NBA Rumors: Wizards Could Acquire Kevin Love For Package Featuring Thomas Bryant, ‘Bleacher Report’ Suggests
As rumors continue swirling around Kevin Love’s future with the Cleveland Cavaliers, a recent article suggested that the team could benefit by trading the veteran big man to the Washington Wizards for multiple players, including center Thomas Bryant, and a second-round selection in this year’s draft.
As reported by Bleacher Report on Thursday, numerous recent rumors have hinted that the Cavaliers still don’t have any plans of salary-dumping Love and are hoping to receive a satisfactory offer if they decide to trade him. In July, Cleveland.com‘s Chris Fedor wrote that the team wants “some combination” of draft picks and up-and-coming youngsters in return for Love, though Bleacher Report opined that this could be the “best-case scenario.”
The proposed deal — which would send Love to the Wizards in exchange for Bryant, backup guards Ish Smith and Jerome Robinson, and this year’s No. 37 overall pick — would be contingent on Washington being willing to gamble on a 31-year-old forward/center with declining numbers and an extensive injury history, per Bleacher Report. However, the publication stressed that there’s a chance Love and Wizards point guard John Wall — who has similarly dealt with injuries in recent years — could “dial back the clock” and play well alongside two-time All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal.
According to Basketball-Reference, Love saw action in 56 games for the Cavaliers in 2019-20, with averages of 17.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. While the five-time All-Star’s stats were largely similar to those he posted during an injury-abbreviated 2018-19 campaign, he was able to bounce back from a poor shooting year, improving his field goal percentage from 38.5 percent to 45 percent.
Bleacher Report cautioned that the players headed to the Cavs in the hypothetical trade may not be on the same level as Love in terms of talent, but could still contribute to the organization. The publication wrote that 23-year-old Bryant is a center who could provide both size and floor spacing, adding that he and Robinson both had their share of “head-turning” moments in the seeding stage ahead of the playoffs. Smith was described as a potential mentor for Cleveland’s young guards — a group that includes 2019-20 rookies Darius Garland and Kevin Porter Jr.
In the aftermath of the Cavaliers’ elimination from postseason action during the NBA’s four-month season suspension, Love’s name has kept popping up in various trade ideas. Last month, The Inquisitr wrote about a recommended deal that would send him to the Utah Jazz in exchange for their own veteran star, point guard Mike Conley.
