The NBA offseason is here and in 2014 trade rumors have a number of names mentioned in various deals, including Kevin Love, Omer Asik, Jeremy Lin, Rajon Rondo, LaMarcus Aldridge, Ricky Rubio, Deron Williams, Roy Hibbert, Joakim Noah, Greg Monroe and Arron Afflalo and teams like the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, NY Knicks and Houston Rockets could be interested in making moves.
Aldridge is another player to watch and while he is not getting as much attention as Kevin Love, he is in a very similar situation and this summer or this year the Blazers could look at trading him. According to Pro Basketball Talk, the Blazers cannot offer enough money to Aldridge without making trades in an extension, which means he likely will look to hit free agency when he has the chance to hit the market in 2015. Kevin Love is also hitting the market that season and the Blazers now have the same decision as the Wolves: trade Aldridge for players and/or picks, or risk losing him for nothing as a free agent.
Deron Williams has been mentioned in trade talks after the way he played last season and he is coming off of surgery to both ankles. Greg Monroe and Roy Hibbert are two of the big men on the market and a number of teams could be interested in those players. Hibbert had a rough playoff run with the Pacers, while the Pistons have three players in the same position with Andre Drummond, Josh Smith and Monroe, who will be a restricted free agent. Joakim Noah has also come up in the Love talks for the Bulls.
Kevin Love has been the top player on the trade market this offseason and he is the target all teams are looking to deal for. ESPN is reporting that the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns all have expressed interest in a deal with the Timberwolves and now the team has to decide if they want to trade Love or not. Minnesota owner Glen Taylor has said publicly that he doesn't want the team to deal Love, but Pro Basketball Talk reports that the Wolves are looking at deals and talking to teams about trades.
The Warriors appeared to be the front runners for the deal after reports came out that they were willing to put in Klay Thompson, but those talks have now hit a roadblock. The organization is split right now on whether to add Thompson or not and that has out things on pause. Thompson and Stephen Curry give the team the best young backcourt in the league and with Steve Kerr coming in to take over, GS is not sure splitting up that duo is the best move for the team.
The Lakers have now tried to jump in on those talks, as they see Thompson as a player they can build around alongside Kobe Bryant next season and in the future. The Lakers have the number seven overall and they can use that in a trade with the Warriors, while they also could look at other deals. Ricky Rubio is likely staying in Minnesota, but if the team trades Love they could look at moving him as well.
