The NBA star centre Kevin is expected to be traded soon to the Cleveland Cavaliers, joining US Olympic teammate LeBron James in a new “Big Three” for the superstar playmaker.
Deal sealed
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune, ESPN and USA Today reported on Friday that details of a three-team trade have been agreed upon, but the deal cannot be completed until Saturday because of NBA rules regarding the contract of June's top overall NBA Draft pick, Andrew Wiggins.
The swaps
The Cavaliers would send Wiggins, 2013 top choice Anthony Bennett and a future first-round draft pick to Minnesota in exchange for Love, who will combine with four-time NBA Most Valuable Player James and guard Kyrie Irving.
The other guy
Irving signed a long-term deal with the Cavaliers just before James agreed to leave Miami and return to his homeland club last month. James won two NBA titles and led the Heat to the finals two other times in four seasons with guard Dwyane Wade and forward Chris Bosh as the core “Big Three” around which the Miami roster was built.
Waiting period
There is a 30-day waiting period under NBA rules to trade Wiggins from his signing on July 24, a span that expires today, although the players must all pass medicals.
Long way around
Also as part of the deal, Cameroon-born power forward Luc Mbah a Moute and Russian guard Alexey Shved, who sparked a bronze-medal effort by his homeland at the 2012 London Olympics, will go from Minnesota to Philadelphia in exchange for 76ers power forward Thaddeus Young, who will replace Love in the Timberwolves’ line-up. Minnesota will also send Philadelphia a 2015
first-round draft pick and look to rebuild around Young, Wiggins, Bennett and young Spanish guard Ricky Rubio.
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