The Kevin Love trade between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Minnesota Timberwolves reportedly includes the Philadelphia 76ers, who're sending Thaddeus Young to Minnesota in exchange for Cleveland's Anthony Bennett. Official details of the trade aren't expected to be released until Aug. 23 at the earliest.
Yahoo Sports reported Thursday the Cavaliers had agreed to trade Bennett, rookie Andrew Wiggins and a future first-round pick to Minnesota for Love. The Philadelphia Daily News shed more light on the details of the trade Friday with a new report, which indicated the Love deal was a three-team trade.
Per the Daily News:
"A source informed the Daily News that the Sixers will be sending veteran forward Thaddeus Young to Minnesota for a package that will include Bennett, the No. 1 pick in the 2013 NBA draft. The deal, which two sources have confirmed to the Associated Press, will not be official until Aug. 23, when Wiggins, this year's No. 1 draft pick, becomes eligible to be traded.
"It has been reported that Minnesota sees Young as the right guy to fill Love's shoes. The Timberwolves, it has been reported, could use the first-round pick they get from the Cavaliers to help entice the Sixers to part with the 26-year-old Young, but that has not been confirmed."
Moving Young doesn't come as a surprise. The forward reportedly was dissatisfied last season with the direction of the team, and he likely would have exercised his early termination option next summer.
Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie now appears to be stockpiling assets and building for a future that still is far away. At least one report indicates the 76ers are planning to tank this season, which prompted the league to try changing the draft lottery rules and which, in turn, prompted Philadelphia to protest.
