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Cleveland Cavaliers: The Curious Case Of Kevin Love And Where He Can Be Traded

Jan 13, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) and guard J.R. Smith (5) (left) watch from the bench during the fourth quarter against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. Phoenix won 107-100. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 13, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) and guard J.R. Smith (5) (left) watch from the bench during the fourth quarter against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. Phoenix won 107-100. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
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Apr 23, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban react during the second quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 23, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban react during the second quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Love To The Mavs

But maybe (JUST maybe) the answer is in Texas…just not Houston. We look west to Dallas! Mark Cuban’s free agency exploits have been an emoji-based punchline in recent years but you have to figure that he’s still hungry to finally nab that big name star. Kevin Love could satiate that hunger.

The fit is admittedly awkward. Love and Dirk Nowitzki fill essentially the same role on offense and both are humongous liabilities on defense.

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Obviously, Dallas could just opt to let Love play a small-ball center (to the extent that 6’10” can be described as small) for the time being and be the heir apparent to Dirk’s throne in Dallas but even then, it’s kind of a log jam down low for the Mavs, who would also be strapped for cash with no available means to address their perimeter issues.

You trust Rick Carlisle of all people will find a way to make it work…but is it more trouble than it’s worth just to finally land their star?

Maybe…maybe not.

Cleveland would probably be thrilled by this, however. Richard Jefferson’s (potential) retirement leaves the team with a rather large void on the wing and given their tax bill (valued at somewhere around $AllOfTheMoney), good luck fixing that with anything above the mid-level exception.

However, a sign and trade with Chandler Parsons (who is leaving Dallas anyway) would get the trade done. BAM! Cleveland gets a superior version of Jefferson, Dallas gets a potential All-Star to build around for the next decade.

Honestly, the more I think about this, the more I want it to happen. But it probably won’t for two reasons: A) Cleveland probably won’t deal Love considering that they’re the best team in the world so why change? And B) if they did decide to move Love, Boston is coming with a Godfather offer for him that no one will be able to top.

Next: Celtics?

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