Cleveland Cavaliers have Terry Talkin' Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving
By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer
terrypluto2003@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- What was the Cleveland Cavaliers' record when LeBron James and Kevin Love played together -- and Kyrie Irving sat?
I didn't know the answer when that question first occurred to me. It's 25-10. Even more significant, it's 24-7 in the last two seasons.
Irving was out for the first 10 weeks of the 2015-16 season, recovering from a fractured kneecap. The Cavs were 20-7 in those games. Mo Williams filled in at point guard.
The record when James sat while Irving and Love played? It's 3-13.
This is not meant to simply trash Irving. He is an incredible scorer. He apparently doesn't see it this way, but Irving is an incredible player when on the court with James.
And Love is very, very good.
Lost in all the debate and angst about Irving's trade request is Love's value. The 6-foot-10 power forward struggles against Golden State. The quick pace is a challenge for him.
Here are Love's stats for the five-game 2017 NBA Finals: 16 points per game, 11.2 rebounds, .388 from the field, .387 on 3-pointers. So let's not pretend he was the second coming of Melvin Turpin or Ben Poquette in those games.
In the regular season and against Eastern Conference playoff opponents, Love is an All-Star. When Irving is out and he's the second scoring option after James, Love tends to thrive.
The 6-foot-10 Love averaged 19 points and 11.1 rebounds in the regular season. He made the All-Star team. Furthermore, he has shown a willingness to sacrifice and fit in with the Cavs.
For all the talk about how Irving can't fully bloom with the Cavs, he averaged 25 points a game. He led the team in shots. Coach Tyronn Lue labeled Irving "an attack guard" and basically allowed him to shoot anytime from anywhere.
Love has had to adapt. He has done just that, to the best of his ability.
That's one reason fans should not despair when Irving is traded ... and I expect that to happen.
A Cavs team starting with James and Love remains the best in the Eastern Conference.
THE JAMES RUMORS
When in doubt, blame LeBron James. That seems to be what the Kyrie Irving camp is doing.
Before ESPN's Stephen A. Smith came out with the comments about Irving's people blaming James for word of his trade request becoming public, I also heard that in NBA circles.
A. I don't think it's true.
B. No matter who leaked it, the fact is Irving and his agent met with Dan Gilbert. They made their trade demand, and gave the Cavs owner a list of four teams as preferred destinations.
C. In other words, Irving wants out despite taking three trips to the Finals and leading the team in shots attempted per game.
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D. I heard James was upset by Irving's request. I don't blame him. It seems about 90 percent of the NBA wants to play with James because it's a ticket the NBA Finals. That 90 percent knows how hard it is to reach the championship round.
E. The other 10 percent are members of the Golden State Warriors and a few guys who don't want the challenge and the pressure that comes with playing with James for an NBA title.
F. For more than a week, Irving and his people have had chances to issue statements, denials ... something. Instead, there has been nothing other than Irving mocking James in a video featuring the song "Coming Home." That's probably part of the strategy to be traded.
IRVING'S THINKING
1. The Irving camp is discussing this idea: They don't really want to be away from James. They just want to know James will be around for more than another season.
2. James has not committed for anything beyond 2017-18. And he probably won't decide until after the upcoming season. He'll weigh his free-agent options and pick the best spot to seek another title.
3. Irving is under contract for two more years. So he could easily play 2017-18 and then decide what to do in the summer of 2018. With one year left on his contract next July, he could pull a Paul George. At the end of 2016-17 season, George told Indiana that he was walking in 12 months, which led to a trade to Oklahoma City.
4. If Irving really was all that concerned about James and the future, he'd give it another year. He wants out. Having two years left on his contract, he has no control where he ends up. The Cavs can trade him anywhere.
5. The only thing Irving can do is see where he's traded. If he doesn't like it, he can refuse to report to the new team. Of course, he also would not be paid under that plan.
ABOUT THE CAVS
1. The signing of Derrick Rose by new general manager Koby Altman is a big deal, even if he plays only half the game. Rose is an excellent pick-and-roll player. He is on a one-year, veteran minimum contract. He went from making $20 million to $2.1 million. He needs a big season to revive his career.
2. Rose averaged 18 points and 4.4 assists last season, shooting .471 from the field. The 6-foot-3 point guard doesn't shoot well from the outside -- 13-of-60 (.217) on 3-pointers. According to NBA Stats, he scored only 36 points on "catch-and-shoot" jumpers.
3. Rose loves to drive to the rim -- 41 percent of his shots are within 3-feet of the hoop. The Cavs will need to pair him with a point guard who can make 3-pointers. They may believe Jose Calderon can do that, but I want someone else.
4. While Rose has battled knee problems and other injuries, he's missed 34 games over the last two seasons. I actually thought it was more. He seems to have some attitude issues with the Knicks. But the Cavs believe playing with James on a minimum contract will be real motivation. Rose already is working out with James.
5. My former colleague and co-author, Brian Windhorst (ESPN), has suggested a trade of Irving to Phoenix for Eric Bledsoe and rookie Josh Jackson. That is appealing. Jackson is a 6-foot-8 small forward from Kansas. He was the No. 4 pick in the draft. Phoenix recently hired former Cavalier James Jones as vice president of basketball operations. Jones is a close friend of James.
6. Bledsoe is a 6-foot-1 guard who has averaged 20.5 points and shot .444 from the field in the last two seasons. His 3-point shooting in that span is .343. He is a tough defender. Like Rose, he is working out with James. Bledsoe is represented by Klutch Sports, the agency for James. Bledsoe has two years worth $29 million left on his contract.
7. My main concern with Bledsoe is two surgeries on his right knee (2011, 2014) and one on his left knee (2015). He was healthy last season. He is only 27.
8. I had a casual conversation with former Cavs GM David Griffin several weeks before the draft. He absolutely loved the athletic Jackson. The 20-year-old would give the Cavs a small forward with fresh, lively legs. Phoenix has said it won't trade Jackson, but we'll see.
9. Minnesota really wants Irving. The Cavs would love to add Andrew Wiggins. Other Minnesota players would have to be in the deal to make it work on the salary cap. This seems a bit harder to imagine than a deal with Phoenix.
10. My next library appearance will be on Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Nordonia Hills branch. It's free!
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