Kevin Love “loves” New York, a positive sign for the Knicks with the summer of 2015 in mind.
The Timberwolves’ superstar power forward is scheduled to become a free agent and the Knicks are projected to have plenty of salary cap room by then. If Jim Dolan, Steve Mills and Co. ever could convince Love to take up permanent residence in New York, the Knicks wouldn’t have to deal with the two-time All-Star who has basically owned them since entering the league six years ago.
“I love New York City, it’s great. … . To get out to the northeast is very nice. I’ve always enjoyed coming to New York City,” the trimmed-down Love said before his Timberwolves made their lone visit to the Big Apple, a commanding 109-100 victory over the Knicks. He was a villain at the Garden Sunday night, torching the Knicks for 34 points, 15 rebounds and five assists, but a few years from now, Love could be a fan favorite.
This past week, Carmelo Anthony bragged he has a “big black book” he plans to use in an effort to recruit players to the Knicks. Love would seem to be one of those players Anthony would look to lure, provided Anthony, who can opt-out of his contract and become a free agent after this season, still calls the Garden his home.
“He’s a load, an offensive rebounding machine,” Anthony said. “He’s a big [power forward] who can space out and shoot threes. He can create havoc in the paint. He’s gotten better every year he’s been in this league.’’
Love said he isn’t thinking about the future too much quite yet. After missing 64 games a year ago because of a pair of fractures in his right shooting hand and left knee surgery, the 6-foot-10 former UCLA star and Oregon product is just worried about the present, remaining healthy and leading Minnesota to the playoffs for the first time in his six-year career.
“I want to talk about this year and the present right now,” said Love, who has led Minnesota to an impressive 3-0 start, its first such start in 12 years. He did wax poetic about the Garden, calling it the “Mecca of basketball.”
“If you can’t get up to play in MSG, you may as well go home,” he said.
Love, after all, enjoys the city. He has spent plenty of time rehabbing injuries in New York and he had a blast in his debut at the new Garden. After hitting an off-balance jumper off the glass that stretched the Minnesota lead to 106-98 with 3:19 left, Love turned and exchanged some good-natured trash talk with Spike Lee, slapping hands with the famous Knicks fan.
“I know where he sits. He saw me coming, so I kind of just reached out for some dap,” Love said with a smile. “He was right there, he kind of shook his head. It was one of those moments — Spike Lee, MSG against the Knicks. I just saw the opportunity and took it.”
The Knicks may have a similar opportunity two summers from now.