Cleveland Cavaliers: Kevin Love
The Cleveland Cavaliers are another team looking to find their way back into the playoffs. Unlike the Chicago Bulls, however, they may have to wait a little longer given the number of young players on the roster.
Kevin Love was a key part of the Cavaliers’ team that made it to four straight finals and won the 2016 NBA Championship. But following the departures of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving he has been left on a team in full rebuild mode.
At 32, Love is heading toward the end of his career but he still has plenty to offer. He averaged 17.6 points per game this season, shooting 45-percent from the field and knocking down 37.4-percent of his three-point attempts while averaging 2.6 per game.
He is a five-time All-Star, former NBA Champion and possesses a strong offensive skillset including a great shooting ability which is something the Magic are currently lacking.
Cleveland Cavaliers
There are injury concerns, however, with Love having not made the 60-game mark in the last four seasons. Love’s contract also makes this potential trade a difficult one. He is set to earn more than $31 million in both of the next two seasons and then more than $28 million in the last year of his deal.
Would the Magic really want to take on a contract of this enormity for a 32-year-old?
Possibly not. It would limit what Orlando would be able to do in free agency in the next three years and could also have an impact on what contracts the front office is able to give young talent like Jonathan Isaac.
But it might also set the Magic up to make significant improvements with the current roster, giving them a reliable scorer and veteran leader to help usher the team to the next level.
Love would have a positive impact on this offense but the front office would really need to buy into him as a guy that could take the franchise forward for the amount of money he would make. They would be committed to him for the next three years — through injury and all.
He remains an important starting player for Cleveland but given how the last couple of seasons have gone they may want to get some bigger contracts off the book and use the money in other areas.
What Cleveland lacks is defense and Aaron Gordon and Al-Farouq Aminu would provide that. Gordon has shown over his time with Orlando that he is a more than capable defender with great athleticism and can contribute offensively.
The trade would free up some cap space for Cleveland and allow them to look more toward the future. Especially if the Magic are willing to give up their first-round pick to make something like this happens.