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Yahoo Sports reports that LeBron James has reached out to Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love to tell him he wants him to join the Cavaliers.
LeBron James has reached to tell Kevin Love of his desire for them to play together with the Cavaliers, front office sources tell Yahoo.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 17, 2014
This follows word from Thursday afternoon that the Cavs are suddenly open to the possibility of trading Andrew Wiggins for Love, as it seems there's at least some momentum in that direction. The decision is a hard one, but if James is actively moving to help secure Love's interest and commitment, it could shift the leverage of the situation, particularly if Love said he would not commit long-term to any team except the Cavs.
James has an exceptional amount of power, both within the league and the Cavs. From Ken Berger of CBSSports.com on the matter:
LeBron usually gets what LeBron wants.
This was true during his first tour with the Cavs, when his close friends and associates were given enormous latitude and influence within the organization. It was evident in the team's personnel moves, with former GM Danny Ferry doing everything in his power to keep James from leaving in 2010 -- from Shaquille O'Neal to Antawn Jamison to a failed bid to acquire Amar'e Stoudemire.
James' influence has never been more tangible than it is now, with the four-time MVP agreeing to a two-year, $42 million deal to return to Cleveland -- a contract that includes a player option after next season. On one hand, James' intentions were clear: He's anticipating a sizeable jump in league-wide revenues as the NBA approaches a lucrative renewal of its broadcast and digital rights agreements in 2016. By not locking into a long-term deal, James will be in a position to reap his well-deserved share of those riches -- while locking in before the next potential work stoppage in 2017.
via Love to the Cavs? LeBron James usually gets what he wants - CBSSports.com.
So ultimately this call is not the Cavs'. They're happy to have James home, and will do anything to keep him there. If he says he wants Love, it'll happen. Whether that's a good thing or not is complicated. It's also different now than it was for them to bow to his whims in 2010. He's a more mature player and person. But still, enabling that much power within a single player doesn't seem like the best idea.
But when that single player is LeBron...
