NBA: Portland Trail Blazers at Minnesota Timberwolves
NBA: Portland Trail Blazers at Minnesota Timberwolves Reuters

The Cleveland Cavaliers won the No. 1 pick for the 2014 NBA Draft and it appears they are willing to let go of the top pick if they can net a superstar big in the trade market.

Chad Ford of ESPN.com is reporting that indeed the franchise is “interested in acquiring an established All-Star big” via a trade this offseason assuming that any of the players will be made available by their respective teams.

Kevin Love of the Minnesota, Al Horford of the Atlanta Hawks, Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls and LaMarcus Aldridge of the Portland Trail Blazers are in the Cavaliers’ radar but of the four big name players only Love is available if recent reports are to be believed that he is on his way out of his franchise.

The Cavaliers do have assets—young guys and future picks-- to acquire a player of Love’s caliber but the problem is convincing him to stay after his contract expires in 2014-2015.

Love actually has a player option to stay in 2015-2016 but it has been widely reported that he will bolt Minnesota and choose a team contending for a title. If the Cavaliers get Love they’ll be in the same boat as the Timberwolves as both franchises are not pegged to make a run at the NBA championship anytime soon.

Still, the Cavs will diligently explore their options especially with the No. 1 pick in the rich draft this coming June 26.

Here are a few trade proposals via the ESPN Trade Machine that might get the Cavs-Wolves talking this offseason.

Cleveland-Minnesota Trade: Kevin Love ($14.7M) + Nikola Pekovic ($12.1M) for Dion Waiters ($3.9M) + Anderson Varejao ($9M) + Jarret Jack ($6.3) + Anthony Bennett ($5.3M) + Tyler Zeller ($1.6M) + #1 Pick 2014 NBA Draft + Future First Rounder (2015)

Why Would the Cavaliers Do It: Simply, it’s “win-now” move as they get a pair of potent big men in Love and Pekovic to pair with star point guard Kyrie Irving. They have a year to make it work and maybe it convinces Love to stay if it does. Re-signing Luol Deng and finding another veteran shooter and or two-guard in the offseason will complete a very potent five of Love-Pekovic-Deng-Veteran SG-Irving.

Why Would the Timberwolves Do It: Getting value off their eventual free agent big man will be crucial in the coming months and this deal might just speed up their reload/rebuild after the Love era as the NBA Draft is near. If they do it before the annual selection, they can get the player they want in the draft with the Cavs’ first pick (Joel Embiid, Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker?) and find the right fit for a Ricky Rubio-Dion Waiters backcourt. They get the rather long-term deals of Jack and Bennett but both can be serviceable and are on cheap contracts; and they add a future first-ronder for 2015.