The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't intend to trade Andrew Wiggins for one season of the Kevin Love experience.
Love, who is a free agent this summer, will be offered a 5-year deal worth $110 million by the Cavaliers, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Cleveland has planned to give Love the maximum for months.
The interest is ostensibly mutual, as Love has repeatedly stated his interest in staying in Cleveland. Love opted out of the final year of his contract earlier this week.
On the surface, there should be no trepidation over paying Love. He's one season removed from an All-NBA campaign with the Minnesota Timberwolves, in which he averaged 26.1 points, 12.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists with a PER of 26.9. Love is only 26, and a five-year deal should span most of his prime.
However, the Cavaliers managed to make the NBA Finals mostly without Love's presence. A vicious armbar by Kelly Olynyk ripped Love's arm from its socket in the first round of the playoffs, forcing the three-time All-Star to sit out for the remainder of their run. But Love's impact didn't hinder the Cavaliers in the slightest, as they clawed their way to within two wins of the Larry O'Brien trophy.
There's also the matter of Love's fit. Even with a clean bill of health, Love was relegated to the third option on offense behind Kyrie Irving and LeBron James. As a result, Love's numbers tumbled, with his averages dropping to 16.4 points and 2.2 assists while shooting just 43.4 percent from the field.
Finally, factor in Cleveland's astronomical salary commitments. Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and James are all free agents, and none of which will come cheap.
Thompson is expected to command up to $13 million per season, while Smith is reportedly expecting $8 million per year. Shumpert is a young 3-and-D wing and should command at least the mid-level, while James will surely sign a maximum offer. Adding another max for Love could bring the Cavaliers' payroll to over $100 million.
But, alas, the Cavaliers have a tremendously wealthy owner, and a team with championship aspirations should aim to keep premier talents like Love, even at premium prices. The Cavaliers were 7.8 points per 100 possessions improved with Love on the court and he's one of the best fours in the league.
