The Kevin Love trade rumors will not go away this summer as the Timberwolves weigh whether to trade their star or not and teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, Knicks, Boston Celtics, LA Lakers and Houston Rockets all are interested in making a move with Minnesota and now Flip Saunders has to weigh the pros and cons of trading now or waiting until the deadline.
Love has made it clear that he plans on testing the market as a free agent when he gets the chance and that means not signing a deal with the Timberwolves for an extension. According to ESPN.com, before the whole free agency bonanza started, the Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers appeared to be the top destinations for Love to end up this summer. Those teams had various motivations and packages for Love, including first round picks, the ability to play for a winner and players to trade, but now that the draft is over and Carmelo and LeBron are still deciding, Love has taken a back seat for those teams. The Warriors came close to a deal at the draft, but that died on the vine and may not come back.
What happens with Love is wrapped up in Anthony and James, as some of the same teams going after Love are also going after Anthony. According to ESPN.com, the Knicks and the Lakers are the favorites for Anthony and that puts the Bulls and the Rockets back on the radar for Love. Both teams are looking to make major moves this offseason and that is one reason why the Rockets have extended a max contract offer to Chris Bosh as he weighs his options. Other players in the mix for the teams include Chandler Parsons and Eric Bledsoe and they could be targets if Anthony stays with the Knicks.
Luol Deng has also been mentioned as an alternative for the Bulls, Rockets and Lakers if they miss out on Anthony or Love and he has been getting interest from the Miami Heat and Mavericks as well. The Phoenix Suns were another team mentioned in the Love trade talks, as they have first round picks to deal, but that talk died down after the draft. The Boston Celtics also have draft picks and players to move, but they may want to stick with their rebuilding plan over making the Love trade.
Love will not be a free agent until next summer and teams will be lining up for him if he makes it there. The Wolves may trade him during the season, but if he doesn't want to sign an extension with the team he gets traded to, it could make things tougher. Love has spent these years toiling away in Minnesota out of the playoffs and once he has the chance to hit the market, he has every right to leave as a free agent. The Wolves have to weigh whether to let him leave for nothing or to trade him for something and if they do trade him, Michael Wilbon from ESPN.com writes that the longer they take, the less lucrative the deal will be.
