According to reports, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves have reached an agreement in principle that would send Kevin Love to the Cavs when eligible on August 23. Can Bill Simmons' conspiracy theory now be validated?
Although the fact that the details of the leaked trade agreement violates provisions of the current collective bargaining agreement between the players and the NBA, it appears as if Kevin Love will be heading to Cleveland in exchange for 2014 No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins, 2013 No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett, and a protected 2015 first-round draft pick. The trade cannot be finalized until August 23 because Wiggins cannot be traded until 30 days after signing his rookie contract, which he inked on July 24.
The reports also suggest that there is a 'firm agreement' between Love and the Cavs that the All-Star power forward will re-sign with the team next summer for five years and $120 million after he opts out of his current contract. Again, such an arrangement is illegal according to NBA rules, but it remains to be seen how anyone will be punished or if they will be punished. Let's forget about the technicalities for a minute though. Just a few weeks ago NBA analyst Bill Simmons proposed a 'conspiracy theory' relative to the ongoing discussions between the Cavaliers and Timberwolves regarding the Kevin Love trade.
"I think this Kevin Love trade to Cleveland was already decided as part of the deal for LeBron to come back to Cleveland," said Simmons on ESPN Radio's The Herd with Colin Cowherd back on July 23. "I don't know this. I wouldn't bet my life on it. It's just like one of those gut-feeling conspiracy theories."
Simmons specifically points to the letter that LeBron penned when he announced his free agency decision earlier in July. The four-time MVP wrote that he was 'excited to lead some talented young guys' and failed to mention Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett - the two youngest players on the team. He rattled off Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters, and it was later said Wiggins' and Bennetts' omission was an oversight.
"I don't believe in oversights when you're spending that much time writing a letter and mentioning players on a team," added Simmons. "It makes me think that the deal was already agreed on and they didn't want people to think that LeBron would only go back to Cleveland if they also traded for Kevin Love."
Oddly enough, about a week after Simmons made his claim, the Timberwolves announced they would be narrowing their Kevin Love trade talks solely to the Cavaliers (they had previously been in discussions with the Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls). This further suggested the deal was perhaps already agreed upon when Cleveland obtained the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft while Dan Gilbert scrambled to find ways to lure LeBron James back to his team. Additionally, the fact that the reportedly incessant discussions rarely wavered among the two teams also suggests something is fishy about the whole transaction.
Whatever the case, apparently Kevin Love will head to Cleveland on August 23 and join LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson, Anderson Varajao, Mike Miller, and James Jones. You can read more about the agreement between the Wolves and Cavs in this ESPN article.
