Globale News » even a midseason coaching cha

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Kevin Loves phone rang in July and LeBron James asked the All-Star forward if he wanted to play with him in Cleveland. "Im in," Love told James. For the long haul. Getting used to a new city and new team after being acquired by the Cavaliers on Saturday, Love said hes committed to winning an NBA title with the Cavaliers -- however long it takes. Love, who didnt make the playoffs during six sometimes rocky seasons with Minnesota, can opt out of his contract and become a free agent next summer. But 25-year-old Love, regarded as the games top "spacing" forward, said he intends to stay with James and the Cavs. "Im committed to this team, committed long term to the end goal and thats to win championships," he said. Cleveland is smitten with its newest superstar. Love was introduced Tuesday by the Cavs, who acquired him in a blockbuster, three-team trade that instantly turned Cleveland, which won just 33 games last season, into an NBA championship favourite. The deal also gives the team a star-powered trio in Love, James and Kyrie Irving. Love and James became friends two summers ago as U.S. Olympic teammates in London. It was there, while chasing a gold medal together, that James began recruiting Love, who wasnt sure what to make of the four-time league MVPs overtures. "Sitting next to me, a locker really close to me and he would always tell me how good he thought I was," Love said. "For me I would just kind of brush it off and shake it off because I was standoffish because I didnt know him well." James persisted and after more conversations, Love realized there could be a time when their careers could intersect again. "I thought that one day maybe I could play with LeBron James," he said. And now that Love is gone, the Timberwolves are left to rebuild around No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins and last years top pick, Anthony Bennett, two young players they were able to pry from Cleveland. Love didnt leave the Timberwolves on the best of terms. He was the face of the franchise, and Minnesota is where he developed into one of the games top rebounders and scorers, a dual threat from inside and out. But the years of losing wore on him and it was no secret that he wanted out. Still, Love said hell look back on his first NBA home as a positive experience. "The people of Minnesota were great, the fans were great, they showed up, win, lose or draw, and I really developed a lot of relationships all the way down through the organization," he said. "It was a great six years, and I enjoyed my time, and I cant say enough good things about it." While Love was saying good things about his former team, his old boss wasnt as warm about him. Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor isnt sure Love fits in Cleveland as well as many believe. "I question Kevin if this is going to be the best deal for him because I think hes going to be the third player on the team," Taylor said. "I dont think hes going to get a lot of credit if they do really well. I think hell get blame if they dont do well. "Hes around a couple guys that are awful good. Im not saying Kevin isnt good. I think where maybe he got away with some stuff not playing defence on our team, Im not sure thats how its going to work in Cleveland. I would guess theyre going to ask him to play more defence -- and hes foul prone." The Cavs know nothing is certain, and theres risk in bringing aboard Love. But with James, Love, Irving, guard Dion Waiters, relentless rebounder Anderson Varejao and newly signed veterans Shawn Marion, Mike Miller and James Jones, the Cavs have the makings of a championship team -- this season and for many more to come. "This is culmination of a year and a half of conversations to trade for Kevin," general manager David Griffin said. "This is a player that, quite frankly, fits us as well as any player could have." Love will wear No. 0 for the Cavs. His No. 42, the number he wore in college and with the Timberwolves, was worn by Nate Thurmond and retired in Cleveland. He considered No. 11, his Olympic number, but that was worn by Zydrunas Ilgauskas and also hangs from the rafters at Quicken Loans Arena. So he went with 0, the number he first wore as a kid in Beaverton, Oregon. "I thought this was a chance to start fresh," Love said, "and pick a new number that would suit me. I just decided that 0 was the right fit for me." And so was the chance to play again with James. For the first time since 1973, there is just one Canadian team in the NHL post-season. The Montreal Canadiens represent the nations only hope of ending a 21-year Stanley Cup drought, and thats a long shot. Across the rest of the country, disappointment reigns. "Its not fun, for sure," said Calgary Flames forward Mike Cammalleri, who spent parts of three seasons with Montreal. "The players on the team, I can tell you for sure, feel it. It weighs a lot on you, no doubt. "Thats part of also what makes it so special to play in a Canadian market. When it goes the other way, theres no more rewarding feeling." Playoff hopes slipped away at different times during the 2013-14 season for Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Calgary, culminating Tuesday night when the Leafs were the final team eliminated. Change has already come for some clubs and more is on the way. Flames general manager Jay Feaster, Canucks GM Mike Gillis and Jets coach Claude Noel have already lost their jobs as part of this lost season. And already, Vancouver hired Trevor Linden and Toronto brought in Brendan Shanahan to oversee what comes next. The biggest collapse has been by the Canucks. All seemed well at the start of 2014 for the perennial contenders who came within one win of capturing the Stanley Cup two seasons ago. Daniel and Henrik Sedin had new four-year contract extensions, and a 10-1-2 December had Vancouver in playoff position. Then the bottom fell out. Seven losses in eight games to start January brought signs of trouble. Mercurial coach John Tortorellas infamous attempt to enter the Flames locker room after a brawl made things worse. In March, Gillis blamed injuries and the locker room incident for the Canucks free fall that also included trading goaltender Roberto Luongo to Florida less than a year after sending Cory Schneider to New Jersey. Now Gillis is gone and Linden must pick up the pieces. Shanahan gets to do the same in Toronto, where the Leafs fell apart down the stretch, losing eight straight games in regulation.dddddddddddd What seemed like a bright future when they nearly upset Boston in the opening round of last springs playoffs has turned murky. Goaltender Jonathan Berniers groin injury March 13 began the spiral, and even Berniers return couldnt stop the Leafs from disappearing from contention. Unlike the Canucks, the Leafs didnt begin firing people immediately. Instead, they hired Shanahan away from the league office. Ottawa also made the playoffs last season and now is on the outside. Like Toronto, the Senators fell apart in March, a six-game losing streak the most damaging. High-profile addition Bobby Ryan, acquired in a trade with Anaheim, played much of the season in pain before finally having sports hernia surgery. The playoffs might have been unreachable from the outset for the other three Canadian clubs: Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton. The Jets third season in Winnipeg ended like the first two: early. Not even a midseason coaching change from Noel to Paul Maurice made much difference. "Its been a difficult year, where we are, where weve come from, everything weve been through," winger Blake Wheeler told The Canadian Press. No expectations were placed on the Flames in a hard-core rebuilding year under new president of hockey operations Brian Burke. They had 10 players make their NHL debut this season, as coach Bob Hartley was tasked with instilling a work ethic in a young team. Edmonton, despite so many recent top draft picks — Sam Gagner, Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov — has yet to meld that talent. Popular coaching hire Dallas Eakins couldnt work much improvement, especially on defence, and the Oilers once again will be among the early choosers in the draft. For now, other than in Montreal, Canada is the Not So Great White North on the hockey landscape. ' ' '