Let’s get something straight: nobody will be to upset if the Cleveland Cavaliers don’t acquire Gordon Hayward in a trade. When he’s on the court, he fits in perfectly with the Cavs’ system, but his injury history raises legitimate concerns about his viability as a team member.
The Cavs don’t need to trade Kevin Love to get Gordon Hayward
For the time being, however, he represents nothing more than a reliable trade commodity. This is all preface to make it clear that there is no “Hayward or bust” bias in what follows. However, after reading on Hoops Rumor that the Cavs would need to trade Kevin Love in order to land Hayward, the offer had to be rejected.
The claims of Love and Hayward are based on the size of their respective contracts.
Contrarily, the Cavaliers can acquire Hayward without having to sacrifice Love. A deal can be reached if the Cavaliers send over Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro.
You don’t have to give up Love in order to acquire Hayward, but if nothing else comes along, that’s the deal that should be made.
Gordon Hayward, a forward for the Hornets, would be a good fit for the Cavaliers because of his skills, but at $30 million per year, it’s unlikely that the team will be able to sign him.
To acquire Hayward, the Cavaliers would have to include Kevin Love ($28.9MM), and trading Love isn’t an option, according to Fedor, who has previously reported that the Cavs and Love are interested in extending their relationship beyond this season.
Kevin Love shouldn’t be up for trade
Getting rid of Love would be a huge mistake for this squad. And not just as a manager, coach, seasoned pro, or player. To the contrary, Love’s retirement is a recognition from the organization’s fan base that legendary players from a single franchise can sometimes choose to retire alongside their original teammates.
There has been discussion of a two- or three-year deal that would reduce Love’s salary cap number while keeping the big man in town through the end of his career, as both Love and the Cavaliers want to keep the relationship going past 2023.
That’s the kind of deal every fan hopes to see. Mark Price is a taboo topic in Orlando, so no one talks about him. Nobody likes to consider the possibility of Anderson Varejao playing for the Warriors. Equally as applicable to Zydrunas Ilgauskas and the Miami Heat.
