The Cleveland Cavaliers have been dealing with some drama lately and while Kevin Love has come up in trade rumors, the team is reportedly not looking to deal the forward at the deadline.
The Cavs fired David Blatt and put in Tyronn Lue as head coach last week and that move prompted many to speculate that Love could be traded. Love has had a hard time fitting into the offense at times this season and some around the NBA think that the Cavs will look at shaking up the roster at the deadline. Love has been mentioned in various rumors, including ones to the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, but the Cavs have said they are not looking to make a deal.
According to ESPN.com, general manager David Griffin spoke about the rumors on ESPN 850 AM in Cleveland and said that the team is not considering any deals with Love. Griffin said that the team has "never" put together a package for a deal with Love and they have never "taken a call on an offer for Kevin."
Griffin added that "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." The Cavaliers have been the best team in the eastern conference for most of the season, but that has not stopped speculation about potential deals and moves. Timofey Mozgov has come up in trade rumors and could be traded at the deadline, but as things stand now, it looks like Love will remain with the Cavaliers.
Love started off the season strong for the Cavs, but his production has dipped since Kyrie Irving has come back from an injury. Love has been averaging just 15 points per game and is shooting 41 percent from the floor and those numbers are down from what he usually has done through his career. Love signed a five-year, $112 million contract in free agency over the summer and after that deal went down, it looked like all would be fine with Love when it came to potentially leaving Cleveland.
Love said back then that he never considered signing anywhere else and that put to rest any trade speculation during the season. But the move with Blatt and the dip in production has prompted some in the media to wonder if the team will consider making a move. The Cavs have three trade exceptions that they can use this season and with Love struggling with his production, his name has come up as a potential target.
Griffin has said repeatedly that the team is not considering trading Love, saying that "we think very highly of Kevin, and we believe Kevin thinks very highly of this situation." At the same time though, Griffin has left the door open to a deal even while saying that the team is not looking to trade Love, as he said that "I can also tell you that we have been very clear from the beginning that there's no such thing as untouchables."
The trade deadline should be very interesting for Cleveland this season.
