This is no Love story
He & Cavs may split
KEVIN LOVE’S future in Cleveland is more uncertain not only by the day but by the latest social media postings from LeBron James. Love may very well be back on the open market as a free agent this July, which is good news for Phil Jackson, who has available cap space and just about 12 available roster spots to fill. In theory, a high draft pick, a healthy Carmelo Anthony and the addition of Love is a huge upgrade over what the Knicks are throwing out on the court these days.
The Knicks are the type of big-market team that appeals to Love. The Lakers and Celtics would also be in the mix if Love decides not to return to the Cavaliers after just one season as the third wheel in Cleveland.
There are several hurdles, of course. Love and Knicks assistant coach Kurt Rambis didn’t exactly hit it off when Rambis was Love’s coach in Minnesota. Love was also not a huge fan of the triangle offense.
Similarly, Jackson has to be confident that making a huge investment in Love is the right call since Love seems unhappy in Cleveland despite finally playing for a winning team.
Love is viewed by some as an aloof player who alienated teammates in Minnesota and is now doing the same in Cleveland. More troubling is that Love has struggled in his reduced role even while the Cavs will likely finish with the second-best record in the Eastern Conference and are the oddson favorites to reach the NBA Finals.
Being a third option never seemed to be an issue with the great Lakers, Celtics and Bulls championship teams. James Worthy was a perennial AllStar playing alongside Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili never obsess over being the second or third guy behind Tim Duncan.
And most recently, Chris Bosh willingly accepted his new role in Miami with James and Dwyane Wade and was rewarded with four straight trips to the NBA Finals and two championships.
But in Cleveland, where LeBron is still LeBron and Kyrie Irving has blossomed into one of the league’s top point guards, Love is the outsider.
Love’s next move may depend on how the Cavs fare in May and June. But if you read the tea leaves, or in this case James’ tweets, Love may be leaving as fast as you can say “Andrew Wiggins.”
In February, James seemed to be addressing Love’s attitude and role when he tweeted: “Stop trying to find a way to FITOUT and just FIT-IN. Be apart of something special! Just my thoughts.”
Recently, James posted a photo on Instagram that he referred to as “Clique Up!!” The picture included James, Irving, Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith, Tristan Thompson and Timofey Mozgov. Conspicuously absent from the picture? Love.
“We’re not best friends,” Love told ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike” a few days ago. “We’re not hanging out every day.”
LeBron and Love don’t have to be best pals off the court to be successful teammates. But it was somewhat telling that Love told the Dan Patrick radio program that Russell Westbrook, Love’s one-time teammate at UCLA, is the more deserving MVP candidate because “you know, Bron took those few games off and those couple of weeks off.”
When it comes to taking subtle digs, Love really outdid himself here. James didn’t like losing the MVP award to Kevin Durant last season and he’s not thrilled that Stephen Curry and James Harden are considered the clear favorites for the award. That a high-profile teammate has another player ahead of James in the race can’t sit well with the self-proclaimed King.
Of all the problems the Knicks have, at least they don’t have two stars bickering. (Of course, Jackson doesn’t have two stars on his roster, which is one of the Knicks’ biggest problems.) Could James be doing more to ease Love’s transition into a new team and city? Perhaps. Once upon a time, Derek Jeter had the clout in the Yankees locker room and the status among the New York fans to embrace Alex Rodriguez but Bchose not to. ut several sources close to the situation in Cleveland claim that James has tried to make it work but that he’s frustrated by Love’s inability, and in some ways unwillingness, to get with the program. Remember, James pushed the Cavs to trade Wiggins to the Timberwolves to acquire Love, who could be one-and-done in Cleveland.
That could be a positive development for the Knicks. Or just a warning sign.