Kevin Love Trade Rumors: Latest News, Speculation Surrounding Cavaliers PF

The Cleveland Cavaliers recently rebuffed trade overtures from the New York Knicks, who were reportedly looking to lay the groundwork for a potential blockbuster deal involving Kevin Love and Carmelo Anthony before the Feb. 23 trade deadline.

Continue for updates.  

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LeBron, Cavs Reportedly Hold Different Views on Possible Love Trade

Monday, Feb. 6

Cavaliers superstar LeBron James is pushing for a trade for Anthony and is willing to move Love in order to get him, per Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Isola added that Cavaliers management does not want to trade Love. 

James has instructed management to push for Anthony "at any cost," according to Keith Smith of RealGM.

James would respond by calling the rumor and Isola "trash" after the Cavaliers' 140-135 overtime win against the Washington Wizards, via NBA on TNT:

Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com reported on Feb. 2 that the front office refuses to part ways with Love. The report added that the only way the Cavaliers would agree to a trade for Anthony is if Love is not involved. 

Stein and Chris Haynes of ESPN.com had reported back on Jan. 26 that the Knicks reached out to the Cleveland front office with the idea of the high-profile forward swap but were turned down. The Cavs were "not prepared to surrender" Love to get Anthony, despite his friendship with James. 

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Lue, Love Comment on Trade Rumors

Monday, Feb. 6

"He's not going anywhere," Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue said after Monday's win, per Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. 

"It's a lie," Love said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. "What do they say? A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to put his pants on."

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Love Comments on Trade Rumors

Friday, Feb. 3

Love said he doesn't believe the Cavaliers will trade him and expects "to be [in Cleveland] for a long time," per ESPN.com. 

"I predicted that," Love said regarding rumors linking him to the Knicks. "I said it doesn't matter if I have an All-Star year or its one start or the other, it's always going to be there, right?"

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Cavs GM Griffin Addresses Love Rumors

Thursday, Jan. 26

Cleveland general manager David Griffin wouldn't speak about the rumored offer directly and stated he wasn't planning to discuss every report that pops up over the next month, per ESPN.com.

"There's going to be a lot of things written between now and the end of the deadline, and we're going to be pretty consistent with not telling you any of those things," Griffin said. "I'll always try to keep you from driving off the cliff if you're banging a drum that's absolutely untrue all the time, but I'm not going to speak to any of those things."

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Love Too Valuable to Trade For Cavs 

The Cavaliers will be the focal point of ample speculation in the weeks ahead, with James making consistent public comments about his desire for the front office to add a playmaker.

Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post noted that the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player made his wish crystal-clear following Monday's loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.

"We need a f--king playmaker," James said.

He took to social media Tuesday to clarify his frustration-fueled comments:

Still, the Knicks small forward doesn't qualify as a playmaker. He's averaging just over three assists per game this season, which matches his career average, and is far more comfortable as an isolation scorer.

Meanwhile, it's not the first time Love has popped up in the rumor mill. His name featured frequently during the offseason after an up-and-down first two years in Cleveland. Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com provided his comments in October about trying to ignore the outside noise:

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That's just something that you live with. We have so much hype and media and the good and the bad surrounding this team and it just comes with the territory. So, I love this team, love the coaching staff, my teammates, the organization. I mean, I don't think it will ever leave but frankly, I don't really give a s--t.

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Ultimately, the Cavs would be better off trying to acquire a veteran guard. Trying to establish a new offensive formula with James, Irving and Anthony down the stretch would be a tricky task for the reigning champions and current Eastern Conference leaders.

Somebody like Deron Williams of the Dallas Mavericks makes more sense as a short-term solution to Cleveland's playmaker problems. He would probably come at a much cheaper price that wouldn't force the Cavaliers to give up Love, too.