NBA ROUNDUP

NBA roundup: Love in Cleveland for long haul

The Sports Xchange

August 26, 2014 at 3:51 pm.

Aug 26, 2014; Independence, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers player Kevin Love (left) and general manager David Griffin pose for photographers at Cleveland Clinic Courts.David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The newest member of new-look Cleveland Cavaliers was introduced to the media on Tuesday and Kevin Love said he is committed to playing for the team long term.

The 25-year-old Love is a three-time NBA All-Star and completes a new-look Big 3 for Cleveland along with forward LeBron James and guard Kyrie Irving.

Love spent his first six seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves. In exchange for Love, Minnesota received Cleveland’s 2014 No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins and 2013 No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett. The Philadelphia 76ers entered trade talks and ended up sending Thaddeus Young to Minnesota for guard Alexey Shved and forward Luc Mbah a Moute, along with the rights to the Miami Heat’s 2015 first-round pick through the Cavaliers.

A phone call from James paved the way for Love to find his way to Cleveland.

“LeBron signed to come back, and a few hours later he called me and I said ‘I’m in,'” Love said. “That had a lot to do with my decision. It means a lot to be a part of this organization. … Everything in my entire life for the last six years had led me up to this opportunity.”

Love said he is committed to Cleveland and bringing a championship to the city.

“[An extension] hasn’t been talked about,” Love said. “I’m committed to this team and committed long term to the end goal, which is to win a championship.”

Love has averaged 19 points and 12 rebounds per game during his six-year career.

–The Atlanta Hawks announced that forward Mike Scott re-signed with the team.

The Hawks did not disclose contract terms, but the restricted free agent agreed to a three-year, $10 million contract with two years guaranteed and a team option earlier this month.

A second-round pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Scott played in 80 regular-season games for the Hawks last season and averaged 9.6 points and 3.6 rebounds. He started six times and averaged 14.0 points and 5.3 rebounds in those games.

—Last summer, the Utah Jazz traded shooting guard Kevin Murphy to the Golden State Warriors. Now they have re-signed Murphy, who had been released by the Warriors.

Murphy was drafted in the second round out of Tennessee Tech in 2012. He saw action in only 17 games for the Jazz before being traded. In 34 games, he averaged 25.5 points playing for the D-League Idaho Stampede

The Jazz also signed forward Brock Motum.

In a move that has financial repercussions for the Clippers, Los Angeles unloaded forward Jared Dudley and a future first-round pick to the Milwaukee Bucks for swingman Carlo Delfino and center Mirolsav Raduljica.

According to Yahoo Sports, Delfino’s career is in doubt as he recovers from a fractured foot, and his contract is not guaranteed. Raduljica’s contract is not guaranteed, either.

Dudley, who struggled in his only season in with the Clippers and carried a $4.25 million contract for the upcoming season, would have found playing time on a deep Los Angeles bench. The move gives the Clippers the chance to remain under next summer’s luxury tax.

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