The Minnesota Timberwolves have been back in Kevin Love trade talks with the Golden State Warriors according to ESPN writer Marc Stein, but the teams have not yet been able to complete a deal due to the Warriors not wanting to trade Klay Thompson, instead offering a combination of David Lee, Harrison Barnes and first round picks and this comes after the Cavaliers also showed interest in a trade for Love.
Stein writes that the two sides have been looking at making a deal since before the draft, but sources close to the situation say that the Warriors unwillingness to include Klay Thompson in the deal is what's holding things up. According to ESPN.com, the Warriors have offered the Timberwolves Lee along with former lottery pick Harrison Barnes for love along with a first round pick and Kevin Martin also would be included in that deal.
The Warriors are coming off of another 50 win season and Steve Kerr is taking over as head coach and many in the NBA community think Golden State could be a championship team with Love. The team has Stephen Curry along with Andrew Bogut and Andre Iguodala and even with potentially losing Thompson, adding Love to that mix could equal a deep playoff run. ESPN writes that while the Timberwolves are not certain they will trade love, channels have been open between Minnesota and Golden State since their earlier talks. The trade talks between the two teams may have picked back up since the Cavaliers jumped back in the fold.
After LeBron James signed back with Cleveland, the team engaged the Timberwolves and made an offer that included a combination of Dion Waiters, Anthony Bennett and future picks. The Wolves reportedly would not consider a deal that did not include number one overall pick in Andrew Wiggins, which the Cavs have been unwilling to do. The team sees Wiggins as a star and James now is returning to a very young roster and adding Love to that mix could mean a championship run.
The Warriors and Timberwolves appear to be the teams most likely to make a deal, as Love has made it clear he wants out of Minnesota and has also went to school in California. The Warriors are looking to get a leg up in the west and the two sides have been engaged in talks for some time and there is a chance the team could relent and include Thompson.
Teams like the Houston Rockets, LA Lakers and Chicago Bulls have been mentioned in the past as potential destinations for Love, but right now those teams are out of it. The Bulls made their move on Pau Gasol, while the Lakers are taking the long approach. The Rockets are likely looking at a trade as their next move and they could re-engage in talks, as Stein also reported that they could target Love after losing out on both Chris Bosh and Chandler Parsons.
