NBA Rumors: Cavaliers open to trade Kevin Love in offseason
There are rumors that the Cleveland Cavaliers could trade All-Star power forward Kevin Love before this year's NBA trade deadline. Last November, ESPN senior writer Brian Windhorst said that multiple teams were interested in trading for Love.
Love has become ineligible to get traded after the Cavaliers signed him to a massive four-year, $120 million extension last summer. With his trade restriction officially lifted this month, trade rumors began swirling again.
However, according to Cleveland.com, it is more likely that the Cavaliers will keep Love at least this season as the team wants him to stay. The feeling is said to be mutual, the report said.
Cavs reviewing their options with Love this summer
While Love is likely to stay in Cleveland after the February 7 deadline, there are rumors that the Cavaliers are reviewing their options with the five-time All-Star in the coming offseason.
Another article from Cleveland.com said that the team could explore a deal with others, but they might have a hard time finding a trade partner because of Love's current injury status.
Love is still recovering from a foot surgery that sidelined him in all but four of this season's regular season games. The report said that he has begun working out, but there is still no timetable for his return.
Huge trade market?
The article noted that should the Cavaliers decide to trade Love this offseason, the market would be huge with more than half of the teams in the league having the ability to sign him. This adds flexibility to any potential deal involving the former NBA champion.
I was talking to an NBA executive who told me that “at least 16 teams will have salary cap room to sign a max-player contract this summer. And there aren’t 16 free agents worth a max deal."
An interesting summer
However, it should be noted that a potential trade would highly depend on how well Love could come back from his injury and if he would still be the same 20-10 player that he had always been.
The summer is set to become a lot more interesting for Love and his fans as to where he might end up playing.