The Cleveland Cavaliers may have extended Kevin Love’s contract but that’s a promise that he won’t be traded.
With the departure of LeBron James came the extension of Kevin Love, seemingly a page the Cavs stole from the Miami Heat’s book considering the max contract they offered to forward-center Chris Bosh after LeBron returned to Cleveland.
To that point, when we look back at the season after LeBron left Cleveland the first time, it should give some indicators of what to expect this year.
For those that don’t remember, the last time LeBron left, the Cavs finished with the second-worst record in the NBA that season (19-63).
There are several significant differences this time around though.
The team they had after LeBron left was worse from top to bottom. They also didn’t have an All-Star like they do in Love.
That said, nobody knows how well this years team will mesh, especially considering that last season there wasn’t much “meshing” at all. If anything, LeBron made the team mesh by virtue of his greatness but the team never truly got a chance to fit thanks to roster overturn and an injury-plagued roster before and after the trade deadline moves were made.
To readdress Love, who just signed a lucrative four-year contract extension, the Cavs’ ability to mesh around him will be a matter of extreme significance.
Yet, because Love’s extension is devoid of a no-trade clause, it raises an interesting question.
Depending on how this season goes, how possible is it that he gets traded?