Anthony, of course, plays the wing, like James, only he’s been hobbled by injuries, plays little defense, and dominates the ball – the virtual antithesis of what the Cavs need. A high-ranking Cavs official said Saturday there was a “zero percent” chance the team would do what it was reportedly seeking to do. “Total nonsense. Absolutely not discussed,” said the source, who was given anonymity to speak freely about team affairs.
More on Kevin Love Trade?
In the event that rumored talks of the Cavaliers somehow seeking to trade Kevin Love in return for Carmelo Anthony needed to be put to bed, LeBron James did just that on Saturday. "It's false. That's the only thing I can look at and see, it's false," James said Saturday in Toronto, after the East's practice in preparation for Sunday's 65th NBA All-Star Game in Toronto. "And that's the last thing I was worrying about right now, and that's trade talks for our team."
There was even a report Friday night Boston and Cleveland had “very preliminary talks’’ about whether to ask the Knicks if they wanted to join a three-way trade with Anthony that included Kevin Love, with Anthony going to Cleveland. An NBA source told The Post the Knicks had not been approached by the teams, and there was “nothing to it.” The report also stated talks did not progress.
Adam Himmelsbach: Re: Kevin Love. League source says the Cavs have been shopping him around, but that the asking price is very high.
The Daily News has learned that the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers have discussed a blockbuster trade centered around Kevin Love. There were very preliminary discussions about expanding the deal to include the Knicks and Anthony, who would have to waive his no-trade clause in order to facilitate a deal to the Cavs. The Knicks would receive draft picks and players in return. One of those players is believed to be Timofey Mozgov, who five years ago was traded by the Knicks to Denver in the Anthony deal.
Those talks have not progressed. Plus Anthony reiterated on Friday that he has no plans to seek a trade. However, when asked if he's thought about his future with a losing organization, Anthony gave a cryptic answer. “Not yet. I'm pretty sure I'll have that conversation with myself and my family and my team,” he said. “But it's not a conversation for right now.”
Boston has been quietly aggressive, with its well-chronicled array of assets, in search of the splashy move we all know team president Danny Ainge would love to make. But with Sacramento thoroughly unwilling to entertain offers for DeMarcus Cousins, and Cavaliers general manager David Griffin likewise emphatically shooting down the notion earlier this week of making Kevin Love available, there isn't a starry trade target for Ainge to chase. At least not yet.
No one has wanted to acquire Kevin Love more than Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, Wojnarowski says in the same podcast (The Vertical - scroll to 51-minute mark). Still, podcast guest and Yahoo colleague Chris Mannix suggests it’s too soon for the Cavs to trade Love, who just re-signed with the Cavs to a five-year max deal this past summer. Cavs GM David Griffin wants a versatile, defensive-minded wing player, Mannix hears, speculating that Jae Crowder would fit that bill.
Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin said Monday the team is not involved in any trade talks regarding Kevin Love. "You'd have to go a long way to convince me that we're a better team winning in the Finals without a player like Kevin on our team," Griffin said in an interview on ESPN 850 AM in Cleveland. "We've never once put together an offer involving Kevin nor have we taken a call on an offer for Kevin."
"We think very highly of Kevin and we believe Kevin thinks very highly of this situation. But, I can also tell you that we have been very clear from the beginning that there's no such thing as untouchables," Griffin said. "You're either all the way in or all the way out in this process and we believe our guys are all the way in. If it remains that way then we are going to try and augment the group at the bottom and try to get some additional depth and that's what we'll do. We're not going to be afraid to do what needs to be done if something more significant comes along."
Ethan J. Skolnick: As I've mentioned on radio, they seriously weighed offers for (Kevin Love) last season
Peter Vecsey: David Blatt told friends in Israel last week, "It's either me or Kevin Love." Just surprised LeBron didn't decide sooner...
Executives around the league told Sporting News on Wednesday that Love eventually could wind up back on the trading block, but the Cavs needed to re-sign him rather than risk losing him for nothing in return. Thompson deserves a starting spot, and the Cavs are confident that, eventually, a smaller lineup with Thompson at center and Love at power forward will work.
