Thaddeus Young part of potential deal
— -- The Minnesota Timberwolves expect to land Philadelphia's Thaddeus Young in addition to No. 1 overall draft pick Andrew Wiggins when they complete their long anticipated trade to send Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers this weekend, according to NBA front-office sources.
Sources told ESPN.com that the Wolves -- either as part of a separate transaction with Philadelphia or by expanding their planned deal with the Cavaliers into a three-team trade -- are already operating under the premise that they are acquiring Young from the Sixers as Love's replacement.
ESPN.com reported in July that Wolves president and coach Flip Saunders had pinpointed Young as his preferred successor at power forward to Love, who can finally be dealt to the Cavaliers on Saturday, when Wiggins becomes eligible to be traded at last.
Although nothing can be finalized before Saturday, sources said Thursday that the Wolves are poised to surrender a future first-round pick along with the expiring contracts of Luc Richard Mbah A Moute and Alexey Shved to the Sixers for Young, who has two seasons left on his deal valued at $19.4 million.
The Wolves, sources said, have already verbally agreed to acquire Wiggins, 2013's No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett and a future first-round pick from the Cavs for Love. Minnesota would then have the option of flipping that first-rounder to Philadelphia, along with Mbah A Moute and Shved, for Young.
The Sixers tried to get Bennett as part of the Young transaction, sources said, but Minnesota was determined to keep the second-year forward to be a key piece in its rebuilding effort despite Bennett's disappointing rookie season as a Cav.
Although the Cavs' 30-day waiting period to move Wiggins ends on a Saturday, sources told ESPN.com on Thursday that the teams can indeed schedule a trade call with the league that day despite the fact it's a weekend, meaning the Love trade can be completed at the earliest allowable date.
Sources say that news conferences to introduce Love and Wiggins with their respective new teams are unlikely before next week, after the various players involved in the transactions have had a chance to complete their physicals.
