NBA Rumors: Buzz on Possible Kevin Love Trade, Blake Griffin's Injury
Cleveland is still the city of Kevin Love.
Not only is the Cavaliers forward healthy and back to playing at an All-Star level, but he's also the team's undisputed leader and is its top scorer, rebounder and assist man six games into the season.
But as the top-performing veteran on a young, rebuilding team, Love is now Cleveland's most valuable trade asset.
According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, the Cavs get calls and will continue to get calls from teams around the league interested in making a deal for the 2011 Most Improved Player.
At 31, the 6'10" power forward isn't going to be the best player on a championship-caliber team but could be the missing third piece that puts a team over the hump.
In return, Cleveland could get draft picks or a combination of draft picks and young players to develop.
Still, the Cavs' general manager Koby Altman has no interested in moving Love.
"No. Not at all," Altman told Fedor.
Love signed a four-year, $120 million extension back in the summer of 2018 knowing full well that the team had a tough road ahead.
"He knew this was going to be a process," Altman said. "He knew we were going to bring in some younger guys. He knew we were going to build. He was all in for that. For a guy that is a five-time All-Star, loves it here, wants to help us grow, I don't know how you replace a player that caliber. He's been great and meaningful to our guys.
"We are a much better team with him on the floor. The city has embraced him, he's embraced the city and so it would be really, really tough to move on from him."
Cleveland has had to move on, though.
LeBron James is long gone.
Kyrie Irving is gone.
In fact, Love and Tristan Thompson are the only players that remain from the 2016 championship team.
Most players in Love's shoes would want to move on and chase another ring.
"I do want to be here. I always have," Love told Fedor last month. "I say that knowing it's the NBA and it's a business. I think especially after seeing last year, the summer leading up to last year and this summer, the changeover is like unprecedented so you don't know what is going to happen."
Can Love be the anchor that leads the team's turnaround?
That remains to be seen.
But one thing's for sure, he has the right attitude.
Case in point: when second-year guard Collin Sexton delivered a poster dunk over Wendell Carter Jr. to close out the Cavs' 117-111 win over the Chicago Bulls last week, it was off an entry pass from Love, who followed that up with some very vocal congratulations.
"If they decide to go completely young … and that could be the case," Love said. "But it's funny, my agent didn't call me one time this summer to say, 'Hey, you're getting traded, there's talks that this is happening.'
"Of course, somehow it's still out there and people are talking about, 'Oh, Kevin would be great here or great there.' I just keep it moving and try to do right by these guys because we have a good group."
Blake Griffin Close to Return?
With the rehab from surgery to repair the meniscus tear in his left knee going to plan, Blake Griffin could be close to making his season debut with the Detroit Pistons.
According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, the Pistons will re-evaluate the six-time NBA All-Star on Nov. 6.
"I feel great and I'm ready to go whenever they give me the green light,” Griffin told Charania.
Griffin also told Charania that he's making the kind of progress that has him optimistic towards making his return to action.
"I'm close, very close,” Griffin said. "The training staff tells me it's one day at a time. They tell me what I'm doing the next day, and that's it, because they know I'd go crazy if I have a timetable.
"The team has a plan and I trust our training staff. They know what they're doing so I'm going to listen to them."
Last season, Griffin experienced a career renaissance.
After getting traded from the Los Angeles Clippers, he reinvented himself, averaging a career-high 24.5 points per game while shooting 36.2 percent from three.
His inspired play helped the Pistons make the playoffs for the first time in three years.
But Griffin went down with an injured knee and had to watch on the sideline as the Milwaukee Bucks took a 2-0 lead in the first round.
Despite the torn meniscus, he felt compelled to play, suiting up for the team's final two games, posting averages of 24.5 points, six rebounds and six assists.
For a city like Detroit, grit is gold and fans really appreciated that Griffin put his body on the line for the team with his gutty performance.
And he has no regrets about it.
"I would do it over again, especially in the playoffs, for sure," Griffin said. "If I can play, I can play. It didn't do any more damage, (the meniscus) got taken care of, and I feel great now."
With Griffin and Reggie Jackson both sidelined to start the 2019-20 season, the Pistons (3-5) are in 10th place in the Eastern Conference.
They want to make another playoff push with Griffin, Jackson, Derrick Rose and Andre Drummond, who is off to a raging start, averaging career highs in points (21.3) and rebounds (19.4).
It's unclear if Drummond can keep up this torrid pace, but one thing's for sure: if Detroit wants to make a second-straight appearance in the postseason, they'll need Griffin back.
"I'm excited because I like this team a lot," Griffin said. "We're tough and we fight. There's a grit to this team. We have a lot of guys on this team who have played meaningful minutes and are battle-tested vets.
"I'm excited about this team and the prospects of coming back and leading this group."
Maurice Bobb covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow Maurice on Twitter, @ReeseReport.
