The Cleveland Cavaliers have thus far resisted trading Kevin Love for Carmelo Anthony, but according to a new report, that wouldn’t be the case if it were up to LeBron James.
A league source told Frank Isola of the New York Daily News that James is pushing Cleveland’s front office to acquire Anthony, even if it means shipping Love to the New York Knicks. It is the team’s management that has resisted so far, as they reportedly want to keep Love with the Cavaliers.
Cleveland management sees Love as having a specific role on the Cavaliers. In addition, he’s younger than Anthony. It is unclear whether James has enough clout to push management into actually doing such a deal, with the front office so staunchly opposed.
We’ve been hearing the rumors for a while. The Knicks want Love, and it sounds like James wants Anthony. The sticking point is the Cavaliers themselves, who aren’t yet willing to accede to their superstar’s wishes. It’ll also be interesting to see how a report such as this plays in the Cleveland locker room. It’s no secret that James wants the roster upgraded, but if he’s privately campaigning for a trade that would involve one of his team’s key players, that would be something.
