The Kevin Love trade rumors have started coming way before the offseason starts for 2014 and this summer teams like the Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics along with the NY Knicks and LA Lakers all will be in the mix for a Timberwolves deal and while Minnesota is not guaranteed to trade Love, they surely will be listening to offers from teams.
Love comes in as the player with the most attention that is not going to hit the free agent market and that comes as Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James prepare for their impending free agency. Love can't hit the market as a free agent until next summer and if he remains with the Timberwolves through this season, summer of 2015 will be the next huge date when it comes to NBA signings. According to ESPN.com, Love said he wants to hit the market eventually, meaning he will not sign an extension in Minnesota and that the Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls are his top two destinations.
Love has been one of the most consistent players in the NBA over the past few seasons and he is coming off of a double-double year with 26 points and 12 rebounds per game and he is the most coveted player in the league not names James. The Knicks and Lakers were mentioned as potential options even though they were terrible last season, as they are bigger cities with the chance to turn things around. ESPN.com also mentioned the Boston Celtics and Suns as potential options, as they have the ammunition in first round picks that the Wolves may want.
The Rockets and the Bulls have interest in James, Anthony and Love, but obviously they only will be able to pull off one of those moves and to get it done it will take some maneuvering on all sides. Reportedly the Bulls and Rockets are the most likely options for Anthony apart from the Knicks and those teams will be making runs at him whether or not they have the chance to trade for Love. Chicago is looking like they will be going after Anthony hard, as they are one scoring piece away from being a legitimate championship contender.
The Rockets will need to move Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin to make moves, as those players are making a ton of money right now and are coming into the last years of their contracts. The team has a big decision on Chandler Parsons and that could affect the deal as well and even if they go after Anthony they will have to move either Lin or Asik for the cap space to get a deal done.
The Bulls can also look at making moves, but they will have to make some trades as well or at least some cuts, as Carlos boozer had his worst season in Chicago and could be on the block. Boozer is making over $10 million and could get traded or hit with the amnesty clause. The team also could look to move Taj Gibson or Jimmy Butler if they try for the Love deal.
