LeBron James wanted Kevin Love in Cleveland. Chances are, he still does, but James clearly wants more out of the Minnesota transplant.
James tweeted last week about "fitting in" rather than "fitting out," presumably a swipe at Love, who at times seems uncertain on the court.
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According to Ohio.com's Jason Lloyd, Love was surprised by the whole episode.
“I was caught off-guard when I heard about it,” Love said Tuesday, according to Lloyd. ”We’re teammates, we see each other, there’s no problem with us.”
Love was asked directly if he felt James’ tweet was aimed at him.
“I don’t know," Love responded, per Lloyd. "I truly feel if LeBron had a problem with me or had to talk to me for good or worse, he would’ve come up and talked to me. I truly believe that.”
James was both defiant and defensive when he spoke with reporters Tuesday, suggesting that he doesn't need to communicate with teammates via social media.
“I’m not sugarcoating or hiding behind it,” James said, according to Lloyd. “I've got to see him every day, so if I have something to say to him, I’ll say it to his face. The rest of the guys, too. … I would hope they would come to me as well.”
Based on what Love did Sunday against the Lakers, James may not need to say any more. Love scored 32 points on 11-of-18 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 120-105 Cavs victory.
While it appears there may be friction within the locker room, there haven't been many signs of trouble in the win column recently. After a slow start, Cleveland is 32-21 and has won 13 of its last 14 games.