Cavs eventually trading Kevin Love seems inevitable, probably for best given potential for distraction

Given what has transpired in regards to Kevin Love, it seems inevitable that the Cleveland Cavaliers will eventually trade him by the 2020 deadline, and that’s probably for the best given the potential for a growing distraction.

I’ve been on the Cleveland Cavaliers should keep Kevin Love around train from the jump. Love still has plenty of game left in the tank, and while he’s only in the first year of his four-year, $120 million contract and has clearly had well-documented injury issues, he’s still very productive, by and large, game-to-game.

Thus far in the 2019-20 season, Love’s been solid.

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He’s averaged 16.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, as shown by NBA.com, and he’s shot three-pointers at a clip of 37.6% on 6.3 attempts per outing as well. His inside-out presence has helped young players such as Darius Garland, Collin Sexton, Cedi Osman and Kevin Porter Jr. often times be in position for better scoring opportunities.

Unfortunately, though, Love does not seem to have nearly the same enthusiasm in wanting to stick around in Cleveland as a crucial piece in helping this rebuilding team get turned around in coming years now under the direction of head coach John Beilein.

Cavs fans and the organization are well-aware that this team will be primarily focused on progressing gradually in their rebuild, and getting young pieces such as Garland, KPJ and others big minutes so they can properly develop.

Initially going into the 2018-19 season, the Cleveland Cavaliers were still looking to compete for the postseason, but then four games into that season, Love was sidelined with reported toe surgery (and would only appear in 22 games last year mostly because of that), former head coach Tyronn Lue was fired after an 0-6 start and the focus seemingly shifted to a rebuild mode.

At this point in 2019-20, the Cavaliers have struggled mightily against good teams, and that’s even with Love being active in 30 of 35 games and being mostly healthy, but even while I still am a big fan of his game, given his on-floor actions in recent games, it seems inevitable that the Cavs eventually trade him before the February 6 deadline.

Love was fined $1,000 for him losing it on the bench in a blowout loss to the Toronto Raptors and then reportedly following that , according to The Athletic‘s Joe Vardon and Shams Charania (also of Stadium and subscription required) Love had a blow-up after shootaround on Saturday basically toward general manager Koby Altman about the team’s direction.

That then led to Altman threatening more fines, and on Saturday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, as Hoops Habit’s Tony Pesta essentially highlighted, Love was clearly sulking throughout that one and even threw a ridiculously hard pass to Cedi Osman reportedly due to frustration from not getting an entry pass from Sexton when he had a mismatch with Chris Paul switched out on him.

Beilein would go on to say that the lack of pass from Sexton to Love was on him for wanting to have a near-last shot in postgame, but this sort of thing, along with the argument with Altman seems to indicate that the Cavs will eventually move Love and will feasibly want to do so by the deadline to avoid further distraction.

While it’s been reported by The Athletic‘s Jason Lloyd (subscription required) previously that trade suitors will feasibly be wanting a first-round pick attached in a deal for Love, given he has three years remaining on his pricey contract, I’d still rather Altman and the front office obviously try to not agree to that.

However, considering Love suitors are still going to be reluctant to give a great deal of assets/promising young players for Love, as Sports IIlustrated‘s Sam Amico hit on, the Cleveland Cavaliers need to do all they can to deal Kevin by the deadline.

Even though Love’s good buddy and former Cav fan favorite Channing Frye defended Love in regards to the Cavs’ organizational issues, as the aforementioned Pesta demonstrated, it’s still hard to believe Love’s been so overt in regards to his frustrations on the court. I don’t know, Channing, I’d still think Love is a key leader on this team, but he’s not acting like it right now, and the Cavaliers and K-Love need to part ways soon.

Love had to at least think there’s a good possibility that the Cavs would eventually have to move their primary focus to rebuilding and playing young pieces big minutes, and he seemed to be still be locked-in a few weeks ago.

Anyway, even though Love posted on Instagram a picture of him and Sexton after the OKC game and that he loves his teammates, it seems that the Cavs and him should ultimately move on from one another, as it’s probably for the best for both sides at this point.

I’m still so appreciative of all that Love has given to the Cavaliers in his time here, and with all the trade rumors he’s had to deal with, I can’t blame if behind closed doors, he does want out.

All in all, Love has had two All-Star seasons with the Wine and Gold, contributed to the franchises’ only championship team in 2016, has grown into being more of a leader and established himself as a voice for spreading the importance of mental health.

If this is close to the end of Love being with the Cavaliers, I wish him the very best and it probably is time, anyhow. If Cleveland doesn’t reach a deal by the deadline, it could create more potential for distraction.