NBA Rumors: Negotiations For Love Heating Up

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The negotiations for star forward Kevin Love continue. Yesterday Bob Finnan of The News-Herald and the Morning Journal reported that the Cleveland Cavaliers are now willing to include number one overall pick Andrew Wiggins in a deal for Love.

Chris Broussard now reports that the Cavaliers are willing to include Wiggins, last year’s number one overall pick Anthony Bennett, and next year’s first-round pick. The Cavaliers are in direct competition with the Golden State Warriors, who have been negotiating with Timberwolves for weeks in an attempt to bring Love to the Bay Area.

A sticking point for the Warriors has been their reluctance to include shooting guard Klay Thompson in any deal for Love. However, Yannis Koutroupis of Basketball Insiders reported on Thursday that Golden State is ramping up its efforts to acquire Love, and are now willing to include Thompson since Love is reportedly willing to exercise his 2015-16 option if acquired by Cleveland.

There is a lot of momentum behind a deal for Love being executed, especially with the report from Adrian Wojnarowksi of Yahoo Sports that LeBron James has personally reached out to Love and expressed his desire to play with him. James has already shown how much power he has within the Cavaliers organization, and if he really insists on Cleveland acquiring Love, they will do what it takes to make that happen. Standing in Cleveland’s way is Golden State, who may have a slight edge if they surrender Thompson, as it is believed that Timberwolves president Flip Saunders is looking for players that can contribute right away.

Last season Andrew Bynum signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who soon after traded him to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for small forward Luol Deng. The Bulls immediately waived Bynum (strategically saving cap space), who went on to sign a deal with the Indiana Pacers, appearing in just two games.

Now it looks as though Bynum will go to Germany to undergo Orthokine-Therapy, known in the United States as the Regenokine program. Bynum underwent knee treatment in Germany in 2012, which delayed his debut with the Philadelphia 76ers (who he never ended up playing for).

The procedure was developed by molecular biologist Dr. Julio Reinecke and German orthopedic surgeon Dr. Peter Wehling. It attacks the biological mechanisms that cause osteoarthritis and joint pain, blocking the protein that contributes to the breakdown of cartilage. Kobe Bryant has undergone this same procedure more than once, and credits it with helping him maintain his high level of play.

The hope is that the procedure, plus the extended rest, will help restore Bynum’s ailing knees that have kept him off the floor the last few seasons. In the 2011-2012 season, Bynum averaged 18.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.9 blocks per game. He was then famously traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in a three-team trade that netted the Los Angeles Lakers former Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard.

The market for Bynum heading into next season is small, if non-existent. A year away, with extensive rehab may make him an intriguing option heading into the 2015-2016 NBA season.

On Thursday, Adrian Wojnarowksi of Yahoo Sports reported that the USA National Team invited Marcus Smart, Doug McDermott, Victor Oladipo, Tobias Harris, along with Mason and Miles Plumlee to the USA Select team to compete against the National Team candidates.

There was a period of time where the USA National Basketball program could not get a good amount of the top NBA players to commit to playing internationally. However, National Team Managing Director Jerry Colangelo and Duke University head coach Mike Krzyzewski have turned the program around over the last few years, which has led to stiffer competition among players and more long-term commitments. Joining the Select team is a step towards earning an invitation to compete for a roster spot for the Olympics and FIBA World Cup competitions.

The inclusion of these young players gives them a chance to become acquainted with the program, and the slightly different rules of FIBA basketball. The National team and Select team will hold a camp in Las Vegas from June 28 through August 1 in preparation for the FIBA World Cup to be held in Spain later this summer.