Reports: Wiggins to sign contract, but Cavs still pursuing trade

Let the Andrew-Wiggins-for-Kevin-Love debate continue — for at least 30 days.

An Associated Press report, citing a source close to the situation, claimed Wiggins, the No. 1 pick out of Kansas University, will sign with Cleveland as soon as Wednesday.

But that doesn’t mean Cleveland and Minnesota have reached a point of no return in their ongoing trade talks involving Timberwolves All-Star power forward Kevin Love. In fact, it only means a trade between the two teams couldn’t become official until 30 days after Wiggins signs, per NBA rules.

What’s more, Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday that Cleveland pulled off a trade with Utah to acquire pieces that could facilitate the rumored trade, which has become the offseason’s second-biggest storyline — behind only the move that generated it in the first place, LeBron James’ return to Cleveland.

The Cavs rid themselves of Carrick Felix’s guaranteed contract and threw in a future second-round pick and cash to the Jazz in order to acquire the three non-guaranteed contracts belonging to John Lucas, Malcolm Thomas and Erik Murphy, according to Wojnarowski.

The Yahoo report said the three players Cleveland acquired could be used in a trade for Love to give Minnesota salary-cap wiggle room or in a separate deal for another asset that would entice the Timberwolves, who don’t want to lose Love and get nothing in return when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer.

So even if Wiggins signs his first NBA contract with the league’s new darling, LeBron’s Cavs, he could begin his rookie season with Minnesota, without a superstar on which to lean.