NBA Rumors: 4 Teams That Could Be in Running for Kevin Love

The Minnesota Timberwolves just signed Kevin Love to a four-year contract extension worth between $60 and $62 million. He has a player option on the last year of the deal, meaning that e has the ability to opt-out of the last year of his contract and go straight to free agency.

The Timberwolves have looked sharp this season. Despite a losing record, Ricky Rubio has charged their offense, and they have kept themselves in close games with the NBA elite.

The Timberwolves need to win soon to ensure Kevin Love stays with the team for at least four more years because if he decides to opt-out, teams would be lining up to enlist his services.

Los Angeles Lakers

There was talk in the short training camps this year of a possible Kevin Love for Pau Gasol trade. Kobe Bryant is trying his best and still putting up 30.2 points per game despite the aging, brittle collection of big men the Lakers have stock piled.

Kevin Love would offer a fresh big man to jump-start The Lakers. His three-point shooting ability has vastly improved from last season, and he shed 25 pounds in the offseason which has allowed him to play more minutes and pull down more rebounds. 

Gasol is not a hard rebounder, and Bynum doesn't do enough of it to carry a team by himself. Love's rebounding and long range shooting could save the Lakers.

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder are a team with immense potential.

The experience they gained in the playoffs last year surely will benefit them in this year's playoffs. They are looking for one player to boost them to the next level of the NBA. 

Kevin Love would provide the reliable three-point shooter that the Thunder lack, and he would be a valuable rebounder next to Kendrick Perkins.

With Love, the Thunder would have a big three of their own and be almost impossible for teams to guard. They fell short in 2011, but with Kevin Love on their team, the Thunder are a team to be reckoned with. 

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics have had a rough start to their 2012 season. Celtics GM, Danny Ainge, has made it clear that the Celtics' front office is not afraid of blowing up their aging Big Three and starting to look toward the future.

Rajon Rondo is a facilitator that can play well with any talent, but a three-point shooter like Kevin Love suits him well. He's a fast point guard who likes to run the floor and dish dimes to the corner for open looks. Love would adapt quickly to this style of play, being used to Ricky Rubio's similar fast-paced, finesse style of play.

Love would do well in Boston, he's a natural scorer, and the Celtics could use help on the glass. The Celtics certainly have enough trade bait for Love, but they'll have to wait a few years. 

Anyone

Any team can use a 6'9" three-point shooter who cleans the glass and averages 25.3 points per game while still pulling down 13 rebounds.

Love would fit on any NBA team. There are perfect fits like the Thunder or the Lakers, and then there are tight squeezes like the Celtics. Regardless of the team that pursues Love, he will have to weigh the options of staying in a small market that is still rebuilding or choose a team with a winning culture already in place.

Love's style of play serves the NBA. He's a big man with a clean jumper but still has rebounding ability. He's a Pau Gasol or a Kevin Garnett with more shooting ability. His defense has room for improvement, but most teams have plenty or room for improvement on defense.

Love has an interesting decision to make when his extension runs out. Whether he likes it or not, every team wants a piece of Kevin Love.