The Minnesota Timberwolves are weighing the Kevin Love trade rumors that are bouncing around and the team could look at the Suns with Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe and first round picks as a potential deal, while teams like the Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Warriors and NY Knicks are also interested in making a move and that could make for a dramatic NBA summer in 2014.
The Suns are a wild card in all of this since they have first round draft picks to move and Pro Basketball Talk reported the story that Phoenix could be willing to make the jump. Yahoo writes that Bledsoe may want a max deal and that could make things tough, but they have the pieces to make a move. The Bulls and Rockets also want to make the deal, but they will have to move Carlos Boozer, Jeremy Lin or Omer Asik to even have a chance and they are also looking at Carmelo Anthony as a target.
The Celtics have first round picks and players to move and Love has made it clear that he wants to move on and if the team doesn't trade him, he likely is opting out when he gets the chance. The Warriors are in the mix as well and they could try and pull off the deal with David Lee or Klay Thompson moving. The Wolves do not want to trade Love, but he may not give them another choice and they could lose him for nothing.
The Bulls will need to make moves to have any chance at getting Love, as they will have to trade Carlos Boozer or use the amnesty clause on him and players like Jimmy Butler or Taj Gibson also could be in the mix. The Warriors have moves they can make with players like David Lee, Harrison Barnes and Klay Thompson on the roster, while the Celtics also have some assets. The team would like to keep Rajon Rondo, but they have players available along with draft picks. That latter addition could be what brings the Suns in, as they have picks and players, including Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe.
Owner Glen Taylor doesn't want to trade Love and Ricky Rubio is hoping that he sticks around and teams like the Celtics and Rockets could be in the mix. The Celtics have first round picks that they can use along with players and they also have to work on what they will do long term with Rajon Rondo. The Celtics have a top 10 pick this year that is valuable, but the team likely wants to hang onto that since the class is so talented and they are looking at Aaron Gordon as a target.
Love had made it clear that he wants out of Minnesota and he likely will jump onto the free agent market the first chance he gets next summer. The Wolves have said publically that they do not want to trade Love, but behind the scenes they are working on deals and Flip Saunders said that 16 teams have called asking about a trade. According to Pro Basketball Talk, Love does not want to play in Cleveland and some interesting options in his mind include the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, Yahoo is reporting that Bledsoe wants a max deal and he is set to be a free agent that is restricted and he averaged 17.7 points last season for an improved Suns. Dragic played very well last season and he could be in the mix as well and the Suns are a wild card now in the whole Timberwolves trade. Love has been the most consistent player in the NBA over the past couple years and he averaged a double-double last season and now will be the most coveted free agent or trade piece in the league heading into next year.
