#1: Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets are a team stuck in mediocrity and they have Kemba Walker on an expiring contract. They have every incentive to try and make the playoffs this season to improve the chances that Kemba Walker stays.  Adding a complimentary star like Kevin Love to Kemba Walker makes the team better now and also gives Kemba Walker a partner in crime for the foreseeable future.

Kevin Love would be a pretty good fit with Walker as he can stretch the floor and run pick-and-pop with Walker and also be a presence down low in the paint offensively. His defense leaves a lot to be desired, but Charlotte has bigs like Cody Zeller and Bismack Biyombo who are solid defenders that are able to cover up a bit for some of Kevin Love’s shortcomings.

Another key point with the Hornets that make them a solid candidate for a Kevin Love trade is the fact they have a lot of larger contracts that make matching salaries easier.

Something like Marvin Williams, Frank Kaminsky, and Malik Monk plus a future first-round pick could be a starting point for a deal. There would have to be some more added for salary matching purposes, but this is at least a starting point.

This deal gives the Cavaliers a couple of young players, and one in Kaminsky who is in need of a change of scenery, plus a future draft pick. I think the Cavaliers would be pretty happy with this return and would only have to pay Marvin Williams for a couple more years, which is a lot less than they will be paying Love.

Next Up: Trade Partner #2