Nov 21, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love (42) dribbles against Denver Nuggets small forward Danilo Gallinari (8) during the third quarter at Target Center. Nuggets won 101-94. Mandatory Credit: Greg Smith-USA TODAY Sports

A few days ago Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post said that the Denver Nuggets were just a trade away from being a serious championship contender. He and Peter Burns talked about the possibility of trading for Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves. They discussed multiple trade scenarios in this podcast, but let’s break down possible trade scenarios.

*Note–I’m assuming that Danilo Gallinari and Ty Lawson are untouchable.

The Nuggets get:

• Kevin Love

The Timberwolves get:

• JaVale McGee
• Evan Fournier
• Kenneth Faried

Kevin Love’s relationship with the Minnesota Timberwolves has been rocky. There’s been no secret about that. And just recently the TWolves took the first step in changing their organization by firing General Manager David Kahn and replacing him with Flip Saunders. Will Saunders “flip” [ha, had to] Love? Well, maybe. And if he does, this trade could present some intriguing options for the TWolves.

Faried would slide into Minnesota’s starting four spot, matching Kevin Love’s rebounding but not stretching the floor. The TWolves–like the Nuggets–were bad at shooting from the perimeter, which is why I threw in Evan Fournier. Fournier struggled in the playoffs but showed in the final month leading up that he can be a fine rotation player. He shot over 40 percent from deep and displayed a nice feel for the game on the offensive side.

McGee is the wild-card here. Could he capitalize on his potential in the pick-and-roll by being paired with Ricky Rubio? Well that’s what the TWolves would have to wander. If they think Rubio’s creativity with the ball and uncanny ability to set up teammates could turn McGee into a full time starter, then this trade becomes even more realistic. McGee’s salary matches that of Love’s, so that helps.

The Nuggets get:

• Kevin Love
• Derrick Williams

The Timberwolves get:

• JaVale McGee
• Wilson Chandler
• Evan Fournier
• Kenneth Faried

This is plan B for Denver. Wilson Chandler is a better player than Derrick Williams and if Minnesota is reluctant to pull the trigger on the other trade then this should be the Nuggets’ counter move.

Williams has been unable to capitalize on his potential in Minnesota and this move could be best for all parties involved. The fast pace, up-and-down style that Denver plays could benefit Williams. For the TWolves, Chandler provides a versatile player who can play both sides of the ball and hit 3-pointers at a decent clip.

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Thanks for reading and follow me on Twitter @lashy.

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Many fans believe he would be the missing piece for Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls, others think he could join the Boston Celtics where Doc Rivers has an ability to limit the craziness in players. However, for Smith to really show his true talent and live up to his potential he needs to play for a team that will live with the good and bad JR and not one that would put him on a short lease, as teams like the Bulls and the Celtics would do. On both teams he would have a similar role as in Denver, where he could easily be benched due to his erratic behavior or receive playing time when he gets hot. That’s the price players pay for playing for Old School head coaches.  (more…)