DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum NBA/Cavs Discussion III

Looks like the other thread has been locked because it was at page 11.

Anyway, I have a general question for anyone who might be able to answer it.

Why is there so much talk about Kevin Love leaving at the end of this year? Is there some friction with him and Lebron? He seems to be fitting in pretty well.

I'm asking because I've seen things like the quote below that puzzle me.
ESPN Cleveland:
Windhorst: "The #Cavs don't treat Kevin Love how a mid-market team would treat a free agent to be."

ESPN Cleveland Twitter

Windhorst is a fat worthless leech trying to instigate

I saw on the espn ticker that Enes Kanter of the Jazz isn't happy with his role and is asking for a trade. I know nothing about the guy except that he was the #3 pick a couple years back and he is over 7' tall. So I ask:

1 - Is he a guy who could be that other big man that we are looking for?
2 - If the answer to #1 is yes, what would it take to get him and do we have enough to trade?

Kevin love is slowly realizing he needs to be like Bosh.

going from the Man to another option. once he's fully into that role, all will be well.

i'm happy that love is finally playing some damn defense now.

From what I saw last night, Kevin is learning how to "get his" and the team is also learning how to "get him his".

I know the media will want to create tension that Kevin is unhappy or might leave and that media angle won't be resolved until the day he actually resigns, but I'm starting to see how he'd be happy here with this current role.

We all knew it was going to take time for the "Big 3" to learn how to play. And it didn't help that Lebron was out for 2 weeks too.

I hope his eye is okay. That looked like it hurt, a lot!

Once KLove learns when to work the post and when to work the outside he will be fine. He's still adjusting and it is taking more time than it took Irving. I just don't see where KL would go... LAL? more like LOL.

Our Center:

On a different note, I would completely agree with YTown's assessment of the game last night.

When they are playing team basketball and defending well, they can make a game a blow out real quick.

That was the first game I got to see since the first Cavs/Heat game.

Agreed 100%. When there is ball movement on the offensive side, they generally are able to get consistent good looks in terms of scoring too.

Kevin is finally starting to come around here. His defense has improved, and I feel a few good scoring games from him will get his mojo going on the offensive side!

JMO

I think most of it is the media trying to instigate crap. They can't go with the narrative of LeBron leaving for New York or LA, so they've moved onto Love.

LA media and fans are trying to convince themselves that Love is absolutely coming this summer. I mean he played college at UCLA... He MUST want to play for the Lakers.

Honestly, I think the situation is so dire in bigger markets like NYC and LA, that the media is doing whatever they can to keep the fan base interested for next year.

Statistically Love is very close to where he has been in the past, with the exception that his shots are off by about 5 attempts per game, which has affected his ppg. He was up around 18 attempts per game, which is where LeBron is, and Griffin and Melo and Rose and Durant.. now he is back down around 13...

If he expected to come to Cleveland, with LeBron and Kyrie and still get to shoot the ball 18 times per game, then the whole problem is his own unrealistic expectations.

I think it's less UCLA and more his santa monica roots, but I just don't see it. The only LA team that would fit would be the clippers and they already have their power forward, so there is no room for him. The Lakers are such a mess I couldn't see any quality players going there unless its just to get paid.

On the flip side if all KLove cares about is a payday then I'd rather he go to LA, but I think he wants desperately to win a title.

If Kevin only cares about getting paid, he's stay in Cleveland. Can't the Cavs offer him that additional guaranteed year that the Lakers couldn't?

If he cares more about playing in Cali than money, then I have no problem with that. Its up to him. The Cavs took the chance he'd leave by trading away Wiggins for a guy with a 1-year contract. It's on them, not Kevin.

I hope he understands his best option to win a title is here in the short term. I say "short term" because who knows what the Lakers will look like in 1.5 years. Maybe they get KD and trade for someone else. But yes, the Lakers are trash this and next year for sure.

...additionally, why go to the western conference? Stay in the east to make the trip to the Finals easier. Assuming winning was the #1 reason to sign somewhere.

Can't be stated enough. It's really, really, really hard beating Lebron. It's a monumental task trying to beat him 4/7 times. Look at the teams that have beat him in the playoffs-

2014 Spurs = NBA Champs

2011 Mavericks = NBA Champs

2010 Celtics = A game 7 from winning a title

2009 Magic = Made it to the NBA Finals after shooting the games of their lives.

2008 Celtics = NBA Champs

I have to laugh, because even if the Lakers get really lucky, what are they going to look like in 3 years?

Cleveland will still, almost certainly, still have Lebron, Irving, and probably Mozgov as well. Will the Lakers find a way to add a better "big 2 plus big- 3rd" that Love can join? The Cavaliers will be built around Lebron, Irving, Love, and Mozgov. The rest will change, but that is a really nice nucleus to have. I cannot see any way that even a team like the Lakers manages to come anywhere close to that in the next 2-3 years.

I also want to say something about Love. He has improved so much defensively that it's incredible. He was always a flat out awful defender, and he is actually approaching average right now. By this time next year, he may actually become a better than average defender. Man, that is just incredible! His opportunities are down with playing on such a talented team, but he does not have to carry this team. If he has a massive ego, and has to be the top scorer, then maybe he leaves, but I don't get that from him. I think that he knows that he can be a great teammate, a great defender, and still be a valuable piece of the offense, and yet not have to be THE offense. I would guess that he will wind up somewhere around 20 PPG this year, which is one heck of an "off" year ..... as he starts hitting closer to his career average in shooting in the 2nd half. (2 or 3% above where he is at right now) he has fit in really well.

I also love the way JR Smith has fit in. He had 7 assists yesterday. I am going to repeat that. JR Smith had 7 assists. He only scored 10 points, and he had 7 assists. This is the guy who was a ball hog, and a "chucker". He is also playing great defense. He also has extremely quick hands on defense, and can steal a ball before the other guy realizes he has moved. lol He has been a great addition to the team as well.

My concern is that I don't know how we hold on to everyone next year. I really, really like this team, and think that they have just about everything a team could want and needs.

Hey guys...

Had a lil convo at work today and want you people's feedback too. As the team stands right now, who is the weakest player on the Cavs?

People here in L.A. really want Kevin Love and then Durant the next year. The legitimately think it is going to happen because "Lakers." They don't understand that the team is a mess and no one wants to deal with the Buss family (and/or Kobe to a lesser extent).

Laker fans can't imagine their team bad because they have never been bad.

Jr has said it himself, he just needed to be in a better environment where he could focus on just basketball.

of guys that get any minutes, thats easy dellevedova. Guys like miller, haywood, jones, are worthless, but they don't get any minutes so you can't really say they are weak.. Its why we have the worst bench in the nba. I really hope griffin has some magic dust left to sprinkle on the bench. I would say for playoffs our 1-7 are the best in the east

My sports app for my phone, theScore, just informed me that Kevin is expected to play tonight. Good news.

And I think Butler is out for the Bulls.

Della

and even then...dude got skills. he brings energy.

With a win tonight we clinch the season series.

I somewhat agree ... Like you're saying, it depends on what you are talking about with the original question. Worst on the team period? Probably Haywood or Mike Miller. Of guys that play meaningful minutes, then probably Delly, but he's your 8th guy on the bench.

Of the starters? Probably JR.Smith ... and if he's your worst starter, you're doing pretty well.

The weakest guy of the rotation players is Delly. Everyone else has their pros and cons, but Delly can get bullied by bigger guards, and offers no offensive value. But still, he's the guy you love to root for. He's a tough kid.

Everyone else seems to fit in perfectly with the roles. It's pretty cool.

Lebron not looking too hot tonight. 5 of 12 so far with 5 turnovers. -17 on the plus/minus. Got beat on the defensive end a few times too.

Fortunate to only be down 7.

I think we were down by 15 at one point, and Lebron went to the bench. We went on a pretty good run after that. Hopefully Lebron can find his A-game in the second half.

Lebron has looked bad tonight.

Kyrie has looked worse.

Lebron struggled tonight, Kyrie got DOMINATED, our shooters did nothing. Just a bad night it happens.

a know a lot of teams struggle with back to backs, but man, we really look sluggish every back to back game we have.

Back to back, with travel, against a pretty good team too. It happens.

Shumpert got too aggresive tonight. Jr struggling too.

It looks like we checked out for the All Star break a day early.

Man, James is way off. If he needs another break, I hope he takes it. If he has to take off the All Star game, then so be it.

I do think that the break may do Love some real good with his eye, his back, and any other creaks he has right now. I think that the break comes exactly at the right time for him. The Cavaliers are off until the 20th, in DC.

thoughts on this game...lebron shouldn't be PG as much as he is, sure he has good vision but he has horrible ball handling skills and forces things..He's a big reason we lost tonight, that and noone did squat..Rose is so much a more complete PG than kyrie. I'd love kyrie to get to rose's level but I don't see it happening. Kyrie needs crazy handles to shake people..rose probably has the best first step in the game.

I kinda knew when I saw TT was starting it was a loss..has anyone actually focused on him during games..especially on defense...he literally acts like he has no idea where he's supposed to be.

One note on our bench, besides being the worst in the nba, I don't understand how Harris can't find minutes up here..he's a better shooter than anyone we currently have on the bench and he's got decent size and pretty athletic..i mean how much worse can it be to give him minutes over miller and jones.

Going into the allstar break with a loss isn't a great thing especially losing a game you could have one if anyone acted like they cared..but a nice break, get healthy and come back and start the push.

I still don't think Chicago could beat us in 7, but snell pretty much locks lebron down better than anyone else in the east, its going to be good to have a big 3 against chicago in the playoffs, we'll need people to take turns shouldering the load.

If the NBA truly wanted a quality product, they do away with these. A back-2-back at home is bad enough, but with travel? Come on.

I know everyone has them, but it's just poor planning on the NBA.

Same goes with the NFL too. Thursday night teams should always be coming off a bye.

As someone who has had to travel with a basketball team, I agree with this 100%.

God i can't stand the bulls and their fans.

Wow did we just play like crap last night. Total crap. Not even worth commenting any further than that.

I just checked the standings and couldn't help but notice this:

7th seed in the East: Charlotte Hornets 22-30
7th seed in the West: San Antonio Spurs 34-19