Written by Nicolas Hallett
It’s finally here. The conclusion to the Kevin Love trade saga will come to head Saturday, August 23.
In fact, ESPN’s Marc Stein reports Andrew Wiggins is eligible to be dealt by the Cleveland Cavaliers as soon as 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, completing the 30-day prohibitive period after signing his NBA rookie contract. The report adds that the teams can also schedule a trade call with the league that day even though it’s the weekend.
You know, in case the teams are as anxious for this to be over as much as the fans.
As exciting as it is for the Minnesota Timberwolves fanbase to flip the grumpy Kevin Love for the 2014 No. 1 overall pick and possibly a future franchise star, ESPN is reporting that president and coach Flip Saunders has sweetened the pot even further.
The report says on Saturday a three-team trade will be executed, involving Minnesota, Cleveland and the Philadelphia 76ers.
It had been mooted previously that the 76ers would be involved in the Love-Wiggins swap, which would have also included Anthony Bennett – the 2013 No. 1 overall pick – and a future first-round pick coming to Minnesota from Cleveland. It was reported Minnesota would then trade Bennett for Philadelphia veteran forward Thaddeus Young.
No longer. With Saunders attempting to rebuild the Timberwolves from the ground up through youth, it would have been odd to let the 21-year-old Bennett go after swindling him from the Cavs in addition to the 19-year-old Wiggins.
The new report on Friday says instead of Bennett, the Timberwolves have convinced the 76ers to take the future first-round pick they’ll receive from the Cavs as well as the deadweight contracts of Luc Richard Mbah A Moute ($4.3 million per year) and Alexey Shved ($3.2 million) for a power forward that averaged six rebounds and nearly 18 points in 2013-14. (For reference power forward Kevin Love averaged 12.5 rebounds and 26 points last season.)
What a deal for the T’Pups. The only seemingly good piece is the first-round pick. But think again. That’s coming from Cleveland, which will possess Love along with Kyrie Irving and LeBron James, so there’s zero chance it would be a lottery pick or come close to landing within the draft’s first 25 picks.
“The Sixers tried to get Bennett as part of the Young transaction,” sources told ESPN, “but Minnesota was determined to keep the second-year forward to be a key piece in its rebuilding effort despite Bennett's disappointing rookie season with Cleveland.”
Just when it seemed he had done all he could to maximize the value of his exiting star, Saunders continues to better a franchise with countless years of futility in its rearview mirror. The Timberwolves haven’t been to the postseason in 10 years, the longest active drought in the NBA.
Looking through the windshield and with Saunders at the steering wheel, the future appears bright.
Tomorrow is the beginning of a new era in Minnesota basketball.
| Nicolas Hallett is a staff writer for 105 The Ticket. He recently graduated from the University of Minnesota and has written for the Murphy News Service, the Minnesota Daily and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Follow him on Twitter @NicolasHallett |