Andrew Wiggins Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Poll: Grade Wolves’ Haul For Love

August 21st, 2014 at 8:18pm CST by Alex Lee

With the pieces of the Kevin Love trade on the verge of becoming official, we can finally begin to think about what this deal means for some of the less-publicized parties involved. We know what it signifies for the Cavaliers, who will acquire their second superstar of the offseason to go with a promising young point guard in Kyrie Irving. I think we can all agree that morphing from the team drafting first in June into the NBA favorite by August is an A-plus offseason any way you slice it.

But how did Minnesota make out in this deal? When all the dust settles on this three-way trade — assuming it’s finalized as is currently being reported — the Timberwolves will have ultimately moved Love, Luc Mbah a Moute and Alexey Shved for Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and Thaddeus Young. According to Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press (via Twitter), it’s hard to imagine team president Flip Saunders could have acquired a better package for a star player he was probably a year away from losing for nothing. Do you agree?

History has shown us that trading superstars in their prime is risky business in the NBA. Sometimes the package is led by one prized asset and ancillary pieces with upside, as was the case in the deals for Charles Barkley (Jeff Hornacek), Ray Allen (Jeff Green), Kevin Garnett (Al Jefferson) and Chris Paul (Eric Gordon). Other times we see star-for-star swaps, like Tracy McGrady for Steve Francis or Jason Kidd for Stephon Marbury. And occasionally teams are forced to trade their studs for pennies on the dollar, as we saw with Shaquille O’Neal (traded to the Heat) and Vince Carter (traded to the Nets).

What we don’t usually see is a fair return for a superstar player — if it even exists — which leads us back to Minnesota’s haul for Love. In Wiggins, the Wolves will land the first overall pick in a loaded draft before he plays a minute in a regular season NBA game. In Bennett, they’ll land a guy who is a year removed from also being selected at the top of the draft. And finally, in Young, they’ll land a veteran who seems destined to be a tremendous role player on a contender.

With all of that in consideration, what grade would you assign Saunders and the Timberwolves for the Love deal? Feel free to justify your grade in the comments section.

And-Ones: Gaddy, Heat, Wiggins

August 10th, 2014 at 12:29pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With the soon-to-be blockbuster trade that will see Kevin Love head to Cleveland to play alongside LeBron James approaching the date it can be made official, the debate now begins as to who is the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders breaks down the contenders and their chances to reach the NBA Finals.

Here’s more from around the league:

Abdul Gaddy has signed a one-year deal to play for Virtus Bologna in the Italian Lega A, reports Chris Reichert of SB Nation. Gaddy most recently had played for the Pelicans in the NBA’s summer league, averaging 5.2 PPG and 3.2 APG while logging 15.9 minutes per contest. Last season, Gaddy played for the Maine Red Claws in the NBA D-League, appearing in 46 games, and averaging 9.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG and 5.0 APG in 27 minutes per game.
Despite losing LeBron to the Cavs this offseason, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel doesn’t believe it signifies the Heat organization has lost its luster. Winderman believes potential free agents will care more about how the current players are performing, and how well the franchise fares in upcoming drafts, rather than entertaining the perception that Miami isn’t an attractive place to play anymore.
According to Kansas coach Bill Self, Andrew Wiggins is the best natural athlete who has ever played for him, writes Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune. While Wiggins has been aware of all the trade talk revolving around him, Self said playing in Minnesota will give his former player plenty of room to grow. Self also added, “That’s the way he [Wiggins] sees it. He’s happy. Don’t anybody feel sorry for him. I’m not saying he hasn’t been in limbo and that it hasn’t, at times, been frustrating. But he told me, ‘Coach, I’m good with this.’ He told me that two weeks ago.’’

Reaction To Kevin Love Trade Agreement

August 7th, 2014 at 6:47pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The big news of the day was the reported agreement between the Cavaliers and the Timberwolves, which would send Kevin Love to Cleveland for Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, and a protected 2015 first-round pick. Here’s the latest commentary from around the league regarding the soon-to-be blockbuster trade:

Potential carries no guarantees, writes Bill Livingston of the Plain Dealer, who applauds the Cavs’ decision to turn consecutive No. 1 overall draft picks into Love, a proven veteran.
Love could bolt after one season, just like LeBron James, but odds are he won’t, and one of Cavs owner Dan Gilbert’s guiding principles in business is to pounce on an opportunity even if it’s not perfect, as fellow Plain Dealer scribe Terry Pluto points out.
The Timberwolves’ 2014/15 season will be about their core of young talent trying to reach their potential, writes Tom Powers of the Pioneer Press.
During his time in Minnesota, Love has been criticized for his poor defense, the perception that he wasn’t a team player, and the Wolves failure to reach the playoffs. Now that he’ll be playing alongside a much more talented cast, Love is officially out of excuses, writes Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report.
The trade cannot become official until August 23rd at the earliest. Yannis Koutroupis of Basketball Insiders runs down five things you need to know about the deal.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Latest On Kevin Love Talks

August 4th, 2014 at 10:58pm CST by Zachary Links

10:58pm: Earlier today, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst told ESPN Radio New York (audio link) that a “handshake” deal is in place between the Wolves and Cavs.

8:49pm: A deal that would involve Kevin Love being shipped to the Cavs and Andrew Wiggins going to the Wolves has been in play for weeks, but there is no deal in place yet because there are many other smaller parts of the deal that have yet to be agreed upon, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press.

Meanwhile, the other suitors for Love – including the Warriors, Bulls, and Celtics – took a backseat once it was learned that Cleveland was making the No. 1 pick in June’s draft available (link). Still, while it’s clear that the Cavs are far and away the frontrunners for a deal, there’s still lots of work to be done before Love can be routed to Cleveland.

The core package that has been mentioned often would have the Cavs sending Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, and a future first round choice to the Wolves for Love. It has also been said that a third team would likely be brought in to help facilitate the trade and the Sixers appear to be very willing partners. After checking in with a source tonight, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (on Twitter) believes that Bennett would wind up in Philadelphia if the 76ers are the third team in the transaction. The Wolves instead would prefer to have Thaddeus Young and, apparently, it’s not even close in their minds (link).

Minnesota’s interest in Young was noted late last month, though their interest had apparently been there for quite some time. Young is set to make more than $9.4MM this coming season and has an early termination option he can exercise to hit free agency next summer.

And-Ones: Wiggins, Cavs, Murry, George

August 3rd, 2014 at 10:44pm CST by Zachary Links

The No. 1 overall pick in June’s draft is in a weird spot, writes Tim Bontemps of the New York Post. Andrew Wiggins has been heavily connected to a possible Kevin Love deal between the Wolves and Cavs and on top of that, it turns out that he hasn’t even chatted with LeBron James since the game’s top player announced in Sports Illustrated that he was going back to Cleveland. “No. I’m sure he’s busy,” Wiggins said. “I feel like I’m busy, so I am sure he’s busy.” More from around the NBA..

Toure’ Murry still has interest from the Heat, Jazz, and Clippers and a return to the Knicks remains a possibility, writes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
Paul George‘s injury isn’t just a loss for the Pacers, it’s a loss for all of basketball, writes Candace Buckner of the Indy Star. It has been noted that in 1985, when quarterback Joe Theismann suffered a similar horrific fracture, the injury forced him into retirement at age 36. However, Buckner notes that George has the advancements of modern medicine on his side as well as his youth.
Italian team Ferentino is eyeing former D-League guard Chris Roberts, sources tell Paolo DePersis of Sportando. The swingman spent last season in Serie A with Caserta averaging 11.6 PPG and 3.1 RPG.

Eastern Notes: Wiggins, Celtics, Cole

August 3rd, 2014 at 10:44am CST by Eddie Scarito

With all the rumblings that he is going to be traded to the Wolves for Kevin Love as soon as the required 30 days from when he inked his contract pass, Andrew Wiggins’ days in Cleveland appear numbered, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. For his part, Wiggins is remaining upbeat, saying, “I just want to play for a team that wants me, so whichever team wants me I’ll play for.” When asked if he expected to be a teammate of LeBron James this season, Wiggins said, “I don’t really know what to say. When I’m in Cleveland I’m going to play as hard as I can, give it my all and I’ll play for whoever.”

Here’s more from the east:

The Celtics are working to clear roster space over the next few weeks in order to make room for Evan Turner in their rotation, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Washburn notes that Boston isn’t expected to officially announce the signing until those moves are made, although the sides have reached an agreement. The Celtics currently have 18 players on their roster, including the non-guaranteed deals of Keith Bogans, Chris Babb, and Chris Johnson, notes Washburn.
With the loss of Paul George for what is likely the entire 2014/15 season, the Pacers are unlikely to make the playoffs, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. Winderman also opines that Indiana could have benefited from Danny Granger‘s presence and production in the wake of George’s loss.
Heat guard Norris Cole has changed agents and is now being represented by Klutch Sports’ Rich Paul, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Cole was previously represented by Joel Bell of Bell Management.

And-Ones: Love, Telfair, Options

August 2nd, 2014 at 10:31pm CST by Cray Allred

The conversation regarding NBA players in international competition will dominate the summer, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (video links), with widespread efforts within the league to exert more control on the nature of international play. However, Stein thinks it’s too early to suggest NBA players will be removed from the international equation in the near future. Here’s more from around the association:

A source seconds Wolves owner Glen Taylor’s expectation of a Kevin Love trade between the Wolves and Cavs to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities, and maintains that Andrew Wiggins would have to be included in the deal (Twitter links).
A source close to Wiggins tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com that the Cavs haven’t informed the rookie of any potential trade.
Sebastian Telfair tells Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman that his time playing in China provided a needed boost to his perspective and his game. “I was able to prove things to myself, getting an opportunity to play 30-something minutes a night, just go out there and hoop,” Telfair said. “Your team expects you to be a guy who scores 30 points a night for you to win. That was a big part of me going down there. Just to get that opportunity to get my legs back up under me.”
In addition to current rookie scale extension candidates, Eric Pincus of Baskeball Insiders lists every player on their rookie deal whose team must decide by October 31 to pick up or decline their options for the 2015/16 season.

Wolves Owner Expects He’ll Trade Kevin Love

August 2nd, 2014 at 7:54pm CST by Cray Allred

Wolves owner Glen Taylor tells Charley Walters of St. Paul Pioneer Press that the team expects to trade Kevin Love shortly after August 23rd, when Andrew Wiggins‘ contract with the Cavs can be moved. “I’m saying it’s most likely because Kevin has made it pretty clear that that’s what he wants to do,” said Taylor, who would still prefer Love to remain in Minnesota.

Walters reports that while Cleveland is still the front-runner to acquire Love in a trade, the Warriors and Bulls are still pitching offers to the Wolves as well. The Sixers are expected to facilitate a three-team deal, should one occur. While the acknowledgment points to Wiggins as Minnesota’s primary target in a Love trade, it’s unclear if the Wolves are assured that the No. 1 pick will be made available by Cleveland. There have been conflicting reports as to Cleveland’s willingness to part with Wiggins, as well as some suspicion regarding Flip Saunders‘ leaking tactics.

Previously, Taylor had insisted it would possible to keep Love in Minnesota for at least this season, but the owner’s statement adds to the growing sentiment that the power forward has played his last game for the Wolves. A trade to Cleveland has been described as “when, not if,” and Love has reportedly made his preference to join LeBron James as a Cavalier known to the Minnesota front office. A trio of James, Love, and Kyrie Irving would immediately make Cleveland one of most dynamic offensive teams in the league, at least on paper.

Wolves, Cavs Ramp Up Kevin Love Talks?

July 31st, 2014 at 8:22am CST by Charlie Adams

THURSDAY, 8:22am: A source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that the Cavs and Wolves haven’t spoken for about two weeks. That’s in part because of the 30-day no-trade period for Wiggins, but Berger also hears that Wolves owner Glen Taylor is still reluctant to trade Love.

WEDNESDAY, 9:55pm: The question is no longer “if” Kevin Love will be traded to the Cavs, but “when” the deal will actually go down, as the Wolves are no longer in serious talks about Love with any team other than Cleveland, sources tell Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. Reports indicated earlier this week that the Bulls had re-emerged as a serious suitor for the All-Star forward, but Stein and Windhorst now hear that Chicago is feeling pessimistic about their chances of putting together a package strong enough to trump a potential Cavs offer. The Warriors, who have also been making a strong push for Love, remain unwilling to include Klay Thompson in any of their proposals, according to Stein and Windhorst.

League sources expect the Wolves to walk away from the Love saga with no less than Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, and a future first-round selection, write the ESPN.com scribes. The Wolves have long prioritized the acquisition of Wiggins over any of their options. NBA rules prohibit a player from being traded within 30 days of signing a rookie-scale contract, which Wiggins did last week, so the two clubs will have to wait until at least August 23rd before completing what appears to now be the seemingly inevitable deal. Still, sources insisted that the neither side will acknowledge a deal until the 30-day window passes.

The Wolves are determined to unload J.J. Barea‘s contract as part of a Love trade, reveal Stein and Windhorst, who add that Minnesota is open to adding a third team to a deal in order to absorb the guard’s expiring contract. The Wolves reached an agreement to bring aboard Mo Williams yesterday afternoon, and the team is exploring options that would help in a pursuit to acquire Thaddeus Young from the Sixers.

LeBron James is “looking forward” to playing alongside Love, his Olympic teammate, according to the pair of ESPN reporters. Love is poised to opt out of his deal next summer no matter where he ends up for this season, Stein and Windhorst write, but such a move will only be an effort to secure a more lucrative, long-term arrangement, and not necessarily to leave the Cavs should he be traded there. Although Golden State could shake the situation up by putting Thompson on the table in an offer, the Wolves’ fondness of Wiggins, the first pick in this summer’s draft, will likely be too much to overcome, according to Stein and Windhorst. There have been contradictory reports on whether or not the Cavs would be willing to include the Kansas prospect in a trade, but the latest intel seems to suggest they’re open to doing so if they can bring in Love.

Central Notes: Rose, Van Gundy, Waiters

July 29th, 2014 at 7:05pm CST by Ryan Raroque

As Derrick Rose inches closer toward his return to NBA action in 2014/15 following a season-ending injury last season, Kevin Pelton of ESPN explains why the Bulls superstar is better preparing himself by starting his adjustment period against some of the league’s best point guards in Team USA camp rather than waiting until Bulls training camp in the fall to begin playing at a high level (Insiders only). With that aside, here’s more of what we’ve gathered out of the Central Division this evening:

Rose outlined what his pitch to Carmelo Anthony had been as he spoke with reporters, including Kurt Helin of NBCSports.com. Rose’s message was simple, but it was seemingly more than just the brief hello that one report had indicated was the extent of the contact between the two stars.
Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy acknowledged that the team had to be more aggressive in its pitches to free agents this summer because of its lack of success on the court of late, as Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press notes.
Dion Waiters and Andrew Wiggins have both been in plenty of trade chatter, but if they both remain with the Cavs, only one of them seems likely to start. Waiters isn’t demanding that he be the starter, but he’s resolute in his belief that he’s the man for the job, as he tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
Doug McDermott is aware that his name is being attached in trade talks regarding Kevin Love; however, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes that the Bulls rookie hasn’t asked the front office to keep him updated on those rumors as he waits to see what happens.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.