The NBA offseason is moving towards August and trade rumors will continue to pop up around Kevin Love, but other names could be in the mix as well, as names like Klay Thompson, LaMarcus Aldridge, Marc Gasol, Kenneth Faried, Brook Lopez and Jeff Green may come up this season when things get close to the trade deadline, especially Love if he is not moved to the Cavaliers or Bulls next month.
Love has been the center of trade talks for some time and now the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls are battling to get a deal done. Things have quieted a bit, as ESPN reports that the Cavs signed Andrew Wiggins, meaning he can't be traded for a month, but sources say that will not hinder a deal. Love is the top trade chip on the market, but there are other players that could move this season at the deadline, including Faried, Green and Gasol, as Gasol and Faried are nearing free agency along with LaMarcus Aldridge.
Aldridge is added in here more for the fact that he will be mentioned in rumors, but it's unlikely he will be traded. The Portland Trail Blazers have offered Aldridge a max contract, but he knows he can cash in as a free agent next summer and while he wants to stay in Portland and the Blazers want to keep him, but money is always the issue in the NBA. The Blazers also will have to sign Damian Lillard when the time comes and the way he is developing, he should be cashing in big time.
Aldridge is a very good player and he just had his best career season and now he will be looking to cash in after his performance in the playoffs and this past season. Aldridge had back to back 40 point games in the playoffs and now he is looking like an elite star in the league after also factoring into the MVP race. Brook Lopez and Gasol are also nearing free agency and those names are sure to come up next season.
The Golden State Warriors were talking with the Timberwolves earlier in the summer as well about a Love deal, but the team has been unwilling to trade Klay Thompson. While the Warriors have made that clear for now, there is always a chance things could change and if for some reason the deal does not get done with the Cavs or Bulls, the Warriors could jump back into the mix. The team initially offered.
The Cavaliers originally did not want to put Andrew Wiggins in their deal for Love, but Minnesota convinced them to do it and now they are offering Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and a first round pick for Love. The Chicago Bulls also have a strong package and they are offering Taj Gibson, Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic and that could be a threat to the Love deal for the Cavs. Things will take time with the 30-day period, but most reports have the Cavaliers ahead of the Bulls for a deal.