Cleveland Cavaliers News: Kevin Love Trade Could Actually Put Cavs At Disadvantage
The Cleveland Cavaliers rumors appear to have finally come to fruition as star forward Kevin Love has a deal in place to come to Cleveland, but some insiders believe the dynamic big man could actually hurt the Cavs in the long run.
This week the Cavs and Minnesota Timberwolves finally came to an agreement for Love, giving the Cavaliers a strong piece to go along with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. In exchange, the Cavs will send No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins and former top pick Anthony Bennett, and the Timberwolves will also get Thaddeus Young from the Philadelphia 76ers.
After finishing at or near the bottom of the league in the four seasons since LeBron James left, the Cavaliers appear to be a title contender again.
“Kevin joining the Cavaliers represents a very special and unique opportunity for our team,” Cavs general manager David Griffin said in a release. “At only 25, Kevin has already firmly established himself as one of the NBA’s elite players and his talent, versatility and fit are major parts of our team’s vision for success.”
Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor added that Love will also contribute well to the entire community.
“On the floor, Kevin has worked hard to make himself a great player in the NBA. He also made it a priority to give back to the community…He represented the state of Minnesota well during his time with us and we wish him nothing but the best in Cleveland.”
But many believe the Cleveland Cavaliers are shortchanging an important part of the game by bringing Love on board. While he is a strong defender in the post, Love has struggled in shifting to pick up cutters and providing help side defense, which combined with the defensive shortcomings of Kyrie Irving could create a team susceptible to strong offensive opponents.
The San Antonio Spurs already showed last June with their dismantling of the Miami Heat that a team assembled with no regard to defense will struggle to win a championship. Many see the Cleveland Cavaliers as having similar struggles with Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving on the floor, and that LeBron James can only pick up so much of the slack.
