Love way too costly

Don’t do it, David Griffin.

Resist the urge to trade Andrew Wiggins to Minnesota. Why? Because it would be the wrong move to make.

Sure, Kevin Love would look great in a Cavaliers uniform. LeBron loves Love. And why not?

He’s only 25 years old, arguably one of the best forwards in the National Basketball Association and he’s stuck in Minnesota.

He wants to get out now before his contract expires after the upcoming season. The Timberwolves, who will lose him one way or the other anyway, have placed him on the auction block.

Therein lies the problem. The T-Wolves want too much. Way too much. Way, way, way too much.

They want Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and at least the Cavs’ No. 1 pick next season. Maybe more because Minnesota president/coach Flip Saunders is swallowing greed pills on a daily basis.

Think about it. That’s the last two No. 1 picks in the entire draft the last two years and more. That’s insane.

Griffin must resist. In every way imaginable. He has to stop himself from jumping at the carrot Saunders is dangling.

He’s extremely fortunate LeBron decided to relocate his talents to northeast Ohio. And the thought of Love and LeBron at the forwards is awfully tempting. In fact, it’s intoxicating.

But just as intoxicating is what the club would be like with LeBron, Kyrie Irving and Wiggins on the same roster. And with Bennett streamlining his body, he can’t be any worse than last season.

Giving up the future to satisfy and enrich the present is a trap many general managers fall into in all sports.

It’s not as though Wiggins and Bennett are mere chattel. I would much rather see what they can do in a Cleveland uniform and wait out Saunders.

Turn a deaf ear to him. Let the season begin with Love on his roster. Wait long enough and he’ll get desperate enough to pull the trigger on a deal for far less than what he wants now.

Wait him out and maybe he’ll be unable to move Love anywhere by the end of the season. And even if he does, Love will be a free agent next season and if he still wants to play with LeBron, then Griffin can go out and sign him.

There are times when being shrewd (and patient) pays off. This is one of those times.

LeBron preached patience in his essay announcing his return. “It will be a long process,” he wrote, ”much longer than it was in 2010. My patience will get tested. I know that.”

Wait one more year and that patience will be amply rewarded with Wiggins, Bennett and the rest of the roster intact.

It will be worth it.