The 2014 No. 1 overall selection Andrew Wiggins is close to signing his rookie contract with the Cavaliers and is expected to happen sometime this week according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. His deal should be somewhere around $5.5 million as a rookie.
With the deal imminent, it all but guarantees that the Cavaliers will not be acquiring All-Star Kevin Love anytime soon. The NBA’s league rules say that Wiggins would not be able to be traded until 30 days after he signs and we all know that the Timberwolves are insistent on including Wiggins in any deal for Love.
It seems that, for now, the Cavaliers are giving Wiggins a vote of confidence and pushing off this blockbuster trade for a later date. Perhaps they believed the Wolves were asking for too much, as it was reported last week that a Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and 2015 1st rounder swap for Love was denied by Minnesota in hopes that they could gain more.
In addition, the Golden State Warriors have now included SG Klay Thompson into trade discussions, so there is a feeling around the league that the Wolves are trying to drive up the price for Love by making the Warriors and Cavs compete.
In any case, the incessant trade rumors of Kevin Love to the Cavs should stop for now. Minnesota seems poised to ride out this situation until the trade deadline, when they are forced to make a deal in fear that Love will leave them in the upcoming free agency. In the mean time, the Warriors might become serious players for Love, or may follow the Cavs lead and take Klay off the market while Wiggins is barred from trade.
Sports Minded 