Kevin Love will become a free agent in 2015 and numerous reports suggest that he will not return to the Minnesota Timberwolves. It’s been widely assumed that he will join Kobe Bryant on the Los Angeles Lakers but a source says there’s two other teams in the running.
via Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles:
Love’s ties to L.A. are undeniable. He went to college at UCLA. His father, Stan, played for the Lakers — and coincidentally was on the 1974-75 team, a.k.a. the worst team in Lakers history up until this season, so his son could help make up for that. And Love was born in Santa Monica, to boot.
“You know, my parents live there and they had me there,” Love said of L.A., after his Wolves beat the Lakers for the third time in four tries to win the season series Friday. “It’s not my fault. So, I don’t really care about that right now. I just go out there and play and don’t think about it.” …
A source familiar with Love’s thinking told ESPNLosAngeles.com that it’s not just L.A. that is appealing to Love; he’s enamored with the idea of being “big time in a big city,” and that list of potential places he’d seek includes New York and Chicago, as well.
The New York Knicks will have cap space in 2015 when both Amare Stoudemire and Andrea Bargnani come off the books. The Bulls will have space as well with the rumored pending amnesty of Carlos Boozer. There’s also a lot that’s contingent on Carmelo Anthony’s decision as he’s looking at those two teams as well. The Lakers could decide to add talent this offseason or wait until next year but it remains to be seen what they can do after giving Kobe Bryant a big contract extension. As for the Timberwolves they have one more chance to add talent and try to keep Love but the clock is ticking.
