Kevin Love Trade Rumors: Could Cavs Work Love Trade With OKC?


Kevin Love trade rumors abound, despite the Cleveland Cavaliers being in the NBA finals. A Love trade could come for the Cavs during the NBA offseason, though, especially if the front office feels that the current roster isn’t well constructed. Enter the Oklahoma City Thunder. A report from CBS Sports states that if OKC loses Kevin Durant to free agency, a good plan for the team to take on is a pursuit of Kevin Love. It even lays out details on how a Cavs trade with OKC could work.

The offer would be Serge Ibaka, Nick Collison, and a future first-round pick in exchange for Kevin Love. Ibaka will make $12.25 million in the 2016-17 NBA season before becoming a free agent, while Collison has just one year and $3.75 million left on his deal. Love is under contract for four more seasons with the Cavs, with a player option of just under $25.6 million for the 2019-20 NBA season. Under salary cap rules, the deal wouldn’t quite work, but OKC could also include Anthony Morrow at a $3.5 million salary to get it done.

Even though there are going to be more Kevin Love trade rumors following the 2016 NBA Finals, it doesn’t guarantee that the Cleveland Cavaliers are ready to make a move like this one. That could shift completely if the Cavs fail to find a way to make the series against the Golden State Warriors more competitive. Game 4 of the series between the Cavs and Warriors takes place Friday, June 10, in Cleveland. It is expected that Love will miss another game, likely forcing LeBron James to play more minutes at power forward.

Kevin Love On Cavs Bench
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

The Cavs looked like a different team in Game 3 of the series, beating the Warriors by 30 points at home. Kevin Love was on the sidelines dealing with a concussion, and the roster was forced to adjust without the All-Star power forward. By doing so well without Love on the court, it created a situation where many NBA analysts are claiming that the Cavs don’t need Love. This is why there are so many new trade rumors popping up, with no shortage of possible suitors for the services of Love.

So what could the Cleveland Cavaliers do with Serge Ibaka if he became as available as these Kevin Love trade rumors might suggest? During 78 games with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2015-16 NBA season, Ibaka averaged 12.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. He can play both power forward and center, possibly improving the Cavs right away on defense. If the Cavs decided to play more small ball next year, Ibaka could get used at center with LeBron James at power forward.

There is a lot riding on how the 2016 NBA finals turn out, because if the Cavs can find a way to beat the Warriors and finally bring Cleveland that championship, there will be less incentive to make major changes to the roster. If Love returns to the court and helps the Cavs win the series, the likelihood of a trade drops even further. The alternative, though, would be the Cavs falling to the Warriors for a second straight season and entering the NBA offseason with a need to make significant changes

Cleveland Cavaliers Big Three
(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

The next few games of the 2016 NBA Finals will likely dictate how the entire offseason of the Cleveland Cavaliers progresses. If the Cavs lose to the Warriors, there will be a new rush of Kevin Love trade rumors, especially if he returns to the court and struggles. Should the Cavs win an NBA title, especially with Love back on the court, the rush to make changes might leave town as quickly as Carlos Boozer.

[Photo by Elsa/Getty Images]

Share this article: Kevin Love Trade Rumors: Could Cavs Work Love Trade With OKC?
More from Inquisitr