NBA Rumors: Why Thunder Should Be Calling to Gauge Kevin Love's Availability

The Timberwolves have yet to offer Kevin Love a contract extension. He has issued a deadline of Jan. 15 to get it done, or in so many words, don't bother. 

For the Wolves management to have let the situation get to this point, it would seem they may listen to a proposed deal for the star power forward. The Lakers have already called about Love, offering Pau Gasol, according to Peter Vecsey of the NY Post.

The Oklahoma City Thunder should be on the horn to check his availability. I know they have started the season 5-1, but most everyone can see Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are a ticking time bomb. Coincidentally, Westbrook hasn't been offered an extension, either; he too will be a restricted free agent.

It's only a matter of time before it detonates. If the Thunder don't reach the NBA Finals this year, I'd say that detonation is going to happen somewhere around late May or June.

In that case, it'll be too late. I'm willing to bet Westbrook will not return to Oklahoma City. I've said it all along. He wants to be the man and he wants to shoot the ball. If he is paired with Ricky Rubio, he'll get shots as a shooting guard, which is his best position.

A Westbrook for Kevin Love swap helps both teams. Ironically, they are former teammates at UCLA, drafted on the same day. Both players are in the same contractual situation. The qualifying offer for both is almost the exact same ($6.1 million for Westbrook and $5.7 million for Love), but both figure to receive handsome offers from other teams.

To further sweeten the deal for both teams, Minnesota could ship Luke Ridnour as well as Love to Oklahoma City for Nick Collison. The salaries match up almost perfectly. The Wolves would then start Riubio, Westbrook, Wesley Johnson/Michael Beasley, Derrick Williams and Darko Milicic, while the Thunder would start Ridnour, James Harden/Thabo Sefolasha, Durant, Love and Kendrick Perkins.

If the Wolves are going to listen to offers for Love, the Thunder should be proactive and call. It'll take a gutsy move to trade Westbrook while the team is successful, but this would be a great proactive deal.