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David Griffin: Top 5 moves as Cleveland Cavaliers GM

By Tevin Williams

Aug 26, 2014; Independence, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers player Kevin Love (left) and general manager David Griffin pose for photographers at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 26, 2014; Independence, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers player Kevin Love (left) and general manager David Griffin pose for photographers at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 26, 2014; Independence, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers player Kevin Love (left) and general manager David Griffin pose for photographers at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 26, 2014; Independence, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers player Kevin Love (left) and general manager David Griffin pose for photographers at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /

#2: Bringing some Love to Cleveland

When LeBron returned home in 2014, Griffin and the Cavs realized that he wanted to win now. The Cavaliers had one of the youngest teams in the league, and young players usually aren’t ready to play big minutes deep into the playoffs.

As part of a three-team trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland traded away No. 1 picks Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett for Kevin Love. Love was a true stat sheet stuffer in Minnesota. In the 2013-14 season, he averaged 26.1 points and 12.1 rebounds per game.

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Love hasn’t put up the same superstar numbers in Cleveland, being the third option behind LeBron and Kyrie. He has been heavily criticized for his play and the victim of trade talks ever since he arrived. Love has had to remake his game to fit in with the Cavs. He went from the first option on his own team, with the offense being run through him, to stand in the corner for much of his first two seasons.

Love’s resurgence

When Tyronn Lue took over for David Blatt in the 2015-16 season, he made an effort to feature Love a bit more in the offense. The Cavs usually look to establish Love in the first quarter of every game. It paid off, Love averaged 7.6 points in the first quarter last season, good enough for 8th in the NBA.

Say what you want about Kevin Love’s tenure in Cleveland, because last year he averaged an impressive 19 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. Doesn’t sound like a big deal? Well, only three other players in the NBA averaged at least 19 points and 11 rebounds per game last year. The three best big men in the league, Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, and Karl Anthony-Towns.

It’s time to show Kevin Love a little love.