The Kevin Love trade rumors have died down a bit, but as the summer wears on in free agency and players like Carmelo Anthony sign, teams like the Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls, LA Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Knicks, Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns will be interested in getting back to business and the Timberwolves have a major choice to make about whether to trade Love now or wait until the NBA trading deadline during the 2014-15 season.
Love made it clear this offseason that he is not signing a contract extension with the Timberwolves and that means he will hit the market if they keep him in the summer of 2015. According to ESPN.com, the Golden State Warriors remain in the mix even after the deal talks with the Timberwolves fell apart around the NBA draft, as GS was split as an organization about whether to trade Klay Thompson or not. The Warriors looked like they had a deal done, but Thompson was the main sticking point and there is a chance they will be out of things if they aren't willing to part ways with him.
Love has been the main target in the NBA for a couple years now, as he has developed into one of the best young players at any position. Last season Love factored into the MVP voting and put up a double-double the year after he dealt with a hand injury that kept him out, averaging 26.1 points and 12.5 rebounds. Love is a fantastic rebounder and he is also a skilled passer and before the draft the Suns and Celtics looked like they could be in the mix as well. The team has a high number of draft picks to deal and they still could be options later down the line, but teams like the Rockets and Bulls appear to be in better position.
Carmelo Anthony plays a part in what Love and the Timberwolves will do, as teams chasing him are also in the mix to trade for Love. The Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls may set their sights on Love if they miss out on Anthony and right now it appears that he will be going back to New York and that could create a scramble for Love. The Bulls have some pieces to move and so do the Rockets, as they have Jeremy Lin and they also want to sign back Chandler Parsons.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, the wolves are also interested in Parsons and there is a chance that the two sides could work out a trade. Yahoo first reported the news and it speculated that if Anthony opts to not sign with the Rockets, the Wolves and Houston could work out a sign and trade that involves Parsons and Love. Rockets GM Daryl Morey has spoken at length about keeping Parsons, but since he is a restricted free agent it is not a guarantee that he can do so. The Wolves missed the playoffs last season and now Love is looking to get on a new team by summer 2015 and he is hoping that if a trade goes down, it will be to a team where he wants to stay long term. Love also has spoken about how much he wants to go to the playoffs, which he never has done in Minnesota.