Rudolph is reporting that Nets general manager Billy King has been looking for a third team to help complete the deal. That's where Kevin Love and the Minnesota Timberwolves come in, according to Rudolph's sources:
According to sources, King was planning to contact the Minnesota Timberwolves in order to gauge their interest in a three-team trade that would send Kevin Love to the Lakers, Brook Lopez to the Timberwolves and Dwight Howard to the Nets. Other small pieces would need to be included, but the proposed trade was thought to be intriguing enough to start conversations in the Lakers front office that would force them to deal with Howard earlier than planned.
Rudolph did go on to say that sources indicated King abandoned the idea after it was revealed that Love would be out until mid-March with a broken right hand. King reportedly believed the Lakers would be interested in Love, but not if he was hurt.
While his thinking there would make sense, we can't completely rule out the possibility of the Lakers accepting an injured Love.
Los Angeles is just 17-24 this season, meaning they would have to go 28-13 the rest of the way just to get to 45 wins. That might be good enough for eighth place in the West, but I doubt it. And considering that L.A. has lost three straight games and nine of its last 11, it doesn't look like the Lakers will be ripping off winning streaks any time soon.
If they're going to miss the playoffs anyway, it would be logical for the Lakers to focus on the future.
Howard is a free agent this season, and it's certainly possible that he will bail on the Lakers. Los Angeles was originally his third choice this summer (behind Brooklyn and the Atlanta Hawks), and it's not like the La...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
