Can someone give me the readers digest version of why exactly Kevin Love is so unloved by Lebron? I'd appreciate it.
He seems to be the scape goat for CLE's defensive problems. Sure, his defense sucks, but they knew that when they traded for him. He wasn't brought to CLE to be a defensive monster. He was brought there to score and rebound, which is exactly what he's doing.
It seems hilariously ironic that his teammates called a team meeting to call him out, immediately after they collectively gave up 148 points in a regulation game. Talk about a lack of self awareness...
CLE lacks a rim protector. That's not Love's fault. They are playing him out of position at center. Their roster is OLD and full of holes. Crowder has been a TERRIBLE fit. J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert have been worthless. Wade is a solid back up, but not close to the star he once was. Jeff Green, the guy nobody really expected much from, has been the third best player on their team this season.
Regardless who they start at PG (Calderon, Rose or Thomas), they have ZERO on-the-ball defense from that position. They get beat off the dribble, leaving Love as the last line of defense between the rim and the Russell Westbrooks, Steph Curries, John Walls, Kyrie Irvings, Damian Lillards, and Chris Pauls of the world. How can anyone think that's going to end well?
They are what they are - a poorly constructed OLD roster and a locker room full of drama queens and idiots. As far as this season goes, they got fleeced in the Kryie Irving trade. They need another trade (or two) to balance out the roster. Ideally, that would mean bringing in a real center, moving Love back to PF, James and SF and Crowder to the bench. However, given their tendency to go for the big names over what they actually need, they will probably end up trading Love for another big name and still have the same problems. Guess they'll have to find a new scape goat.
BNM