Timberwolves.

Most insiders have said that a trade that would send Love to Cleveland for Wiggins, Anthony Bennett the No 1 pick overall in 2013 and a future pick in the first round is regarded across the league as a transaction of when not if.

Both Minnesota and Cleveland are said to be discussing a way to bring in another team into the transaction such as Philadelphia.

Reports have circulated that Minnesota was targeting Thaddeus Young a power forward for the Sixers as a possible Love replacement.

Taylor said he felt when someone with the talent of Kevin leaves a team, the club must find more than one player that has the potential to replace him.

Wolves President and head coach Flip Saunders has looked over his roster and offensively his team is pretty solid. Defensively it must get better, added Taylor, but that is the area the club looks to replace if the deal for Lover goes through.

Officials with the NBA have been adamant that no acknowledgement of a pending trading can be made, from either the Cavaliers or Wolves, until the required 30 days pass from the date Wiggins signed his rookie contract.

Love has made it obvious he is planning to opt out of his contract at the end of next season to become a free agent even if a deal to send him to Cleveland is done.

Source said that was only because he can secure a contract that is much more lucrative next summer that if he were to negotiate an extension.

A number of insiders have said that Love is very intrigued with the thought of playing on the same team with LeBron James his teammate on the Olympic Team in 2012.

They said he is not worried by the thought that James’ contract with Cleveland is only two seasons and contains an option for James to become a free agent again next summer.

At least it looks like the trade saga will come to a close in the next three weeks so both teams can get to work on finding a way to reach the playoffs.