Kevin Love’s left labrum has torn away from the bone and needs at least 4-to-6 weeks to heal, reports Bleacher Report‘s Howard Beck.
As a result, there’s “virtually zero chance” that Love plays again this postseason, even if the Cavaliers make the Finals. Moreover, if the labrum tear doesn’t heal on its own, offseason surgery is a possibility as well, according to Beck’s sources.
“I want to make it clear that’s highly unlikely,” Cavs general manager David Griffin said, in comments transcribed by the Northeast Ohio Media Group. “The damage to his shoulder is extensive. This is not a situation where we’re expecting he will be available for any of this and we’re in the process of gathering information in terms of what the exact, right, next steps are and every option is on the table.”
Specifically, the MRI on Love revealed “an acute anterior inferior glenohumeral dislocation with the corresponding ligament/labrum tearing and humeral head bone bruising”, the team said. Love is currently in the processing of seeking a second medical opinion on the injury, which he suffered in Game 4 of the Cavaliers/Celtics series when Kelly Olynyk pulled on Love’s arm during a chase for a loose ball.
Love called the play intentional and “bush-league”, and the league in turn suspended Olynyk a game for his role. Since the Celtics were eliminated in that game, the suspension will carry over to the beginning of the 2015-16 season.
From a team standpoint, the injury couldn’t come at a worse time for Cleveland. Love is obviously the team’s best big man, averaging 16.4 points and 9.7 rebounds per game while helping to space the floor for LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. That spacing is something the Cavs were really depending on, particularly if they play Chicago in the next round, as expected, and their imposing front line of Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah.
“It’s unfortunate,” James said. “I mean obviously he’s a big piece to our team. He brings so much to our team offensively and defensively. It’s a big blow for us and we’ve got to have guys step up.”
The Cavs will also be without J.R. Smith to start their second-round series after he picked up a two-game suspension of his own for a separate incident in Sunday’s game.
From a big picture standpoint, Love’s injury could have ramifications even beyond these playoffs. With Love holding a player option giving him the choice of whether to enter free agency after this season, there are multiple viable scenarios in play.
One train of thought is that if Love’s injury ultimately requires surgery, it could lead to questions about his durability and potentially dampen his market of suitors this summer. That, in turn, might lead him to opt-in for the final year of his existing contract with the Cavaliers and delay free agency until 2016.
On the other hand, facing such a significant injury at an awful time might also prompt Love to hit the market as soon as possible and take the most guaranteed dollars and preferred destination he can find, in case this or another injury ultimately cuts into his leverage.
The Cavs aren’t concerned about this dilemma yet, of course. After all, they’re still the Eastern Conference favorite, even taking Love’s injury into consideration. But the variability of their potential outcomes — both on and off the floor — just took a sharp increase.
LAKERS INTERESTED IN RONDO, BUT ‘ONLY AT A CERTAIN LOW PRICE’
Rajon Rondo’s falling out in Dallas with head coach Rick Carlisle and his Mavericks may limit his market elsewhere as a free agent this summer.
The Lakers and Kobe Bryant have long been linked as a potential Rondo suitor, but Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report writes that Los Angeles executives aren’t as sold on Rondo as they once appeared.
So there remains a distinct possibility in today’s space-and-shoot NBA that the Los Angeles Lakers will be the torchbearers for the old school and sign the pass-first (nay, pass-only) Rondo to a free-agent contract this summer.
But what should be made clear, according to team sources, is that Buss is not the believer he was earlier in the season when it comes to Rondo, and Kupchak is toting enough healthy skepticism that he sees Rondo as value only at a certain low price. …
The Lakers have higher priorities when it comes to spending their precious 2015 salary-cap space. They are hopeful of buying a foundational piece—something they aren’t convinced Rondo is.
Bryant has long endorsed Rondo as a player, but even throwing off-court issues aside, it’s questionable how much value he still has on the floor. Teams are sagging off Rondo more than ever before on defense due to his lack of shooting, and his free-throw clip has tumbled below 40%, making him a liability to handle the ball late in games. Moreover, Rondo’s speed to beat defenders off the dribble has also appeared compromised in his years since recovery from ACL surgery.
Add those together with the off-court concerns, and signing Rondo at a high price point doesn’t seem wise. He still has enough “hoops IQ” for someone to take a buy-low gamble on, but it’s tough to justify giving Rondo substantial guaranteed money based on what he showed with the Celtics and Mavericks this season. It seems those in the Lakers front office understand that, even if Bryant may not.
OTHER NEWS FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE
Initial indications are that Dwane Casey will return as Toronto’s coach, reports ESPN‘s Marc Stein.
Though Raptors president and general manager Masai Ujiri inherited Casey as his coach rather than personally selecting him, it does seem Casey will get another year in Toronto despite an embarrassing first-round sweep at the hands of the Wizards, who didn’t even have home court in the series.
“The fact Ujiri scheduled his end-of-season news conference for Tuesday, instead of taking an extra week to evaluate things like Sam Presti did in Oklahoma City, would also seem to bode well for Casey,” Stein wrote.
Casey is the winningest coach in Toronto history, with a total record of 154-158 (.494). The Raptors have now won back-to-back division titles, and guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have each developed into All-Star level players under Casey’s watch.
Another factor pointing in Casey’s favor could also be money. Stein notes that the Raptors are investing in a new practice facility as well as their own D-League franchise, which could make the franchise reluctant to absorb the remaining money on Casey’s contract.
Dallas center Tyson Chandler will play in Tuesday night’s Game 5 against the Rockets despite appearing to throw a punch at Houston’s Dwight Howard late in Game 4.
Chandler and Howard were tangled up under the basket, and after Howard elbowed Chandler to free himself, Chandler responded with a closed fist and took a swing in the direction of Howard’s back as they were running down the floor.
The punch missed its mark, but by league rules, such a play is supposed to result in an automatic ejection and a minimum suspension of one game. Houston blog ClutchFans, has full video of the incident, while Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle has the league’s response:
The NBA opted not to take any further action on an altercation in which Mavericks center Tyson Chandler seemed to take a swing at Rockets center Dwight Howard, a person with knowledge of the decision said. …
NBA rules call for a one-game suspension for trying to strike an opponent, whether open-handed or with a closed fist or whether it lands or not. But Chandler’s swing at Howard could have been ruled as part of the effort to get free. …
“It’s playoff basketball,” Dwight Howard said. “He’s fighting for his life. We’re fighting to move on. It’s going to be a battle. I don’t care (if the games are physical), as long as we get a chance to fight and hit back. It really doesn’t matter to me. I understand what they’re goal is as far as to try to get me frustrated, to try to get me to pick up some cheap fouls. I just have to stay away from it.”
At Tuesday morning’s shootaround in Houston, Chandler told reporters it was the first time he had heard of the accusation and denied throwing a punch.
The Rockets lead the best-of-seven series with Dallas by a 3-1 margin and can end the season for Chandler and the Mavs tonight, potentially making the controversy a moot point.
Ben DuBose is a veteran sports reporter who has followed the Houston Rockets and the NBA since Hakeem Olajuwon was Akeem Olajuwon. He writes for both SheridanHoops and ClutchFans, an independent Rockets blog. You can follow him on Twitter.