NBA Trade Rumors: 5 Teams That Should Trade For Kevin Love
2. Phoenix Suns
According to Chris Haynes of Cleveland.com, the Cavaliers players want to do whatever it takes to win this season — which might even include trading for Markieff Morris. However, it’s worth mentioning that the article frames any potential Keef trade as acquiring a backup for Kevin Love, not an outright replacement.
Compared to our other deals, this one is hardly a home run for the Cavaliers. However, with Phoenix Suns general manager Ryan McDonough constantly on the lookout for any deal that would bring his team the superstar it so desperately needs, it’s a more realistic scenario than anything we’ve seen thus far considering Love’s current value.
While the 19-year-old rookie Devin Booker looking like a future star in the making represents the biggest midseason takeaway in a lost season, the Suns have been eyeing Kevin Love for quite some time. In fact, rumor has it that the Suns and Cavs were close to swinging a deal involving Love not too long ago:
Assuming Eric Bledsoe can return healthy next season and that he can begin to create some sort of chemistry with Brandon Knight (a big assumption, to be fair), these slashing guards would be able to work Kevin Love pick-and-pops to perfection in Phoenix.
Even if Knight and Bledsoe didn’t work out, the Suns could always move Knight down the road and slot the promising Booker in the backcourt as a more traditional 2, providing even more floor spacing.
The Suns made a mistake not trading Markieff Morris as soon as they had dealt away his twin brother Marcus Morris, and the Tyson Chandler signing (four years, $52 million) is looking like one of the worst overpays from last summer. With Keef and Chandler no longer looking like they’re a part of Phoenix’s failed strategy to win now, this would be a steal for McDonough.
With that in mind, the Cavs might want a more proven player like P.J. Tucker, a 3-and-D weapon who would give his all in Cleveland, or Mirza Teletovic, a stretch-4 who leads all bench players in made three-pointers this season. To make the salaries match, the Cavs would either have to include Mo Williams or Timofey Mozgov.
From the Cavs’ perspective, Keef and Chandler might not be enough considering the way they’ve played this season. Morris’ numbers have plummeted to 10.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game on 38.2 percent shooting, he’s been benched for Jon Leuer and Teletovic, and his recent towel-throwing incident did little to change the league-wide perception that he’s a head case.
As for Chandler, he’s looked a step slow this season, averaging 5.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game and failing to impart the wisdom of professionalism and defensive integrity he was supposed to supply for this young team. The length of Chandler’s contract, his declining play and the risk of adding a perceived cancer like Keef all could end this deal before talks ever began.
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However, Keef’s declining numbers undoubtedly have a lot to do with his unhappiness with his current situation. Put him on a title contender of Cleveland’s caliber and you’ll see Morris enter “F-U” mode for the rest of the season, which is especially attractive since he’s on a bargain contract of four years and $32 million.
As for Chandler, he’d probably be similarly reinvigorated by joining a more optimistic situation in Cleveland, and the Cavs might be enticed by the idea of having such a veteran presence on a roster where LeBron has had to bear that burden of setting an example for the younger guys by himself.
The Suns would have to include a sweetener like Archie Goodwin and/or future draft picks to make this work, but if the Cavs are taking Kevin Love offers, few teams have the numerous assets to make Cleveland a more attractive one than Phoenix could put forth.
Next: No. 1