Once LeBron James made his decision to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers after four years in Miami, the struggling franchise got right to work on a deal to bring in perennial All-Star Kevin Love. The Cavs were determined make superstar trio in Cleveland and were able to do just that.
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The rumors surrounding Love’s immediate future were seemingly endless with the rising star making it clear that he wanted out of Minnesota. Although many teams were mentioned as potential destinations for Love, the Cavs were able to pull off a blockbuster and acquire the star forward in a trade package centered around rookie Andrew Wiggins.
With Wiggins now headed to Minnesota, the rookie will become the face of the Timberwolves franchise with a potentially bright future ahead. Now that Wiggins is in Minnesota, the number one overall isn’t overwhelmed with the pressure that comes with being an NBA team’s star player, according to an interview with Dime Magazine:
“I don’t really feel like it’s too much pressure right now. I’ve been through being the number one player in high school, in college, all that stuff. So, pressure to me has really died down; I don’t feel it as much as I used to.”
The trade to Minnesota may ultimately be a blessing in disguise for the Kansas product. Wiggins will have an opportunity to shape his own legacy without being the shadow of other proven stars like LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.
Along with the new franchise player in Minnesota, Wiggins will be playing alongside quite a few promising young players.
In the blockbuster trade with the Cavs, the Timberwolves were also able to land another former number one overall pick in Anthony Bennett. Although Bennett has been a disappointment to say the least, a change of scenery and a bigger role might be exactly what he needs to turn things around.
Not only were the Cavs able to land Wiggins and Bennett, but they also made another substantial trade and drafted UCLA’s Zach LaVine. The Cavs acquired Thaddeus Young from the Philadelphia 76ers bringing in another solid veteran to help provide some leadership for the young players on the squad.
So even though many believe the Cavs got the better end of the deal with Love, Minnesota have put together a solid young core of players around veterans Ricky Rubio, Kevin Martin, Mo Williams, and Young. It is much too early to know if Minnesota ultimately will come out on top in this trade, but they’ve definitely improved their roster across the board.
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