Kevin Durant and Kevin Love (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The Oklahoma City Thunder could be looking at acquiring another Kevin if their own Kevin joins another team in free agency.
With the Thunder looking for another strong run next season, their most evident move this summer is to retain their star player Kevin Durant, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent in July. But if Durant takes his talent somewhere else, CBS Sports writer Matt Moore suggested OKC to make a trade for Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love for Serge Ibaka, Nick Collison and a future first-round pick.
"One sneaky move they [Thunder] might want to look at: should the Cavaliers be ready to move on from Kevin Love, the Thunder could guarantee Morrow, offer Serge Ibaka, Nick Collison, and a future first-round pick (not until 2020; they already owe their 2016 and 2018 first-rounders in trades) and see if the Cavaliers bite on Ibaka's production and defense," Moore wrote.
"It wouldn't be the best package the Cavaliers can get for Love, but might provide them the best replacement option."
While this seems unlikely to happen, Love would still probably the odd man out of Cleveland if the team fails to win a title this year, which could very much happen with the Golden State Warriors leading the series 3-1. But if the Cavs really put Love on the trading block, as claimed by Chris Mannix of The Vertical, the Thunder may consider him as a replacement for Durant.
For Love, it would be a chance to restart his career after being trimmed down by the Cavs as a role player, playing behind Lebron James and Kyrie Irving. There will also be an opportunity for Love to play with former UCLA teammate Russell Westbrook, implying that the two All-stars could immediately gel together if such trade happens.
After coming up short for his second NBA Finals appearance, there is a growing sense Durant would stay in Oklahoma for a shorter deal, probably a two-year max contract with an opt-out clause in the second year as predicted by ESPN's Marc Stein.
"..most of the league's best-placed observers on the subject continue to see Durant's most probable choice as staying in OKC for the short term. That would mean signing a two-year deal with a player option after Year 1 that allows him to return to free agency in July 2017 ... alongside Russell Westbrook," Stein wrote.
Durant is reportedly expected to meet with rival teams face to face in free agency as part of his critical decision this summer. Surely, the 27-year-old forward would choose contenders, which include the Thunder themselves. But if OKC would strike out at Durant, Love seems a fitting and interesting replacement to consider.
