While teams and players often avoid directly responding to individual trade rumors and reports, members of the Cavaliers wasted no time in shooting down a Monday rumor involving Kevin Love. After The New York Daily News reported that LeBron James was pushing the Cavs to acquire Carmelo Anthony, even if it meant giving up Love, team and league sources told other outlets that it wasn’t true, and the Cavs publicly pushed back after their dramatic win over the Wizards.
“It’s trash,” James said of the report, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. “And the guy who wrote it is trash too, for writing that, especially during the game like that. So it’s always about outside noise and that’s just outside noise for us. We got to focus on what needs to be done and that’s to continue to compete for a championship. And we got who we got. Our GM (David Griffin) will do a great job of figuring out if we need something else, but right now we’re in a good place.”
Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue suggested that Love should be flattered that other teams want him, but said the big man isn’t going anywhere, and the latest rumors are “not coming from our end.” As for Love, after perhaps his best game of the season, in which he racked up 39 points and 12 rebounds, he was happy to laugh off Monday’s report.
“What do they say?” Love said. “‘A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to put his pants on.’ So, it’s a lie. … It’s almost laughable. I’m on this team. I’m going to be on this team. And we want to win with the guys that we have.”
Love indicated last week that he expected to remain with the Cavs for “a long time,” and even though reports at the time suggested that he wasn’t entirely untouchable, a trade is viewed as highly unlikely. The Cavs reportedly have some interest in Anthony, but aren’t actively looking to trade for the Knicks forward, despite New York’s continued pursuit of Love.
While Monday’s story from the Daily News was roundly denied both privately and publicly by Cavs sources, it’s worth noting that Frank Isola wasn’t the only reporter with the scoop. Keith Smith of RealGM.com (Twitter link) also heard from league sources that LeBron has pushed Cleveland to acquire Anthony “at any cost” — Chris Paul has taken a similar approach with the Clippers, per Smith.
The Cavs’ strong and aggressive denial of the report suggests that Love almost certainly isn’t going anywhere, particularly in a deal for Anthony. But the fact that multiple reporters heard from reliable sources that LeBron might be pushing for such a trade means that info is coming from somewhere. It will be interesting to see what moves – if any – Griffin and the Cavs ultimately make in the coming weeks.
It doesnt make much sense for them to trade Love at this point. Trading love hurts their rebounding, which is important for them b/c of their defensive issues. if they could move Love for a defensive wing that can shoot, as well as a big that can defend pick and roll and protect the rim, and move LeBron to the 4, it would make more sense than adding Melo for that position. Or if they can somehow get those pieces and Melo, that makes some sense as well. Otherwise, they should probably hold onto Love for now. He has improved in certain areas. They just need to look to reverse that terrible trade they recently made by adding a wing or defensive minded guard and a big on the cheap, either through current available free agents or waiting for buyouts.
That being said, if they could get Melo, and still add a defensive minded wing, as well as a big that can defend picK and roll, as described previously, that would be extremely enticing. LeBron and kyrie getting open looks for Melo, in that offense, would be pretty amazing, assuming the style they’d play. ..but ya. They’ll probably add around what they already have
Kevin Love is an All Star player. Carmelo is not. However if the trash talk is going to motivate Kevin to play with the passion and determination he displayed against the Wizards on 2/6. Keep it coming.
Okay everyone needs to stop with the Melo hate. Melo is a better player and js more valuable. Kevin Love is a better fit for that team but Melo is better than love. The only thing that makes you people say love is better is because Melo hasn’t had the pieces to compete and he doesn’t make the playoffs. Not his fault. Stop with the Melo hate.
At least there’s still a few smart ones around… Respect!!!
Melo is better. Love is the better fit for them on his own b/c of his rebounding
Melo is an agong 3-pt specialist. Love is more valuable because he’s a versatile big-man. Watching so much bad basketball over the years has made Knicks fans more emotional and less knowledgeable about the sport.
aging 3-pt specialist.”
Carmelo Anthony is exponentially more than a 3 point specialist. That being said, contract situation probably favors Love b/c of age
Yep, because Carmelo is supposed to carry a team to a championship by himself, just like Love did… Yep you are so knowledgeable…
Yea because Kristaps is such a scrub melo has to carry the team by himself please. Melo isn’t even the best player on the knicks anymore.
I didn’t mean it as an insult. It’s just that Knicks fans have gotten so emotionally attached to players, they lost all objectivity about the state of the team.
The facts are, the Knicks have tried winning with Melo, and it simply hasn’t worked out. At some point you have to move on as an organization.
I don’t see the point of blaming Phil Jackson for the failures on the court. I mean, what exactly did they expect him to do after resigning Melo? You can’t rebuild a team with a max contract player on the roster. And you can’t win with one max player and marginal support. It’s a no win situation for Phil unless he can move Melo and build via the draft.
Porzingas, D-Rose, and Amare’s one good year with the Knicks (while Melo was there) are light years better than the second best player Love had in Minny (likely a young Ricky Rubio).
stats don’t lie. love > melo
Billy
I would argue Love is better than Melo but agree the Melo hate is crap. He’s a great player
I like Love for his scoring, rebounding and passing
This trade won’t happen
Knicks are straight trash
struggling to give melo away. Nothing valuable in return, stuck with him. How long for melo to realize it has to be porzingis’ team for them to have any success? They have enough talent to make the 8th seed in the east
3 years I wanted Melo traded but at this point with the lack of return they are better off keeping him. They need to give away the likes of Noah and Rose to ensure a lottery pick hopefully a top 5-7
Noah Ana Rose for 5-7 pick is dreaming whom ever the game of the team giving you that bush if a pick is drunk.
Try re-reading the comment. He claims they need to dump Noah and rose so the team does bad enough to get the pick, not make a trade.