The NBA trade rumors have been all about Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks lately and the saga now has a new twist.
After the initial report that the New York Knicks offered Carmelo Anthony to the Cavaliers in exchange for Kevin Love, the Cavs promptly refused. However, at least one Cavalier has changed his mind according to a report. LeBron James allegedly wants his high school pal in his fold. Just how much sway does the King have in the team's decision-making process? We're about to find out.
The report came from Frank Isola of the NY Daily News. "According to a league source, LeBron is the one pushing the Cleveland Cavaliers front office to acquire Carmelo even if it means trading Kevin Love, which is something Cavs management is opposed to doing. Jackson is hoping to move Anthony prior to the Feb. 23 trading deadline and one player the Knicks have targeted is Love, who had 23 points with 16 rebounds in Cleveland's win over the Knicks last Saturday."
It can be recalled that it was LeBron James' public outburst about the Cavs' roster that started all the trade rumors regarding the Cavaliers and coincidentally, there was also the rift between Carmelo Anthony and Knicks president Phil Jackson. It's easy to weave a conspiracy theory between the two friends, but the events at the time seemed unrelated.
Isola noted that James has been avoiding any opinions with regards to the Anthony-Jackson rift. He has connections with both sides as he once criticized Jackson for calling his friends a "posse."
Will the Cavs give in? Matt Moore of CBS seemed to question the motive and timing of the report.
"Note how the Cleveland media outlets all say the Cavs are not going to give up Love, and then a New York paper suggests that LeBron wants it, which could destabilize things. Always remember, kids: Information is leaked at the trade deadline for a reason."
The Cavaliers seem firm that there would be no deal involving Kevin Love. He has often been projected as the most "tradable" of the three stars but after winning the championship, it seemed like all is well now.
Many perceive that the only reason to trade Love for Anthony is his friendship with James. It is still unsure how much James is pushing for this (if at all) and it's another question if the Cavs will relent. Unless there is a change, the default answer at this time is "no."