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Charlotte Hornets Get: Kevin Love

Cleveland Cavaliers Get: Bismack Biyombo, Jeremy Lamb, 2019 first-round pick (unprotected)

Credit for this trade idea, which can't happen until late January because of trading restrictions on extended players, goes to ESPN.com's Zach Lowe:

"The Cavs signed Love to that fat four-year, $120 million extension because he is a very good basketball player. They also did it to increase his trade value. If the Cavs are too far behind the No. 8 spot around the trade deadline, it would be natural to pivot into tank mode and investigate Love's market. ...

"They should not expect great return. Love just turned 30. That salary is huge, even if it drops by $2.5 million in 2022-23 (provided Earth has not melted by then). But there will always be some desperate team willing to give up an interesting rotation guy and middling first-round pick for an All-Star. How about Bismack Biyombo, Jeremy Lamb, and an unprotected Charlotte first-rounder? That doesn't sound great, but there won't be a Love motherlode."

Assuming the Cleveland Cavaliers are falling out of the Eastern Conference playoff race by the time calendars flip to 2019 (a fairly safe assumption after losing LeBron James and failing to bring in any significant talents other than rookie point guard Collin Sexton), why would either side turn down this proposition?

Cleveland isn't making any noise with a core built around George Hill, Love and a mediocre collection of veterans. Even if Sexton pans out immediately and becomes a Rookie of the Year contender, that's not nearly enough talent to keep pace with the Eastern front-runners. But getting salary off the books two years earlier (Bismack Biyombo is only under contract for two more seasons), gaining access to an intriguing swingman in Jeremy Lamb and adding a 2019 first-rounder to the empty coffers could go a long way in the rebuilding process.

Charlotte, of course, would get the present-day All-Star to pair with Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum. The move would also help sell the franchise point guard on the organization's commitment to competitiveness, which could potentially make a monumental final impression before Walker hits the open market as an unrestricted free agent.