Cleveland Cavaliers Rumors: Team Will Pursue Kevin Love If They Land LeBron James
The Cleveland Cavaliers are rumored to be in the hunt for one of the NBA’s biggest stars — and it’s not LeBron James.
At least, not just LeBron.
The team is reportedly seeking a trade for Minnesota Timerwolves star Kevin Love, who along with James would make the Cavs an instant title contender. Yahoo Sports reported that the Wolves would demand No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins as part of the deal.
Love had already rejected a proposed trade to Cleveland when it was discussed before the NBA draft last month, but the new circumstances could have him changing his mind.
The Cavs have been making moves that could lead to a return from James, who was drafted by the Cavaliers in 2003 and remained there until he left for the Heat in 2010. The team has traded away assets to make cap space needed to offer LeBron a max contract and team owner Dan Gilbert has met with James.
LeBron James has not yet indicated what he will decide, but sources say it is between the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers. On Wednesday, LeBron met with Heat executives for more than an hour in Las Vegas, but reportedly left without making a choice.
The Heat have also been making moves they hope will attract LeBron James back, including bolstering their bench by signing forwards Josh McRoberts and Danny Granger. The Heat reportedly hope that a deeper bench, one of the biggest flaws that the San Antonio Spurs exposed in the NBA Finals, will give them a better chance to return to the Finals again next year if LeBron should return.
If LeBron James does leave the Heat, it could trigger a chain reaction of departures. Forward Chris Bosh is reportedly waiting on LeBron’s decision to determine whether to return or take the four-year, $88 million offer on the table from the Houston Rockets. If James leaves South Beach, Bosh is expected to follow.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are rumored to be seeking a strong lineup to attract James. Aside from their work to land Kevin Love, they have reached out to some veteran free agents to join them if LeBron James did leave the Heat, including sharp-shooter Mike Miller. LeBron was reportedly fond of Miller as a teammate and upset with the Heat decided not to bring him back.
