NBA Rumors: Kevin Love Could Form Portland’s ‘Big Three’ With Lillard And McCollum, Per ‘Bleacher Report’
The explosive backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum have carried the Portland Trail Blazers to the Western Conference Playoffs for the fifth straight year. But in those playoff appearances, the Trail Blazers’ only greatest achievement was reaching the second round. The Trail Blazers are always impressive during the regular season, making most of their fans believe that they have what it takes to win the NBA championship title.
However, when the real battle begins in the postseason, the Trail Blazers underperform and fail to live up to expectations from a legitimate title contender. In order to change the narrative in the 2018-19 NBA season, the Trail Blazers should consider upgrading their roster before the February NBA trade deadline. According to Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report, one of the potential trade targets for the Trail Blazers is Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“Portland’s offense has jumped from 13th to eighth this season, but it still lacks shot-creators and explosive scorers beyond its high-powered backcourt. Kevin Love, who grew up in Oregon, could check both boxes whenever he’s recovered from his November toe surgery. His outlet passes can fuel Portland’s transition game, his post-ups would add another bail-out option in the half court and his range would widen attack lanes for Lillard and McCollum to exploit.”
Robin Lopez ?
Kevin Love ?
Nikola Vucevic ?NBA trade targets to avoid: https://t.co/IVz7YmJd8T pic.twitter.com/c82o9hhNLR
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) January 22, 2019
In the proposed trade deal by Bleacher Report, the Trail Blazers will be sending Evan Turner, Anfernee Simons, and Caleb Swanigan to the Cavaliers for Kevin Love and David Nwaba. Since Love just signed a contract extension last summer, the Trail Blazers and the Cavaliers will need to wait for January 23 to make a deal.
Kevin Love will undeniably a great addition to the Trail Blazers, giving them an All-Star big man who has the ability to space the floor. The “Big Three” of Love, Damian Lillard, and C.J. McCollum will make Portland one of the best offensive teams in the league. After spending three seasons playing alongside Kyrie Irving and LeBron James in Cleveland, Love won’t have a hard time sharing the court with Lillard and McCollum and returning to his role as the third scoring option.
The Trail Blazers’ suggested trade offer may not be enough to convince the Cavaliers to send Kevin Love to Portland. However, with his current contract and deteriorating performance, most people don’t see the Cavaliers getting the type of trade asset they want for Love before the February NBA trade deadline.
