Playing in 2019 FIBA WC would do Cavs’ Kevin Love some good if he chooses to

While it’s been reported that Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love is currently not sure if he’ll be playing with Team USA in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, in my opinion, it would be productive for him to do so.

Cleveland Cavaliers star big Kevin Love did not the 2018-19 season he would’ve hoped for, as we’ve hit on here at KJG time and time again, as he was only active in 22 games, mostly due to reported toe surgery.

Along with that, his injury problems have been an issue really the previous three seasons, as he has not been active in over 60 games for the Cavaliers since the 2015-2016 season.

I would assume his injury history is the reason Love is reportedly unsure if he will be competing with Team USA in the 2019 FIBA World Cup (per The Athletic‘s Joe Vardon and subscription required), and I get that; the event is in China and set to run from late August until mid-September, and begins September 1 for the U.S., by the way.

Portland Trail Blazers superstar point guard Damian Lillard is also “on the fence,” as Vardon put it (h/t Fear The Sword’s Chris Manning) with training camp to be in the beginning of August (h/t Manning), and with all that Lillard means to the Blazers, I understand that, too. Both will reportedly be making a decision in the next few days, for the record.

Normally, I would side with Love respectfully declining to participate with Team USA, as his health is always a massive priority for the Cleveland Cavaliers and himself, of course, but actually, I would side with him choosing to compete in international play in this instance.

Love is coming off an injury-shortened season, yes, but him competing in this 2019 FIBA World Cup would give head coach Gregg Popovich a key veteran presence, as Love won a gold medal in the 2012 Olympics with Team USA and won a World Cup in 2010, too, as Manning noted before, and it would be valuable competition for Love to get more acclimated to high-level play again before likely a bit in preseason and in preparation for the Cavs’ 2019-20 regular season.

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Love is one of Cleveland’s most important players, and is likely the most important player, with the way he can space the floor and open up driving lanes for players such as Collin Sexton, Cedi Osman and Darius Garland, but getting some run in the FIBA World Cup would be a nice way for Love to see where he’s at physically before being thrown into the gauntlet of a grueling season without getting much competitive run at all before that.

During his season last year with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Love averaged 17.0 points,10.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game, but had an effective field goal shooting clip of just 47.9% (per Basketball Reference).

That being said, the Cavaliers, who ended last season with a record of 19-63, were a much better (comparatively) 7-9 when Love played at least 15 minutes (per NBA.com), and his career 37.0% hit rate from three-point range (per Basketball Reference), to go with his polished mid-post game/playmaking out of there, would be a valuable addition for Team USA, and I believe him playing in China later this year would be a good way to get him going.

Love appears to be much healthier now, and getting run with a playmaker such as Donovan Mitchell (what a pick-and-pop game that would be), could get Love into a good rhythm with the preseason around the corner and the regular season set to begin in late October (October 22 for the general league start, per The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor).

The Cavs may try to put the kibosh on that possibility, but I’d like to think they’d be okay with Love getting some quality run to get ready for the season ahead while representating his country at the same time. This is likely one of the last times the soon-to-be 31-year-old Love gets to play for Team USA, anyhow, and helping himself get more into competitive basketball shape  and get his shooting falling efficiently can pay off for him and Cleveland.

Love playing just 22 games last year and not playing in China in September would make it even more difficult to feel ready to play a big minutes-share in the regular season, I believe, whereas Tristan Thompson reportedly passing on the 2019 FIBA World Cup with his tough last season, but especially with off-the-floor issues, makes more sense to me to get his mind and body right.