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Top 5 Free Agency Destinations For Kevin Love

By Gerald Bourguet

Feb 5, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) celebrates his three-point basket in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 5, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) celebrates his three-point basket in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 13, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) prepares to shoot over Phoenix Suns forward Markieff Morris (11) during the first quarter at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Phoenix Suns

In terms of roster construct, there might not be a better fit for Kevin Love than the Phoenix Suns. Not only would he automatically be the superstar the Suns have been waiting for, but his abilities as an elite rebounder and a stretch-4 would be exactly what Phoenix needs to improve upon.

With his ability to spread the floor with a three-point shot, Love would open up lanes for penetrators like Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight. The Suns were the worst three-point shooting team in the NBA after the All-Star break last season, but the arrival of Devin Booker, not to mention Knight being healthy (assuming he re-signs), would definitely help with that.

In Phoenix, Love would definitely put up the superstar numbers we grew accustomed to seeing from him in Minnesota. In an up-tempo offense, Love would thrive in pick-and-pop situations, a heavily underutilized element in Cleveland’s offense. There’d be no question about where Love fits in with a young team that’s one superstar away from being pretty darn competitive.

However, aside from Woj’s tweet, the Suns haven’t been mentioned at all in reference to Love. They can plan on being aggressive in pursuing Love all they want, but there’s been no indication the interest is mutual.

Phoenix hasn’t landed a high profile free agent since Steve Nash over a decade ago. Their inability to reel in top-level talent in free agency is baffling between the city’s warm weather and historic success (despite never winning a championship, the Suns are the NBA’s fourth winningest franchise all-time), but after a turbulent season that saw Goran Dragic say he didn’t trust the front office, Markieff Morris call out the fans and Marcus Morris scream at his head coach, free agents might be hesitant to join that kind of environment.

The Suns haven’t made the playoffs in five years and they don’t have a marketable superstar. Love could be that player, but for a variety of reasons, Phoenix might be too irrelevant in the free agency picture to even earn a sit-down with him.

Next: No. 3