The Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are still making a strong push to acquire All-Star forward Kevin Love, who is expected to be dealt this summer until next season's trade deadline.
According to Marc Stein of ESPN, the Rockets are setting their sights on Rajon Rondo, but are also looking to get into the mix for Love, who declined a contract extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Sources indicated that the Rockets, who failed in their bid to land Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh, are reportedly planning to offer a trade package involving young prospects and future picks.
Chandler Parsons could have been an attractive trade chip, but the Rockets decided not to match the three-year, $46 million offer sheet the emerging forward signed with the Dallas Mavericks.
Without Parsons, the Rockets are reportedly planning to offer young talents like Terrence Jones, Donatas Motiejunas, and Patrick Beverley along with future draft picks. However, the Timberwolves are expected to ask for more assets, which could force the Rockets to find a third team in the deal.
The Celtics are also making a strong push to sign Love in hopes of pairing him with star point guard Rajon Rondo, who met with the All-Star forward when the former UCLA standout spend a weekend in Boston.
However, Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors reported that a Love-to-Celtics trade is a long shot because the Celtics have no assets to create an intriguing trade package for Love.
"Multiple reports say there's nothing Boston has that Minnesota wants, so the odds that Kevin Love will wind up in Boston for this coming season are pretty slim. I think the C's will be a player for him if he gets to free agency next summer, however. And Danny Ainge is apparently trying to see if he can find players to Minnesota's liking, although I don't think Flip Saunders is giving him too many hints," Myron wrote.
The Cavaliers are still in play for Love, who expressed interest in moving to Cleveland after LeBron James decided to return to the team that drafted him first overall in 2003.
However, the Timberwolves want first-overall pick Andrew Wiggins in any deal for Love, but the Cavaliers are not willing to give up the former Kansas standout.
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