Cleveland Cavaliers: Kevin Love reportedly targeting a mid-January return

It’s been reported that Cleveland Cavaliers star forward Kevin Love has targeted a mid-January return for action, which is just before the NBA trade deadline.

According to The Athletic’s Joe Vardon (subscription required) Kevin Love is targeting a mid-January return to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ starting lineup after having surgery on his big toe on his left foot, which potentially “complicates” Cleveland’s number one overall pick chances, as Vardon noted.

With Kevin Love returning the team will likely improve game-to-game, but will still be a team that struggles. There is probably two sides of this for the Cavs. After Love returns the team could win more, but on the flip side, if he shows he’s healthy again and back at All-Star form, he could draw some big trade interest near the February 7th trade deadline as we’ve detailed often here at KJG if he shows he’s back near full-strength.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have already started the youth movement in reportedly parting ways with J.R. Smith, and trading Kyle Korver to the Utah Jazz, but Kevin Love, when healthy, is the Cavs’ best asset that would likely bring back the most in a trade.

More from Cavs Analysis

• The Cavaliers may have snagged a hidden gem in Craig Porter Jr.
• This stat is one to keep an eye on for Cavaliers’ Max Strus in years ahead
• Projecting how much Cavs’ 3 two-way signings might play this season
• 4 Cavaliers looking to make a name for themselves in training camp
• Mitchell’s numbers getting trimmed a bit wouldn’t be bad thing for Cavaliers

Before a team will trade for Love they would probably want to see if he is healthy again and can produce again before they make a significant trade offer, which is why him returning before the trade deadline could potentially be a factor.

Him drawing significant trade interest through great play would be a best-case scenario for both sides. On one hand the rebuilding Cavs will likely be picking very high in the 2019 NBA Draft and Kevin Love coming back and showing he’s healthy could bring back multiple assets in helping their rebuilding effort.

For a team that next year could eventually be a very young team, it wouldn’t appear Kevin Love being in Cleveland would be the best fit , and also he would probably have more value for a Cavs team looking for multiple assets now.

For Love he would be traded to a better situation where he would be on a team that is likely competing for the postseason, instead of being on a rebuilding team of mostly young guys learning the NBA game. Love has had an incredible career with the Cleveland Cavaliers and it was admirable that he wanted to stay in Cleveland.

Unfortunately, with the Cleveland Cavaliers in rebuilding mode and already starting to trade away veterans (with Kyle Korver likely starting a domino effect), it just makes the most sense for the team to trade the best piece they have on the roster and get the most out of it.