Stephen A Smith: Love not liked by Saunders, Minny FO and Minny Players

[nickagneta]

On First Take the subject of trying to lure Lebron somewhere else came about and Brian Windhurst suggested if a team goes out and gets Love then maybe if there is more talent there, Lebron is attracted to play with a player like Love.

But then Stephen A drops the bomb and says, Flip Saunders might smile and talk nice when discussing Kevin Love but that he doesn't like Kevin Love, that the Minnesota front office doesn't like Kevin Love and the players in the locker room do not like Kevin Love. Smith said they all think Love is the type of player that points the finger in other directions and never takes responsibility for his own shortcomings when things aren't good. Said he is not a team type guy.

Interesting that Windhurst, who is close to Lebron mentions that Lebron might follow Love to the right team and yet Smith throws cold water on the argument because Love is a bad apple as a team player.

Is this the start of a monumental off season for the NBA and maybe the Celtics? Time will tell.

BTW, I do not think for a minute that a Love, Rondo Lebron pairing is possible but it should would be cool to talk about.

[Roy H.]

Don't watch First Take, nick.  It will rot your brain.

My guess is that Smith is just reading the tea leaves a bit based upon Saunders' public comments about Love not having a right to be frustrated.

[saltlover]

I think the feeling is mutual.  Taylor and Kahn pitted Love against Rubio the minute Rubio walked in the door.  Taylor threw KG under the bus his last year in Minnesota -- Love didn't stand a chance.  Minnesota needs to look no further than the guy signing the paychecks to understand why they're this decade's version of the Clippers.

[D.o.s.]

Don't watch First Take, nick.  It will rot your brain.

My guess is that Smith is just reading the tea leaves a bit based upon Saunders' public comments about Love not having a right to be frustrated.

Word on the street, as it were, is that Stephen A's exibiting that rare broken clock moment when it is right, at least once a day. Rubio talked about it relatively obliquely a couple weeks ago, but that seems to be a tonally consistent thing coming out of the locker room.

[nickagneta]

Thing about what Smith said, Windhurst was nodding his head in agreement at the time.

Its the first I had ever heard that Love might be a malcontent in the locker room but it does explain some things.

[Fafnir]

Don't watch First Take, nick.  It will rot your brain.

My guess is that Smith is just reading the tea leaves a bit based upon Saunders' public comments about Love not having a right to be frustrated.

Word on the street, as it were, is that Stephen A's exibiting that rare broken clock moment when it is right, at least once a day. Rubio talked about it relatively obliquely a couple weeks ago, but that seems to be a tonally consistent thing coming out of the locker room.

I think Love clearly checked out once it was clear they weren't making the playoffs.

I don't imagine that combined with the missed season last year have made things easy in Minnesota.

[Fafnir]

Thing about what Smith said, Windhurst was nodding his head in agreement at the time.

Its the first I had ever heard that Love might be a malcontent in the locker room but it does explain some things.

I think he's wanted out for a while and his team mates knew it. Similar thing happened with Melo too.

If you don't want to be with an organization, its viewed as an attack on the team around you. Hard not to take that personally.

[nickagneta]

Thing about what Smith said, Windhurst was nodding his head in agreement at the time.

Its the first I had ever heard that Love might be a malcontent in the locker room but it does explain some things.

I think he's wanted out for a while and his team mates knew it. Similar thing happened with Melo too.

If you don't want to be with an organization, its viewed as an attack on the team around you. Hard not to take that personally.

That makes a lot of sense. Just the first I had heard of it.

[Celtics4ever]

Do we still want to take him off their hands?

[D.o.s.]

Thing about what Smith said, Windhurst was nodding his head in agreement at the time.

Its the first I had ever heard that Love might be a malcontent in the locker room but it does explain some things.

I think he's wanted out for a while and his team mates knew it. Similar thing happened with Melo too.

If you don't want to be with an organization, its viewed as an attack on the team around you. Hard not to take that personally.

That makes a lot of sense. Just the first I had heard of it.

he is a special player, the numbers that he puts up are incredible, but still the leader has to be somebody else (...) He leads in scoring, in other things, but in voice he is not the type of player that wants to be or that can be, no? There are different types of leaders. Still, it did not have to have been him, it should have been Kevin Martin, with a little more experience, or even I can take a step further and start to be the definitive leader.

That's the Rubio quote.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24567783/ricky-rubio-questions-kevin-loves-leadership

[Irish Stew]

Do you think he will be a malcontent when he comes here and they trade for Asik and are winning 50 games and are a 2-4 seed in the East? Will he be a problem after they add a third allstar quality player over the next year or two and are competing for the NBA championship? I think not.

[Celtics18]

I would love to see Rondo, Love, and Melo together. 

They would certainly test Coach Stevens' mettle.  I think he could pull it off, though. 

[TwinTower14]

Do we still want to take him off their hands?

yes - 25/13/4 as a 25 year old doesn't grow on trees.  Put him with an elite PG and a rim protector and I am sure Mr. Love will be just fine making the playoffs every year on a young and improving team, playing in front of a packed house for 41 games + playoffs.....

[GreenWarrior]

when I start putting stock into anything Stephen A. Smith says I give you all permission to shoot me.

[the_Bird]

Doc Rivers traded to the Clippers?  Pretty much absurd on its face, everyone was laughing about it but he was dead right. 

Steven A. Smith's a bombastic loudmouth, but you can't ignore him.