Free agency is calling but Kevin Love should re-sign with the Cavs short-term and try to win a championship with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. He can always opt out again next year. Watch video
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Assuming Kevin Love wasn't pulling up a chair for the first annual Marco Polo fantasy draft and LeBron James showed up unannounced for the same reason, teammates hanging poolside in L.A. could be considered encouraging, no?
Even if it didn't make so much sense for Love to re-sign with the Cavs (which it does), the picture shared on social media would seem to qualify as a "fit-in" moment in a relationship more over-analyzed than the NFL draft.
The Cavs need Love. Ignore the argument that they reached the NBA Finals and won two games without him. James can't shoulder that burden forever, maybe even not for another postseason. Besides, the idea for the Cavs' front office (that's not you, LeBron) should be to make it easier to win a title, not harder.
Love needs the Cavs just as much, at least short term, if his goal is to win a title. Signing short term -- given the increase to come in TV money and salary cap -- makes the most sense for him despite the risk of injury.
It's set up perfectly for Love to give it another year in Cleveland, with James still in his prime and with Kyrie Irving vaulting into his, and with an owner willing to pay a fortune in luxury taxes (at least for now). Even if Love is unhappy with the way David Blatt used him, even if he's less than thrilled being the third option behind James and Irving, he has longed to be in the position he found himself in before dislocating his shoulder against the Celtics.
Next season should be better for all involved. After that, who knows?
Love could find some of the same benefits through free agency with Western Conference teams expected to come calling - and perhaps even a day or two more of sun per year - but the path to the NBA Finals won't be as easy.
Love keeps saying winning means everything to him. He could win in Houston for sure. But his surest route to the NBA Finals is in the East. The Rockets (and pretty much everyone else except the Warriors) are more of a projection. Love watched a team without him and Irving, a team starting Matthew Dellavedova at guard against Steph Curry, come within two wins of a parade.
Love should give it another season.
At least.
* ESPN.com headline: "LeBron, Cavs interested in Dunleavy."
In that order?
Call me old school, but I like to live in the fantasy world where David Griffin is making decisions of far greater importance than calling ahead to reserve a cabana for his superstar.
* Luke Ridnour was traded for the fourth time since the off-season began, this time from the Thunder to the Raptors. Previously, he'd gone from the Magic to the Grizzlies to the Hornets to the Thunder. Fourth trade, fifth team.
A couple more and he'll have as many exes as Larry King.
* Russell Wilson says he'd play just as hard for $1.5 million as he would for $25 million.
Seahawks: "OK, let's make it $1.5 then."
* Giants punter Steve Weatherford did a radio interview as part of a fund-raiser and was asked his opinions about the rival Eagles. He gave his thoughts on Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford.
Apparently Jason Kelce of the Eagles didn't much care for Weatherford drifting out of his lane.
"Of course a player who is literally not allowed to be touched is talking s--," Kelce Tweeted. "Is interviewing punters a thing now?"
A punter and a center in a disagreement maybe the tamest thing that's happened in the Giants-Eagles rivalry -- certainly in the stands.
* Boxer Oscar De La Hoya, who hinted at a comeback to fight Floyd Mayweather, says he will stay retired. And when a 42-year-old boxer says he's retired, it's pretty clear what he means.
Check back next week.
* Quote of the Week:
The San Antonio Spurs are poised to recruit free agents, most notable LaMarcus Aldridge. At least some of the Spurs.
"I'm not calling anyone at midnight," Gregg Popovich told the San Antonio Express-News. "I'll be in bed. And if that's the difference in someone coming or not coming, then I don't want them."