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NBA Trade Rumors: 5 Teams That Should Trade For Kevin Love

By Gerald Bourguet

Jan 15, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 15, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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NBA
Nov 27, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) shoots the ball over Charlotte Hornets center Frank Kaminsky III (44) during the first half at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /

Honorable Mentions:

Charlotte Hornets:

The Charlotte Hornets sacrifice their best player this season, but add long-term security in Kevin Love, who will still have four years left on his contract after this season, as opposed to Nicolas Batum, an unrestricted free agent this summer. Love would give Steve Clifford a stretch-4 to play with on offense — in a defensive environment that could help make up for his deficiencies on that end of the floor.

The Cavaliers would miss Love’s floor-spacing at the 4-spot, but they’d gain a versatile two-way wing in the process who’s in the middle of an All-Star caliber season. Bringing in Spencer Hawes would make Timofey Mozgov expendable in a separate deal, and though Hawes isn’t much of a defender, he’d at least be capable of spreading the floor.

NBA
Dec 29, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) moves the ball against Denver Nuggets center Joffrey Lauvergne (77) in the first quarter at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

Denver Nuggets:

Denver Nuggets fans love Danilo Gallinari, and who could blame them? He’s averaging 23.5 points per game in January, he’s Italian and he has some of the most ridiculously entertaining hair in the NBA. But with Gallo being one of the few remaining players from that memorable 2012-13 team that won 57 games, the Nuggets would jump at the opportunity to add a star like Love for Gallo and the useless J.J. Hickson.

Hickson wouldn’t serve much purpose in his return to Cleveland, but Gallo is a fascinating combo forward who could log time at the 4 in small-ball lineups. He’d enjoy a lot more open looks on the perimeter in Cleveland, which would undoubtedly help boost his 36.4 three-point percentage even higher. One caveat: Gallo can’t be traded until Feb. 1.

NBA
Jan 11, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) drives in against Sacramento Kings forward Derrick Williams (13) during the second quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

Sacramento Kings:

OR:

Is anyone else intrigued by the ideal of LeBron James and/or Rudy Gay playing minutes at the 4-spot in a small-ball showdown with the Warriors? Gay isn’t exactly a defensive stalwart, but he’d be far more playable than Love, and the Cavs would also have their pick of Marco Belinelli (bolstering the perimeter attack with a sharpshooter) or Kosta Koufos (a rim protector to make Timofey Mozgov expendable).

For the Sacramento Kings, this trade would give them quite a stacked frontcourt between Love, DeMarcus Cousins and rookie Willie Cauley-Stein. The Kings have reportedly had discussions with the Pelicans about a trade involving Gay, and neither Koufos nor Belinelli are essential to the team’s future. Also, Love pick-and-pops with Rajon Rondo would be pretty darn hard to stop.

Next: No. 5

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