Even though there is so much hype surrounding the upcoming draft with players like Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Joel Embiid and Dante Exum available, the biggest prize of the Summer of 2014 isn’t someone who will hear his name called on draft night.

The biggest prize isn’t even a free agent looking to make a splash on another team or a guy who wants to at least test the waters like Carmelo Anthony.

The biggest prize of the summer is double-double machine Kevin Love.  Love is in the last year of his deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves and according to published reports, has made it abundantly clear that he won’t be re-signing with them after the contract is done.  That gives the Timberwolves no choice but to move him so that they don’t lose him for nothing in a year.

In my mind, that makes him the most valuable commodity on the NBA market today.  Many of you will argue that some of the players in the draft have way more upside and potential than Love does which is absolutely true, but they aren’t a guarantee.  On the other hand, Love is.  We have seen what he has been able to do for Minnesota for years and has proven himself to be one of the elite players in the league.  That can’t be said about any of the upcoming draftees.  The other reason he is so valuable is because while the Timberwolves won’t give him away, it would be in their best interest to move him so they may just take the best offer (even if it isn’t great).  After all, you can’t lose a superstar like Love without getting something in return.

If I was an NBA general manager at this point in time, I would do everything I could to make sure that Kevin Love was on my roster at the beginning of next season.  I would go as far as trading a top five pick to get his services. He is good enough to make a mediocre team into a playoff contender and to make a fringe playoff team into a title contender.  And what more can you ask for when trying to build your team.  Just look at Cleveland as an example.  If they traded the no. 1 overall pick, they would have Love to pair with Kyrie Irving, Dion Waters and Tristan Thompson and that may be enough incentive to draw LeBron James back to town to make another run at a title with his hometown club.  I don’t think drafting Embiid, Parker or Wiggins gives you as good a shot at that.  If I was the GM for the Jazz, Love would be my first priority.  Imagine what the Jazz could be if they had Love paired with Derrick Favors in the front court.  Favors would have space to work on the block and would hardly ever see a double team because Love has such a sweet stroke from the perimeter.  That would be  huge step up from someone like Enes Kanter.

Cleveland and Utah  aren’t the only great fits though.  Love is a difference maker who could change the face of whatever franchise he lands with and no doubt has the ability to lead them to new heights.