The NBA offseason is nearly here and that means trade rumors for summer 2014 are going to start and names like Ricky Rubio, Greg Monroe, David Lee, Klay Thompson, Deron Williams, Tristan Thompson, Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge could all come up in connection to the trading block on deals and teams like the Chicago Bulls, NY Knicks, LA Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics could be very active come July.
Kevin Love is obviously the top player getting mentioned on the trade market and the Timberwolves have a huge decision to make about keeping him this season ort trading him this summer. Based on the past with Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard, the sooner the team trades Love the better deal they will get since the later it gets into the season, the more leverage shifts to Love rather than the team. Deron Williams will come up after his struggles in the playoffs this year, while Ricky Rubio could be on the trading block if the Timberwolves trade Love.
Greg Monroe is reportedly on the black for the Pistons after Stan Van Gundy took over, while Klay Thompson and David Lee have been mentioned in Kevin Love trade rumors for the Warriors. The Cavaliers could look to trade the number one pick for Love or someone else and Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters have come up in those rumors. While some of the deals involving Love will be too big to go down, it likely will take a blockbuster to make it happen.
The Kevin Love sweepstakes and whether a trade even happens will dictate how other teams look at making deals and if it doesn't go down, expect Aldridge and Omer Asik to ascend to the top of the list for teams looking for interior help. Love averaged over 25 points and 10 rebounds last season and has been one of the most consistent players in the NBA, but he has been stuck in basketball purgatory in Minnesota and while he has not demanded a trade at any point, clearly he is frustrated with the losing and wants out.
Love said that he plans on testing the market, so any hopes of the Timberwolves signing him to another extension is likely long gone. The team signed him to his original extension and gave him the 2015 opt out to ensure that he stayed for a little while and they hoped the team would contend during that time, convincing him to stay. Love was injured two years ago and last season the Wolves missed the playoffs again and now Love has yet to make the postseason in his career. The Wolves owner Glen Taylor said the team is not trading Love, which means he hopes that the team contends and they can convince him to stay, but based on all the chatter, that is not happening.
Love has a decision to make as well if he remains with the Wolves, as he can play out his contract to 2016 and then hit the market, but that seems unlikely as well. Love is hoping to get onto a better team in a bigger city and next summer will be insane if he is not traded before then.