The trade sending Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett was finally finalized last week. The trade has been in the talks for over a month now but could not be completed due to the fact that Wiggins signed a rookie contract with the Cavs, which prevented him from being traded immediately under NBA terms. During a recent interview with sports radio 1500ESPN, Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor had some departing words for Love:
“I question Kevin if this is going to be the best deal for him because I think he’s going to be the third player on a team. I don’t think he’s going to get a lot of credit if they do really well. I think he’ll get the blame if they don’t do well. He’s going to have to learn to handle that. I think he’s around a couple guys are awful good. Now I’m not saying that Kevin’s not good, but I think where maybe he got away with some stuff, not playing defense on our team, I’m not sure how that’s going to work in Cleveland. So I would guess they’re going to ask him to play more defense. And he’s foul-prone.”
Ann Heisenfelt/AP
{adinserter 2} “The only thing that I still have a question mark about will be his health. I had that concern then, I still have that concern and I think Cleveland should have that concern, too. If they sign him to a five-year contract like they’re thinking about, I mean that’s a big contract in a guy that’s had sometimes where he’s missed games.”
Despite the harsh criticism and salty remarks, Kevin Love responded in a very classy manner:
“I think emotions are definitely running high right now. For Glen to say that, I just think that he should be focusing on the players that he just received,” he said. “I mean, he has two of the No. 1 picks in the last two drafts: Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett. He has another guy who can really play in Thaddeus Young.
I think he got a lot for me. So I’d be focusing even more on that. More than anything, I’m just excited to start my time in Cleveland, get to work with my new teammates, and start with this new family here.”
Welcome to Cleveland Kevin!