As Carmelo Anthony's stock plummets and Kevin Love's grows by the day, trade talks involving the two superstar forwards won't die.
Frank Isola of the New York Daily News wrote that not only is a swap still a possibility, but that LeBron James is pushing for his close friend to join him in Cleveland even at the expense of Love. James has since called the report, and Isola, "trash."
While James may not be pushing Love out of town, there's been discussions between the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers in the past. As Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal wrote:
I talked to executives with two other teams who acknowledged they were called in to try and facilitate a potential deal.
It’s also accurate that James has previously pushed the Cavs to acquire Anthony dating back to last season. The Cavs have considered a deal involving Love and Anthony this season.
When tackling the Love vs. Anthony question, some parameters must be set.
There's no debate that Love is enjoying the better season. Named to his fourth All-Star Game, he's putting up 20.4 points and 11.1 rebounds while shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from three. All four categories are his Cavalier bests.
Anthony is once again the captain of the Knicks' sinking ship, missing his first All-Star game in 10 years while putting up 22.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists on 43.5 percent shooting.
It's not fair to compare who's better. Instead, we must look at which player would be better in the same situation. What would Anthony's season be like suiting up next to James and Kyrie Irving instead of 21-year-old Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick Rose?
As good as Love has been, could Anthony actually be a better Cavalier?
Offensive Role
It's taken nearly three years for Love to grow accustomed to being the third mouth fed in the Cavs offense, but he's finally starting to eat.
To successfully make this happen, Cleveland is making sure he gets touches early and often by force-feeding him in the first quarter. Last season, Love averaged 5.4 first-quarter points on 4.5 shot attempts. Those numbers ranked 26th and 29th in the NBA, respectively.
Now, he's become one of the league's best opening-period weapons. Only Anthony Davis (8.8 points) and James Harden (8.6) are scoring more than Love (8.4) to begin games. His 6.5 shots trail only DeMar DeRozan (6.6) for most in the league.
Love's offensive contribution isn't solely based on playing the stretch 4 anymore, either. His points in the paint, second-chance points and fastbreak scoring are all up this season.
With Anthony subbed in for Love, does this make a noticeable difference in Cleveland's offense?
Either James or Anthony would be playing power forward, which is actually the latter's best position offensively. The only year Anthony spent more than 70 percent of his time at the 4 was in 2012-13. The result? New York went 54-28, had the league's third-best offense and Anthony led the NBA with 28.7 points per game—the only time he's captured a scoring crown.
While Anthony isn't the low-post scorer Love is, he can serve as a stretch 4 or isolate his man on the wing. James has pleaded for a playmaker, and Anthony fits this description far more than Love with his ability to dribble-drive and pass.
The thought of Tristan Thompson setting screens and grabbing offensive rebounds for James, Irving and Anthony seems almost unfair.
Of course, pure scoring isn't the only aspect that needs to be taken into account.
While Anthony expands Cleveland's playbook with his plethora of offensive options, the Cavs would lose Love's ability to throw the touchdown pass, a play that most recently set up James' overtime clinching shot against the Washington Wizards on Feb. 6.Anthony presents the bigger offensive upside, but how long would it take him to integrate into Cleveland's system?
Advantage: Wash
Defensive Matchups
Playing Anthony at power forward is great offensively, but there has to be a concern about him covering full-time 4s.
Of course, Cleveland could mix and match James and Anthony defensively. With the NBA going smaller, this wouldn't be a big concern on most nights. James (6'8", 250 lbs) and Anthony (6'8", 240 lbs) are essentially built like power forwards anyway.
Neither Love nor Anthony are above-average defenders, and both will have to be covered by James and Thompson at all times. The real question should be, who matches up better against the Golden State Warriors?
When the Dubs bring their starting frontcourt of Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Zaza Pachulia, Cleveland can match with James, Thompson and Love, respectively.
Where does this leave Anthony?
The Cavaliers' best option would be to move Thompson on Pachulia to match size, leaving Anthony to cover either Durant or Green—a terrifying option either way. Love can at least use his size and strength to body Pachulia. Anthony could not.
Advantage: Love
Intangibles
Love is the far better rebounder of the two. Without him, Cleveland would be thin on the boards with only Thompson (9.7) pulling down more than eight a game.
On the flip side, Anthony is the superior half-court passer, averaging a career-best 4.2 assists just a season ago. From his time on the U.S. Olympic team, we know Anthony can distribute and buy into a team when necessary.
Of course, there's a major age factor here. Love is 28 and seemingly in the prime of his career. Other than a stiff back from time to time, he's shown no signs of slowing down. Anthony will turn 33 in May, with James set to hit double threes in December. A swap of players would signal Cleveland's ultimate all-in move, leaving Irving (24) as the lone young offensive threat to carry the team in years to come.
The mental state of both Anthony and Love has to be examined as well. Love has proved he's willing to do whatever it takes (fewer minutes, shots, etc) in order to win a title. James and the Cavaliers know they can win with Love as their starting power forward.
As for Anthony...
Now, 14 years into the NBA, Anthony has been focused far more on personal brand over team triumph. As Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding wrote, Anthony is still "addicted to his individual success," adding:
Maybe LeBron James will be the latest to believe he can get more out of Anthony and force a Carmelo trade to Cleveland. It sure seems logical to think Anthony, especially by a longtime friend, can be sold on the idea of getting individual glory as a difference-maker for a team that goes on to take the title.
Except that goes back to others thinking he would or should want something more than he actually does.
We're overrating Anthony's will to win again.
This isn't just a concern; it's downright scary to think of trading the Eastern Conference's only 20-10 player for one who may not carry the same desire to win as his new reigning-champion teammates.
Advantage: Love
Love or Melo?
If the Cavaliers had never come back from a 3-1 deficit last June and Love wasn't an All-Star over four years younger, a trade for Anthony would make a lot of sense.
Alas, they did, and he is.
As Knicks president Phil Jackson scrambles to find a trade partner to take Anthony, Love should be well out of his grasp. Cleveland has finally figured how to utilize its third star and shouldn't be starting over now. Love, believe it or not, represents the better matchup against Golden State, a factor that should perhaps hold more importance than anything else.
Anthony may become a Cavalier at some point in his career, but not now. At least, not in a trade for Love.
Cavaliers' Insider Notebook
NBA's Iron Man
Thompson has now played in 420 straight games and counting, a streak that began Feb. 10, 2012 during his rookie season. The next-closest player is Portland Trail Blazers center Mason Plumlee at 246.
Despite this achievement, Thompson actually forgot he passed former Cavalier Jim Chones for the most consecutive games in franchise history back in March 2016.
"Who’s the all-time leader for the Cavs? I haven’t done that, right?" Thompson asked Bleacher Report before being reminded he more than held the record. "It’s me? For the Cavs? Oh s--t. I thought I was behind someone still. It’s definitely an honor."
Nice Pickup
Kyle Korver had a rough start to his Cavaliers career, going just 1-of-10 from the field and 0-of-5 from deep in his first two games following a January trade from the Atlanta Hawks.
Joining the team on its longest road trip of the season certainly didn't help, either. Now, 14 games and a handful of practices later, it's clear why general manager David Griffin gave up a first-round pick for the 35-year-old.
Over his last 12 games, Korver is averaging 10.5 points and 2.8 rebounds while shooting a scorching 46.4 percent from deep.
"Road Trippin'" with Family
Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye share a bond as former Arizona Wildcats. It's a journey that's led to an NBA title and now, perhaps more importantly, their own podcast.
Jefferson, Frye and Fox Sports Ohio's Allie Clifton now provide an unedited humor-filled raw look at how veteran players see the game, bond on the road and keep chemistry fresh within the team.
Although other teammates join, it's appropriate Jefferson and Frye serve as hosts. The pair represents the heart and soul of Cleveland's locker room. On occasion, Jefferson's two-year-old son "Little Rich" will hang out and practice dribbling with Frye after games, known to him as "Uncle Channing."
Even though Frye tragically lost both of his parents in recent months, it appears he still has family close by.
Greg Swartz is the Cleveland Cavaliers Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @CavsGregBR.
Stats via Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com and are accurate through Feb. 8.