Cleveland Cavaliers: Was Kevin Love’s extension about business, loyalty or both?

The Cleveland Cavaliers have locked Kevin Love up for the next five seasons. Was it them being loyal to their last remaining star or an intelligent business decision?

Over the last few seasons, we’ve seen fanbases crushed after losing a franchise player that management promised the top care and love to. Some even took pay cuts to stay in their city, with their fans, and they betrayed them. However, it’s a business, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are no different.

Dan Gilbert has built a dynasty with Quicken Loans and other top-level companies. He knows how to run a business, and it’s ignorant to think this extension, that the management showcased in front of their entire staff, was just to honor Love’s loyalty.

After four straight trips to the NBA Finals, it does seem right to give Love the extension he deserves.

At the same time from a management’s perspective, it’s all about coupling the right business moves with the right basketball moves and aligning those with the strategy in which the team wants to execute.

Cleveland certainly did the latter two of those three. They want to stay relevant, so they extended their five-time all-star in order to stay in the Eastern Conference playoff chance.

Right basketball move, right strategic move. And, it was the right business move.

But, with elite young talent developing, could extending Love and not allowing him to be entertained by other team’s next offseason also the best business move?

Let’s think about one obvious route where which seemed to take place this offseason with the Toronto Raptors.

The Cavs finish in the top eight seeds in the Eastern Conference. They see significant development from Collin Sexton, Cedi Osman, Ante Zizic, and other relatively young players. Then, at 30, Love is no longer the key piece to the Cavs relevance.

Still capable of being an elite third option, the Cavs can deal Love to a team like Portland or Washington, a team which won’t become a contender without that third option and willing to pay the price for him.

Then, all of a sudden, the Cavs have become the Toronto Raptors, a team screaming player loyalty just to see them betray their star. The Raptors did this in order to bring in Kawhi Leonard while sending away their top scorer and beloved star DeMar DeRozan.

In no way am I saying this pathway will be a reality for the Cavaliers, but in the midst of all the happiness behind Love’s extension, we need to realize Gilbert is an elite businessman. He’ll do what it takes to save money, maximize talent, and sell tickets.

When Love becomes just another piece to the puzzle and not the main picture, will Gilbert leave loyalty in the rear-view mirror?