Golden State Warriors Kevin Love Trade Rumors: A Comparison Of What Can Be Offered (Photo: @letsgowarriors Instagram account via @trappedingoldenstate)
[UPDATE: Wojnarowski now reports that the Houston Rockets will pursue Love. We have updated the list below with them.]
Two reports came out this morning that cited sources connecting Kevin Love and the Golden State Warriors as a possible trade destination, as Love is unhappy with his situation on the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Shortly after midnight, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reported:
“For the first time, [Saunders] sounds like looking at deals for [Love] is an option,” one rival executive told Yahoo Sports.
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The Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns are among many teams determined to make hard runs at trades for Love, league sources said. Boston and Los Angeles plan to make high-lottery picks in the 2014 NBA draft available in offers for Love, sources said.
Later, Marc Stein and Ramona Shelbourne of ESPN.com said that the Warriors “intrigue Love” and that:
Sources say the possibility remains that Saunders will move downstairs to coach the Wolves himself for a second time, but his focus to date has been trying to find a coach and plot roster moves that would entice Love to stay in the Twin Cities.
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Sources say that the Warriors, in particular, have emerged as a top contender for Love should Minnesota relent and decide to trade him. The Warriors don’t have a stash of draft picks to offer the Wolves like Phoenix or the Boston Celtics could offer, but Golden State could assemble a trade package featuring the likes of forwards Harrison Barnes and David Lee.
Here’s a quick list of what each of the teams in the running for Love have to offer the Timberwolves:
- Chicago Bulls: Owns Charlotte Hornets‘ (name change from Bobcats forthcoming) pick this year, their own pick every year, the Sacramento Kings‘ and Cleveland Cavaliers‘ 2015 picks and Nikola Mirotic, who is best stretch-4 in Euro League. He’s a huge prospect who profiles anywhere from a Ryan Anderson– to Toni Kukoc-type of player. Jimmy Butler is also a young asset the Bulls can move in a Love deal.
- Phoenix Suns: Has all those young players and four picks owed, cap space.
- New York Knicks: A deal for Love is unlikely. Their tradeable assets are Iman Shumpert, Tim Hardaway, Jr. and the expiring contract of Amare Stoudamire
- Los Angeles Lakers: Have 2014 lottery pick (probably Top 6 to Top 9), and cap space.
- Houston Rockets: Have draft picks and assets in Jeremy Lin and/or Omer Asik, as well as young players like Terrence Jones and/or Donatas Motiejunas that the Timberwolves could be interested in.
Meanwhile, the Warriors’ meaningful assets in a deal for Love appear to be the relatively inexpensive contracts of Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, and Draymond Green. David Lee has an expensive contract but is an asset. And Golden State currently does not have any draft picks to sweeten the deal.
[NOTE: Saam Esfandiari contributed to this report]
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