Kevin Love Trade: 5 Best Potential Destinations

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Mar 7, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love (42) boxes out Detroit Pistons forward Greg Monroe (10) during the first half at Target Center. The Wolves defeated the Pistons 114-101. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Detroit Pistons:

Greg Monroe is one of the best remaining free agents who isn’t getting nearly enough attention from suitors around the league. Though he’s a restricted free agent and the Pistons could wind up matching an offer for him, this is a 24-year-old who averaged 15.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 50 percent from the floor…and that’s with Andre Drummond and Josh Smith gumming up the works for Monroe in the middle.

If the Wolves are looking for a good balance of talent to help them win now and potential to rebuild in the future, a package like Monroe, Kyle Singler and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope wouldn’t be a bad way to go. The Pistons and Wolves would have to make the salaries match and Love is owed $15 million next season, so Minnesota would probably have to include a filler guy or two depending on how much Monroe’s deal is worth.

The only problem with this trade is it doesn’t make much sense for the Pistons. Love is one of the league’s best power forwards, but Detroit needs help on defense, not offense. If the Pistons are serious about improving, they need to move Josh Smith and try to build around a dominant Monroe-Drummond interior duo, not add Love to the already crowded frontcourt of J-Smoove and Drummond when Love would likely leave in free agency after a year anyway.

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