Team USA: Kevin Love Requested Trade To Cleveland? All-NBA Forward Backs Out Of National Team Commiment! With Career In Limbo, He Needs To Avoid Injury!

The Two Kevins are no more. Kevin Love has backed out of his commitment, days after Blake Griffin also backed out. Love cites his 'current status' whatever that means, for not joining his national team cohorts.

As always, Team USA director Jerry Colangelo is all business, and he just has to move on. From ESPN:

"The fact is we can only look to the players we have available. Our job is to get the job done with our very, very deep roster, and we're anxious to get things started."

Still with Team USA, there are still a lot of options. They just need time to adjust. Colangelo realizes that: "You can't just sit around and cry in your beer regarding who you don't have. You look at what you do have and you say, 'We're going to get the job done.' We feel very confident about our opportunity. We're ready for it."

He gives proper acknowledgement to Kevin Love though: "He really wanted to play. He was truly remorseful about it. But the circumstances just don't allow it."

Right now, Kevin Love is in limbo with the apparent trade to Cleveland hanging in the balance and so far, he has nothing he can do about it.

The idea that his contract will expire at the end of next season seems to be a moot point at this juncture as it was already assumed that he will extend with Cleveland. Now, Minnesota has all the cards and is virtually asking Cleveland to fix all their salary cap holes.

But there might be a development that will tip the balance. From Sheridan Hoops:

"Multiple league sources told FOX Sports Ohio on Friday they are under the impression Love has relayed his desire for a trade to Cleveland to his agent. Love is represented by Jeff Schwartz.

Sources could not say for certain whether Love or Schwartz have made a formal trade request to the Timberwolves. Most believe if such a request is made, the Cavs will be able to obtain Love at a considerably cheaper cost than what is being discussed by the teams."

If Kevin Love's patience with Minnesota's posturing runs out, he may make a public trade request which will be a huge public relations nightmare for Flip Saunders. Perhaps this is the reason why Cleveland signed Wiggins-they just want to let Flip know that they can also move on without the trade, while Minnesota loses Kevin Love with nothing in exchange.