Per reports, the Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to trade top overall pick Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and a protected 2015 first-round pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Kevin Love.
With Kyrie Irving, LeBron James and now Kevin Love, the Cavaliers are legitimate contenders for the NBA title next year. The trade for Love has been in the news for the better part of the week. The earliest the Cavs can officially trade Wiggins is Aug. 23.
It was previously thought that the Cavs would be involving a third team or add another player to the deal to make it work under salary cap guidelines. Wiggins ($5.5 million in 2013-14) and Bennett ($5.56 million) have high enough salaried that a deal for love ($15 million) fits the criteria.
Still under contract to Cleveland, Wiggins cannot be traded until 30 days after he signed the rookie contract. According to multiple sources, Love has agreed to opt out of his contract and sign a five-year $120 million dollar extension with Cleveland.
After the Love deal is finalized, the Cavs will be the odds-on favorite to win the Eastern Conference with Chicago viewed as their stiffest competition.
Currently, The Cavs are a 5-2 favorite to win the NBA finals, according to Las Vegas odds-makers, Bovada.
The defending champion San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Clippers project to be the strongest teams to come out of the West and challenge Cleveland.
This Cavs team is loaded with talent with Dion Waiters as shooting guard, Anderson Varejao at center plus guys like Tristan Thompson, Mike Miller, Matthew Dellavedova, James Jones and–possibly–the likes of Ray Allen, Timofey Mozgov and Shawn Marion coming off the bench, Cleveland is the undisputed Beast of the East.
(Editor’s Note: As of press time, Bennett is set to go from the Timberwolves to the Philadelphia 76ers for small forward, Thaddeus Young, to help make the Love-Wiggins trade make the salaries match, per NBA rules)