When the tires cup, there is a problem somewhere.... balance, air pressure, or suspension problems. If your suspension has lots of miles on it and has not been serviced, it can become ineffective in keeping the wheel planted on the road resulting in sever cupping, or scalloping. It is not likely the rear tire would cause front tire wear and they operate independent of one another. It is true that both effect the handling. You probably have noticed in your lifetime a car with a broken or depleted shock, and that tire dribbling down the road like a basket ball while the others are fine....
The same is true for bikes... the front can get loose and cause that tire to wear. Some tires are better than others at not exacerbating the problem.