Cavs: 3 takeaways from Kevin Love’s recent media availability

Takeaway #3: A nice finish to his Cavs’ tenure would benefit both sides

Though some, such as Amico, have suggested that Love should seemingly get the J.R. Smith-type treatment to end out his Cavs’ tenure in terms of being exiled, if you will, that’s simply not a realistic option.

Love needs to go out there in coming weeks, seemingly leading up to the deadline, and play well, be a good teammate and play how he’s capable of as inside-out scoring/passing presence and outstanding rebounder.

For his best interest as far as going to a desirable destination, such as his hometown Portland Trail Blazers (who have been mentioned time and time again as a potential trade landing spot) along with the Cleveland Cavaliers’ in terms of potential returns in a trade, Love needs to presumably finish his Cavs’ tenure strong.

Whether Love is with Cleveland just for about the next month or so, and a trade won’t be a simple scenario, as Windhorst noted, and as Amico hit on, given Love having “three years and $90 million left” on his contract, or if he’s here for “5 more months,” Love knows this relationship between him and the Cavs has to be an amicable one the rest of the way for a desirable outcome for both sides.

As Forbes‘ Evan Dammarell stressed, the Cavs can’t give Love the Smith treatment, because that would be “horrible optics for Cleveland.”

Dammarell, who mentioned per sources, that the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns have shown interest in Love (and other teams have been suggested as potential partners throughout the season such as the Miami Heat and Utah Jazz), also hit on how Cleveland needs “Love in order to showcase him to teams interested in possibly obtaining his services.”

Moreover, if the Cavaliers don’t end up dealing Love before the deadline, which would seem to be a huge possibility at this point, I’d expect a deal to happen perhaps near the draft or in the free agency period.

Regardless, for both sides to get a desired outcome via trade, Love needs to have a nice finish to his Cavs’ tenure, and I imagine he will do his part the rest of the way. After all, as his Instagram post after the OKC game demonstrated, he loves his teammates.

Finish out strong, starting with Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Pistons, for them, K-Love.