UPDATE: Cavs Trade Rumors: Love, Varejao, Anderson, Frye
By Luke Sicari
UPDATE: In a report from Marc Stein of ESPN, the Cavs/Channing Frye we broke down yesterday is gaining more stream.
Varejao is a fan favourite but Frye would undoubtedly be an upgrade of the Cavaliers bench. It is a deal they should do, if Orlando agrees.
Rumors are heating up with the NBA Trade Deadline fast approaching and Frank Isola of the New York Daily News is reporting the Cleveland Cavaliers are remaining active in trade talks. Could a deal involving Kevin Love and Ryan Anderson be on the books? How about the Cavaliers moving long-time favorite Anderson Varejao?
Cavs GM David Griffin has shown he isn’t afraid to pull the trigger on big deals but he may want to rethink this one.
Isola is reporting that the Cavaliers are considering a three-team deal, which would include moving Love. No team was named, although the report also indicated that Cleveland is in talks with the New Orleans Pelicans, which would have them acquire Anderson.
Marc J. Spears of Yahoo also reports the Cavs interest in Anderson.
One can assume that the Boston Celtics would be the third team involved. Their desire to secure the services of Love has been well known dating back to the summer of 2014 and they have a number of assets they could use in a potential deal.
UPDATE: It is no longer an assumption that the Celtics are the third team in the deal. According to a report from A. Sherrod Blakely from CSNNE, Boston would get Love in the proposed trade.
"Cleveland’s growing interest in New Orleans’ Ryan Anderson bodes well in Boston’s seemingly never-ending quest to acquire Kevin Love in what’s shaping up to be a potential three-team deal that would include the Boston Celtics.The particulars of the deal are still in the discussion phase, but the end result if it comes to pass would send Love to Boston, according to a league source.The deal is still “very fragile” at this point, but it does provide Boston the best shot it has had in landing a player the Celtics have coveted for some time now.Boston has spent a significant amount of time in recent weeks trying to convince the Cavs to part ways with Love, only to be rebuffed.The Celtics have pursued bringing a third team into the mix as a way of sweetening the deal to Cleveland’s liking."
Isola wasn’t done there though; as he is also hearing Varejao may be on the move, naming the Portland Trail Blazers and Philadelphia 76ers as potential suitors.
There is a lot to take from this but let’s start with the Love/Anderson rumor.
The speculation surrounding Love seemingly never goes away, despite the number of reports and comments from Griffin stating he isn’t being shopped. The idea behind Love is that Cleveland wouldn’t trade him unless they receive a superstar in return, which makes this report from Isola interesting.
Anderson is a very solid player and fits a big need for the Cavaliers. He would provide shooting and floor spacing from a big-man off the bench but he is by no means a superstar. He is shooting 38.3% from beyond the three-point line this season, a tremendous percentage but there is no chance Cleveland would forfeit Love for him.
Obviously, Isola reports it would be a three-team deal, which would give the assumption the Cavaliers would receive a lot more than just Anderson in return. The aforementioned Boston can offer a number of draft picks and role players but once again, that doesn’t tick the Cavs’s boxes of regaining a superstar in return for Love.
Overall, Cleveland shouldn’t trade Love. He is just simply way too vital and important to the Cavs playoff chances for him to be traded and for the team to go through another adjustment period with a new roster would be a setback. Trading Love would be a mistake, unless they receive a ridiculous haul in return, which this trade from the Pelicans and an unnamed third team doesn’t seem to be.
The Varejao rumor is a lot more believable, as it indicates Griffin and the Cavs are looking for a salary dump.
Cleveland still owe Varejao $9.3 million guaranteed dollars next season before his contract becomes an unguaranteed $10 million dollar deal in a couple years. Portland and Philadelphia, the two teams Isola revealed, have a space load of cap space free, so all the pieces fall into place.
The Cavaliers are already in luxury tax territory, so any money-saving deal they can strike helps them. Although, Varejao has seen a recent upswing in his minutes and has given the Cavs some productive time on the court. He is a favorite among the Cavaliers locker-room and his friendship with LeBron James is well known.
The Sixers don’t have much too offer from a player personal standpoint. Jerami Grant, Nerlans Noel and Robert Covington all are intriguing pieces but it is unknown whether the 76ers would be willing to part away with any of those players.
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Portland are in the midst of a surprising playoff push, so it is unknown if they would trade away any key pieces. Noah Vonleh, Mason Plumlee, Meyers Leonard and Ed David all hold value as young big-man, but once again, none of those names have popped up in the rumor mill.
Philly and Portland could also dangle future draft picks in a deal but neither team has any outstanding trade exceptions.