NBA Trade Rumors: Players Feel Cavs Trying to Deal Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson

There is reportedly a belief within the Cleveland Cavaliers locker room that the front office is looking to trade veterans Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson.

According to Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor, "more than a few" Cavs players feel the organization wants to make a "big shakeup" in the form of trading two of their biggest names and longest-tenured stars before the Feb. 6 deadline this week.

Cleveland is tied with the Atlanta Hawks for the worst record in the Eastern Conference at 13-37, and it is in line to miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season after reaching the NBA Finals in the previous four campaigns.

If the Cavs do move on from Love and Thompson, it won't come as much of a surprise. Love has been a rumored trade candidate essentially from the moment he signed a four-year, $120.4 million extension in 2018.

Meanwhile, Thompson can become a free agent at the conclusion of the season, so it would make sense to trade him rather than potentially lose him for nothing during the offseason.

While Cleveland has struggled as a team this season, both Love and Thompson have been fairly productive individually.

The 31-year-old Love is averaging 17.4 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, while shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from deep. Love's 2.6 three-pointers made per game are a career high as well, making him an ideal target for a team in search of a stretch four.

Love is a five-time All-Star, one-time NBA rebounding champ and one-time NBA champion, and while he is more of a complementary piece than a go-to guy at this juncture of his career, he could be a great fit on a contending team in need of some shooting and rebounding help.

Joe Vardon and Shams Charania of The Athletic reported in January that Love had an "emotional verbal outburst" toward general manager Koby Altman due to his "displeasure and disgust with the organization."

They noted that while Love has not publicly requested a trade, his preference is to get moved to a contending team.

The 28-year-old Thompson isn't quite as decorated as Love, but he is in the midst of the best statistical season of his career. His 11.9 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game are all career highs, and he is on pace to average a double-double for the second consecutive season.

Thompson is more of a traditional big than Love due to his willingness and ability to do the dirty work in the paint at both ends of the floor. Any team looking to tighten up its interior defense will likely be in the market for Thompson.

Aside from guard Matthew Dellavedova, Love and Thompson are the last remnants from Cleveland's championship team. Trading them would signal the end of an era, but it is undoubtedly time to focus on rebuilding.

If the Cavs trade both Love and Thompson, it will allow head coach John Beilein to see what he has in some of his younger bigs.