Would The Denver Nuggets Entertain An Offer For Kevin Love?
By Andrew Dill
Nov 27, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love (42) against the Denver Nuggets at Target Center. The Nuggets defeated the Timberwolves 117-110. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
With all the speculation going on about Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love this summer, you can’t help but think could the Nuggets try to land a player of his caliber. Love recently informed the Timberwolves this past week that he does intend to test the free-agent market after next season according to sources. Love has been linked to teams such as the Lakers, Celtics, Warriors, Bulls, and Knicks as his potential suitors, but could the Nuggets be a surprise team in the mix?
It’s hard to answer that question but new general manager Tim Connelly said earlier this month that the team was planning an ‘aggressive offseason‘. Whether that means landing a marquee free-agent or making a trade is yet to be known. However, Denver does have the luxury of pieces to make such a deal to acquire Kevin Love. One thing that will be hard to see is the Minnesota Timberwolves trading the All-Star to a team in the same division as them.
Denver recently just missed the playoffs for the first time since 2003 which was the year they drafted a perennial all-star in Carmelo Anthony. Anthony was traded back in 2011 to the New York Knicks in exchange for pieces such as Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, and Timofey Mozgov. Denver would also receive the Knicks 2014 first-round pick and the rights to swap first-round picks in the year 2016. Talk about pieces to make a move. Denver currently owns the 11th overall pick in the 2014 draft which could switch with a little lottery luck. If Denver doesn’t land in the top three in the draft (1.5% chance between both picks), they should definitely see if they could somehow acquire the 25-year-old Kevin Love.
Denver could use Wilson Chandler, Kenneth Faried, and their 11th overall pick in the draft as trade bait for Kevin Love. It all depends on the asking price the Wolves have set on the forward but I’m guessing they would want a little more than that. Denver could certainly offer a 2016 first-round pick to go along with the package to sweeten the deal. When it’s all said and done, it would be hard to see Kevin Love in a Nuggets uniform due to the fact they play in the Northwest Division — the same division as the Minnesota Timberwolves. Denver certainly has the pieces but would Minnesota want to ship their star and play him four-to-five times a season?