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Amid growing concerns that Paul Pierce will opt out of his player option next season and join the Los Angeles Clippers, the Washington Wizards must start making plans to ensure they do not backslide in the 2015-16 campaign. John Wall and Bradley Beal will hopefully be healthy and ready to lead the Wizards on a deep playoff run, but they will need a quality third option to have a real chance of postseason success.
If “The Truth” leaves, then Kevin Love would certainly be a viable replacement as suggested by TNT’s David Aldridge. A sign-and-trade scenario could be the best bet to landing Love in a three-team trade with potentially the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers, and Washington would most likely have to give up assets such as Nene, Martell Webster, DeJuan Blair and a first-rounder to make it happen. This trade could be beneficial for all parties, because LeBron James has hinted recently that Tristan Thompson should be a Cavalier for life. Where exactly would that leave Love when it comes to negotiating an extended contract?
David Aldridge suggests Wizards take a run at Kevin Love: Whether or not Pierce decides to return… http://t.co/h6ZfhsKhnv #KevinDurant
— NBA Sneakers (@NBA_Sneakers) May 26, 2015
Aldridge also wisely points out that Kevin’s father, Stan Love, played for the Washington Bullets from 1971-73 and so did Wes Unseld, who the PF got his middle name from. Love averaged 16.4 points and 9.7 rebounds per game this season for the Cavaliers, but he has seemed upset with being called a stretch-four at times and playing third fiddle to James and Kyrie Irving.
“I heard some people calling me that but I know I’m not a stretch-four,” Love said to Cleveland.com in March. “I’m a post player who can shoot. Right now I’m just doing what I’m called to do.”
He would be called to do a lot more in Washington, where Wall and company could benefit greatly from Love’s ability to post up and shoot the three-pointer at an elite level. Here is hoping for the sake of balance in the Eastern Conference that he considers joining the Wizards.
Dave Daniels is a Washington Wizards Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter: @AllDave_AllDay, like him on Facebook here or add him to your network on Google.
