Kevin Love is now officially part of the Cleveland Cavaliers roster after a three-team block bluster trade involving the Philadelphia 76ers and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Love, arguably the best Power Forward in the NBA today, will join a Cavaliers team poised to bring home its first NBA championship in franchise history this coming season.
"Kevin joining the Cavaliers represents a very special and unique opportunity for our team," Cavs general manager David Griffin said in a release per ESPN.com news services. "At only 25, Kevin has already firmly established himself as one of the NBA's elite players and his talent, versatility and fit are major parts of our team's vision for success."
Before the Cavaliers acquired Love, the team was slowly adding key veteran pieces in Mike Miller, James Jones, and Shawn Marion to provide experience and depth in their second unit. The Cavs roster seem to be all set for a deep run in the playoffs but they can still make a final deal if they choose to using their non guaranteed contracts per Hoopshype.com:
Cavs can make another deal using $3.3M in non-guaranteed cash in Lucas III, Thomas & Murphy. Thomas can't be dealt for about 30 more days.
The Cavaliers acquired the non-guaranteed contracts of John Lucas III, Malcolm Thomas, and Erik Murphy last month from the Utah Jazz via trade deal involving Carrick Felix, $1 million and a future second-round draft pick. Mike Prada of SB Nation sites the importance of such contracts saying that, "they count for the purposes of matching salary in any deal, but the players on them can be released anytime for no charge once the trade is completed."
This means that the Cavs opt to either use their non-guaranteed contracts in another trade deal that would send another key piece on their roster or wave the contracts to free up $3.3 million in their salary cap space to bring in Ray Allen if he decides to make a final run at another championship this coming season. Either way, the Cavs can still make one last deal if they opt too with non-guaranteed contracts at their disposal.
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