Recently, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been trying to trade Kevin Love, but to no avail so far.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, other teams are reluctant to trade for the five-time NBA All-Star.
“Teams have shown resistance in taking on Love’s three years and $90 million,” Charania wrote, “but the Cavaliers will continue working to find a suitable spot before the February deadline.”
It appears there’s also another holdup in a potential Love deal according to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com.
“He’s 31 and he is not a young 31 if you know what I mean,” an Eastern Conference GM told Deveney. “He’s had injuries lately and he’s had injuries throughout his career. There isn’t a lot there to make you think he’ll play 70 or 75 games a year. And for what you’ve got to pay him, it’s going to be tough to justify that to your owner.”
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers appear to have some interest in Love. The forward grew up in Lake Oswego, Ore., a suburb of Portland, and the Blazers do need some help up front with Jusuf Nurkic still sidelined due to a fractured leg.
“Portland is a team that’s had interest in Love in the past,” Wojnarowski said recently. “They have the big expiring contracts there. If you’re going to take on that $90 million for Love, it’s because you’re thinking he can impact you as your third-best player, maybe even fourth-best. That’s a lot to pay for that.
“But I don’t think anybody thinks Kevin Love puts them over the top.”
Love is having a nice season for the rebuilding Cavs. He’s averaging 16.6 points and 10.5 rebounds a game, while shooting 44.8 percent from the field and 37.0 percent from 3-point range.
He’s also making a career-high 53.7 percent of his two-point shots so far this season.
The Cavs are asking for a first-round draft pick for Love. However, it’s been reported that rival teams are actually asking the Cavs for a first-round draft pick along with Love to soften the blow of absorbing his contract.
