Kevin Love Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on Potential Blockbuster Deals

Right now, it's a two-horse race for Kevin Love. 

There are several teams still in the market for the three-time All-Star, but when the season tips off three months from now, most expect him to be playing somewhere in the Central Division—and no, we aren't talking about the Milwaukee Bucks. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls are the front-runners for a shot at Love. Or so the rumors say. And we all know rumors are never wrong. 

We'll start with Cleveland, who have reportedly softened on their original stance of "if you mention Andrew Wiggins, we'll hang up the phone."

Sources cited by ESPN's Chris Broussard said the Cavs have put a massive offer on the table for the 25-year-old double-double machine:

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In an attempt to add Love, a three-time All-Star, the Cavaliers are willing to part with Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett.

One source said the Cavs also are willing to give up a first-round draft pick for next season. Any other players involved in the talks are not known.

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Yeah, yeah. I know exactly how you feel about Broussard and his sources. But Cleveland's willingness to part with its No. 1 pick for Love is something that has been reported by others too, such as USA Today's Jeff Zillgitt and The News-Herald's Bob Finnan:

So, the actual offer is still somewhat of a mystery. But the important part is that Wiggins, the principal asset in any potential deal, is on the table. 

Of course, nothing on that front can happen for a month, as ESPN's Marc Stein noted:

That has opened the door for general manager Gar Forman—how you ever say "no" to someone named Gar Forman, I'll never know—and Chicago. 

SheridanHoops.com's Chris Sheridan has the Bulls' most recent offer: 

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The Chicago Bulls have offered a package of Taj Gibson and rookies Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic to the Minnesota Timberwolves for All-Star forward Kevin Love, a league source told SheridanHoops.com on Wednesday.

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That, too, can't be completed for another month, as both Dougie McBuckets and Mirotic were just recently signed to rookie contracts. 

Teams like the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics are still in the picture, but these seem to be the two most concrete offers right now. So, the question is simple:

Whose deal do Milt Newton and Flip Saunders take? 

And the answer is also simple:

Cleveland's. 

If the T-Wolves trade Love, everything becomes about the future. Kevin Martin and J.J. Barea are also expected to be moved, per Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, which would leave an extremely young core:

Ricky Rubio is still just 23. Gorgui Dieng is 24. Zach LaVine, Glenn Robinson III and Shabazz Muhammad are talented, but they're still raw. 

No matter the return for Love, this team will be a few years from contention as the roster is currently built. So, while 29-year-old Taj Gibson is coming off a career year and is probably still underrated, this trade should be more about piling up future assets. 

As such, it becomes Wiggins (and maybe Bennett) vs. McDermott and Mirotic. The Bulls duo look like solid contributors, but Wiggins has all-world potential on both ends of the court. 

In terms of ceiling—and that's what Minnesota should be aiming for if it ships off its MVP candidate—the offers aren't close. It seems the 'Wolves are leaning that way, too, according to Stein:

It's probably best to expect more twists and turns in this saga in the coming days and weeks, but for now, Cleveland looks primed to completely alter the landscape of the Eastern Conference. 

Again.