The Minnesota Timberwolves are currently engaged in serious Kevin Love talks with only the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls have previously been in touch with the Wolves on a trade, but their respective offers aren't as competitive.

The Bulls are pessimistic about their chances and aren't inclined to significantly alter the construction of their team.

Andrew Wiggins is not eligible to be dealt until Aug. 23 after signing his rookie contract last week, but numerous league insiders expect a trade to be a matter of when instead of if.

Pat Riley never dissuaded from the belief that LeBron James would return to the Miami Heat in free agency, even when the two met in Las Vegas before James announced his decision to join the Cleveland Cavaliers.

''I went into it with the thought and the notion that he was coming back," Riley said, "and I was selling that to players, I believed that firmly, so I was selling that to players. And that's the only way I went into it. I let him know that. He never said to me, 'No, don't do that.' ''

"I don't think I was misled. But I don't think I was encouraged either. That's business."

Riley said he did not hear from James during the free agent process.

"I sent him a lot of emails and texts," Riley said. "I was communicating a lot with him. No response."

Riley then turned his focus to making the Heat a contending team.

"There wasn't anything in that meeting that told me that wasn't going to happen," Riley said of the anticipated return by James. "I've moved on quickly from that, 'We are going to build another championship team and that's it.'

"This business, as we find it, is tough. Sometimes you have those tough calls and sometimes things happen to you that you don't like but you’ve got to move on.

"The process didn't take anything out of me other than this one notion: You have a chance to build a generational team. . . . That chain has been broken prematurely. We are going to try to make it another generational team. That's what my objective is."

Anthony Bennett was recently pulled by his agent from a pro-am pickup game, according to a report.

Bennett has been in trade speculation with the Cleveland Cavaliers' pursuit of Kevin Love.

Bennett averaged 4.1 points in his rookie season as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, but he averaged 14 points and 10.5 rebounds in summer league.

Love also recently pulled out of Team USA camp.

The Miami Heat will host LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas Day in his first game playing against his former team.

An unofficial internal schedule of select games has Cleveland playing the Heat in Miami on Christmas on ABC, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The game likely would be played at either 2:30 p.m. or 5 p.m, depending on what other game is selected for ABC that day.

Kyrie Irving will receive just 27.5 percent of an adjusted NBA salary cap if he triggers the Derrick Rose rule by winning MVP or getting voted an All-Star starter next season, according to Mark Deeks.

Irving presumably received a player option on his contract in exchange for not getting the full 30 percent possible.

Paul George set the market by taking just 27 percent in order to get that fifth-year player option last offseason.

If Irving neither wins MVP or gets voted an All-Starter, his contract extension will be worth the max possible amount (about $89 million). If he achieves either of those honors, he’d gain about $9 million. However, he could have gained more than $16 million.

By leaving that potential $7 million on the table, Irving set himself up to become a free agent sooner.

LeBron James will wear jersey No. 23 in his return to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

James announced his decision on Twitter and Instagram.

"23 it is! It's only right I go back. 2·3=6 We still family 6."

James wore No. 23 from 2003-2010 with the Cavaliers and then wore No. 6 in four seasons with the Miami Heat.

Flip Saunders is becoming increasingly interested in the Cleveland Cavaliers' offer of Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and future first round picks for Kevin Love.

Saunders was long believed to prefer a trade with the Golden State Warriors to acquire Klay Thompson for the Minnesota Timberwolves, but he was never reportedly offered.

Saunders is president of the Wolves and also the head coach, so he was unlikely to want an extended rebuild.

‘‘It gives [Saunders] a chance to mold the team how he wants it,’’ the source said.

Will Cherry is receiving interest from the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors, according to a source.

Cherry averaged 12.8 points and 4 rebounds while shooting 52 percent from the field for the Cavaliers in summer league.

Cherry spent last season with the Canton Charge of the NBA D-League.

The Cleveland Cavaliers' offer for Kevin Love is presently higher on the Minnesota Timberwolves' wish list than any other team's. 

The Chicago Bulls are also interested in Love, while the Golden State Warriors remain involved. The Cavaliers have seemed most motivated to complete a trade, as the Warriors have held Klay Thompson out of talks and the Bulls initially pursued Carmelo Anthony in free agency.

The Cavaliers are offering Andrew Wiggins, though he now can't be traded before Aug. 23. 

Wolves' owner Glen Taylor is now believed to prefer Wiggins over Thompson.

Love initially had the Warriors and Bulls atop his wish list, but the arrival of LeBron James has put the Cavaliers on equal footing.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed Andrew Wiggins to his rookie contract.

Wiggins' deal starts at the rookie scale of $5.5 million.

Wiggins cannot be traded for at least 30 days. Wiggins has been mentioned in trade rumors involving Kevin Love.