The NBA trade rumor mill will start spinning once the playoffs are over and this summer some names that could be on the trading block include Kevin Love, Kenneth Faried, Josh Smith, Iman Shumpert, Klay Thompson, Ricky Rubio, Omer Asik, Jeremy Lin and Tyson Chandler and many of those names have already been mentioned as targets for some teams this year.
Love will obviously be at the forefront once again and this comes after the Timberwolves rebuffed all offers for him last season. Love will be a free agent next summer and the team will have to decide whether or not to trade him, much like the Nuggets and Magic with Melo and Dwight Howard. Kenneth Faried could be on the block as the Nuggets start working on a contract extension for him and he could get $14-22 million a year and if things don't work out, he could end up getting moved as well.
Josh Smith, Iman Shumpert, Klay Thompson and Ricky Rubio likely aren't moving this offseason, but their names were mentioned on a list from SI.com about players that could get some attention in the 2014 offseason.
Jeremy Lin is getting into the final year of his three year contract and that means the Rockets could have some takers despite the price since it will be expiring now. The Pelicans could look to move Gordon after a couple years of rumors, while Kevin Love and Rajon Rondo are sure to get mentioned again after the deadline this year saw countless rumors involving the two players. Love will be a free agent in two years and the Timberwolves may move him ahead of time to ensure they get some value in return.
The Minnesota Timberwolves need a new coach and as the Kevin Love trade rumors to the Lakers, Knicks and everywhere else continues, Billy Donovan, Tom Izzo, Fred Hoiberg, George Karl and Jeff Van Gundy have emerged as names Flip Saunders may consider when looking for the next head coach for the Wolves for 2014-15 after Rick Adelman retired.
The Timberwolves missed the playoffs for the third straight season under Adelman and Adelman decided to retire after his third year with the team after signing a four-year deal previously. Adelman is a great coach and has over 1,000 wins to his name and he also is eighth all-time after working with the Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings and Houston Rockets, but he decided it was time to step down and this could be the opportunity that Saunders needs to keep Love.
Kevin Love is the next Dwight Howard or Carmelo Anthony situation to play out, as he can opt out of his deal after next season, meaning teams may try to trade for him before that. Love has expressed his respect and 'love' playing for the Wolves, but he also understands that the team is not a championship contender as constructed and unless the team makes some major moves, he is likely gone the first chance he gets, even though the Wolves technically can offer him the most money.
The NBA offseason is approaching fast and in 2014, names like Omer Asik, Jeremy Lin, Kevin Love, Rajon Rondo, Tyson Chandler and Eric Gordon could be on the move, as they could be on the trading block for teams like the Houston Rockets, LA Lakers, Chicago Bulls, NY Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers.
The playoffs are coming and that will take over the basketball world until the summer, but for the teams that aren't in the postseason, the offseason begins now. Omer Asik is likely to get moved over the summer after he was close to getting traded this year, while Chandler could also be moved with Phil Jackson taking over, as he needs to clear space and Chandler has a massive contract.
The first move for Saunders is to find a new head coach and according to ESPN.com reporter Marc Stein, Donovan, Tom Izzo, Fred Hoiberg, George Karl and Van Gundy all could be in the mix for the job. Now would any of those names keep Love in Minnesota? That remains to be seen, but if the team can sway someone like Donovan or Izzo to take over, it could make a difference. Both coaches have been wooed by NBA teams, with Donovan nearly taking the Magic job before deciding against it years ago, but now that both have had sustained success in college, it might be time to move on.
Saunders' relationship with Izzo is well known and despite Donovan getting a raise from Florida in March, he could bolt again for the NBA as well. Hoiberg has gained some traction after the way his team has performed over the past few years, while Karl has been on the sidelines waiting for another job since leaving the Nuggets last year during that turnover in the franchise for Brian Shaw.
Last season Love was tops again with 26 points and 12 rebounds and he is a double-double machine and one of the best players in the NBA. The team has not made the playoffs in a decade and that hasn't helped matters with Love, but it remains to be seen what the team will do at head coach. The Lakers and Knicks both want Love badly and this season could see a deal go down if he expresses his desire to leave. Love has been putting up monster numbers over the past two seasons and teams will be working this offseason to get their caps right for him to sign afetr next year, if it gets to that.
