The Kevin Love trade rumors will now start to heat up even more with the finals over and teams like the Chicago Bulls, NY Knicks, LA Lakers, Boston Celtics, Cavaliers and Houston Rockets all are interested in making a deal with the Timberwolves and this summer could see some drama as teams try to position themselves to get Love.
According to ESPN.com, Love is interested in the Chicago Bulls and the Warriors and he would also be open to playing for the Knicks and Lakers. Love was asked about nearly every city interested in him and he made some comments about Phil Jackson as well as Boston and both of those places could be in play for him if the team opts to trade him and that still is a big if in Minnesota. Love has been one of the most consistent players in the league and now he has the chance to hit the market if he plays out this season and makes it to next summer.
The Bulls and Rockets both will need to make moves for any chance at getting Love, while the Knicks likely can't get him and Carmelo Anthony. Right now it looks like Anthony will be opting out and that puts the Knicks in a tough spot and they will continue to try and get Anthony back although he looks like he will definitely test free agency.
Chicago is trying to make a Big 3 with Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah and they see Love or Carmelo Anthony as top targets this offseason to do it. The Bulls will need to clear some cap space to get anything done with Anthony or Love and they likely will look to trade Carlos Boozer or amnesty to get one of those deal done. The Rockets are also trying to make moves this offseason and they may try and get Love as well and they are in the mix for Anthony too. According to SI.com, the Rockets and the Bulls are the two main teams going for Anthony and Houston will need to make some trades to get that deal done. Houston has both Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik on the last years of their contracts and with the money they are making they have no choice but to try and move them.
Love has long been expected to opt out of his contract after next season in the summer of 2015 if he remains with the Timberwolves and is not traded and he has not made it clear that he is not signing an extension with the team. Minnesota convinced Love to sign and extension a couple years ago and gave him the opt out to get it done and now the clock is ticking on a trade. According to ESPN.com, Love likes the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors the best for a deal, as they are winning situations with talented rosters. The Timberwolves have so far given no indication about what they will actually do, with owner Glen Taylor saying that the team will not trade Love and other reports from ESPN.com and Pro Basketball Talk reporting that the team is open to listening to offers.
The team has been mentioned as a wild card in the Kevin Love trade rumors and one reason they are in the mix with the Timberwolves is because of that number six pick. The Celtics will pick Gordon if he is there says Bill Simmons, as they see him as a Shawn Marion type, but they also could use that pick in a trade. Kevin Love visited Boston last week and the team has first round picks and enough young talent to make a deal, but it's not clear how hard the Celtics will try and pull off that trade. Boston comes into the offseason with Rondo at the center of their plans and Ainge feels that adding a top player like Gordon could help turn the team around and he will have to decide whether to attempt a trade for Love or if the team should sit tight at six.
