NBA Rumors Round-Up
NBA Rumors: HEAT After Carmelo Anthony?
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
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The Miami Heat’s immediate focus remains overcoming a 2-1 NBA Finals deficit to the San Antonio Spurs, but discussions have begun within the organization about trying to grow their so-called Big Three into a Big Four, according to sources close to the situation.
Sources told ESPN.com that Heat officials and the team’s leading players have already started to explore their options for creating sufficient financial flexibility to make an ambitious run at adding New York Knicks scoring machine Carmelo Anthony this summer in free agency.
This possibility was actually brought up by Basketball Insiders Steve Kyler back in February. Make sure to check out his breakdown of how it all could happen here.
Anthony is going to have multiple suitors if he does indeed hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent. The Knicks of course have his bird rights and the ability to offer him the most money, but he’s yet to be a part of a serious title contender and that seems to be the most important thing to Anthony right now.
Joining forces with the Big Three in Miami would be the best way for him to compete for a championship immediately. However, is Anthony ready for the uproar that will follow if he joins forces with a team that is already a title contender, potentially three-time champion without him? New York is going to hate him if he leaves no matter where he goes, but if he ends up in Miami with James, Bosh and Wade, the criticism and negativity will come from all over, not just the Big Apple. Not to mention, he’ll also have to take a significant pay cut as well.
The Lakers have interviewed at least a half-dozen coaches, but sources say they are focused on three primary candidates: Rambis, Alvin Gentry and Byron Scott.
Scott recently had a second interview with the Lakers, who are the only team in the league other than the Cleveland Cavaliers to not have a head coach in place. Rambis has a long history with the Lakers and has been considered as a head coaching candidate on several different occasions. He currently has the equivalent of a standing offer to work on Derek Fisher’s staff in New York, but would likely pass on it if it meant becoming a head coach again. Gentry is a finalist for the Cavaliers opening as well; he seems like a much better fit for them given the personnel and the fact that the Lakers are looking to change directions from Mike D’Antoni, who Gentry shares a lot of similarities with.
Don’t be surprised if the Lakers wait to make their hire until July when the dust has settled a little bit in free agency.
“My agent is handling everything at this point … I’m hoping that everything works out for all parties involved,” Love said during an appearance on ESPN’s “SportsNation.”
Love’s comments were the first since sources reiterated to ESPN.com last week that team president Flip Saunders’ move back to the bench next season will have no impact on Love’s decision.
“No matter what the outcome is, I just want to end up in a great place where I can win,” Love said on “SportsNation.” “At the end of the day, I’ve played six years, haven’t made the playoffs yet, that burns me and hurts my heart, so I really want to be playing.”
via ESPN
Love also went on to speak highly of Flip Saunders. Saunders recently said that Love didn’t have a right to be frustrated and that you’re either part of the problem or the solution. His teammated Ricky Rubio also didn’t rave about his leadership qualities. Love admitted that both comments hold some truth and that he’s working hard to improve.
What the Timberwolves were likely hoping to hear, though, was that Love is optimistic about the future and not closed off to the idea of staying with the team long-term. He didn’t come close to doing so, in fact he openly talked about how intriguing the New York Knicks were as a potential destination.
Love’s agent is reportedly seeking a trade for him from Minnesota. Love has a player option for next season and can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. As of now, the Timberwolves seem set on trying to get him to change their mind, but if a trade they’re the clear winners of comes across, they’re going to have to give it a lot of thought.
