6 Moves The Cleveland Cavaliers Need To Make This Offseason
By Eric Pitcher
2. Trade Kevin Love
With certain acquisitions not panning out the way people hoped, look for some big trades on the horizon.
The biggest move GM David Griffin can make is moving Kevin Love. When the trade that sent 2014 No. 1 draft pick Andrew Wiggins to the Timberwolves in a package deal with Philadelphia, Cavs’ fans envisioned Love joining LeBron James and Kyrie Irving as the NBA’s new “Big 3.”
After two seasons, it’s clear Love hasn’t lived up to the hype. His play is marked by inconsistency. The UCLA product had a good Game 7, collecting nine points and 14 rebounds, but too often, he might as well have been Sasha Kaun, because he was relegated to being just another dude on the floor.
A trade that makes the most sense would be sending Love and Iman Shumpert to the Lakers in exchange for L.A.’s No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming draft. This could open up a lot of options for the Cavaliers. The team would have their pick of a young talent such as Brandon Ingram, or Griffin could move that pick again to add a veteran star.
Boston is rumored to be shopping the No. 3 overall pick. The Factory of Sadness recently published a column suggesting it might be in the Cavs interest to make that deal if Griffin could also land Jae Crowder in return.
Everyone is down on Love because of his miserable Finals, but that shouldn’t affect his trade value. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently said on his “Hey, Windy!” podcast that as many as four or five teams would be lining up to take Love off the Cavs hands.
Remember, the salary cap is going up again, so Love’s five-year, $110 million contract will look like a bargain to other organizations.
The Cavs have to act with the expectation they’ll be facing the Warriors again in next season’s Finals. Love redeemed himself in Game 7, but by making a move, the Cavs can straighten themselves in their quest repeat.
Next: Brining Back Key Pieces