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Report: NBA could nix Love-for-Wiggins deal if secret extension for Love is found

Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports / reuters

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Fans of the Minnesota Timberwolves have been here before. Avoid under-the-table future contract agreements at all costs.

As reported by Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Timberwolves and Cleveland Cavaliers have been downplaying a pending trade involving Kevin Love for Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and a future first-rounder for fear of breaking rules detailed by the CBA.

The first hurdle is that any trade involving Wiggins won't be able to be consummated until Aug. 23, which marks 30 days since Wiggins signed his rookie deal with the Cavaliers. The CBA stipulates that players cannot be dealt within 30 days of inking a deal.

The second, and more perilous stipulation involves Love. It's been rumored that the Cavaliers made the deal with some assurance that Love would sign a long-term extension with the squad when his contract runs out in 2015 (provided he declines his player option). However, agreements on future contracts are strictly not allowed, and if the league finds evidence of such an under-the-table deal, punishment looms for both teams, including nixing the deal in the first place.

Ironically, the best example of such a violation also involves the Timberwolves. It was found that the Timberwolves and forward Joe Smith had a written agreement for a lucrative future contract. The resulting punishment saw the league negate the deal, and the Timberwolves lose $3.5 million as well as four first-round draft picks.

On the surface, the Cavaliers reportedly sending two back-to-back No. 1 overall picks in a trade for one year of Love is a steep price. It's made more palatable, however, with an agreement from Love to ink a five-year deal thereafter. Said agreement would be strictly illegal if concocted before Love actually reaches free-agency in 2015. 

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