The Cavaliers are rebuilding and have been searching for willing takers of aging assets, identified as Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love. On the latter, Cleveland is said to be quite optimistic that a trade deal will be finalized before the deadline passes on February 6.
The latest update on the subject came from Marc Stein of The New York Times, claiming there is "fresh optimism" on Cleveland's part that a club will absorb the still valuable power forward. It was clear the Cavs are working hard to ship out Love, who seemed to have become a surplus on the team's ongoing rebuilding efforts.
At the start of December last year, the Cleveland front office sent out feelers that the All-Star is available for trade proposals. The move further cemented the club's goal of building a younger roster and consequently Thompson was placed too on the trading block.
Before the end of December, Jordan Clarkson, acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers, was traded to the Utah Jazz.
"The Cavaliers are still in the early stages of a rebuild and need as many long-term assets as they can get to expedite the process," Bleacher Report said.
Love is still a force to reckon with and his stats give credence to that fact. Per game in the current season, he makes 16.5 points and 10.6 rebounds while keeping a respectable batting average in the three-point area. Love converts one every three attempts, which is a factor that bores holes on the opponent's defense under the board.
However there are risks acquiring Love at this stage, the same report reminded. His live contract with Cleveland will not expire until 2023 and he is owed an average of $30 million in salary per year. The NBA champ is now 31 years old and the receiving team can only hope he ages well.
Perhaps sort of good news for any takers, Love has been injury-free so far in the current season and the fire remains for him to win another NBA ring. He certainly is a premium acquisition for teams wanting to bring home a trophy in the short-term, like the Lakers or the Clippers.
As affirmed by CBS Sports in a related report: "Kevin Love would make a lot of teams better, and a lot of teams with immediate contention in mind need to get better."
The same story pinpointed Phoenix, Brooklyn, Chicago, Utah, and Sacramento as the likely team that will consider acquiring Love as they are deemed flexible in assets and salary, meaning they can talk good business with Cleveland.
