Kevin Love is probably going to stick with the Cleveland Cavaliers for a while.
Kevin Love seems to perpetually be a name that’s brought up as a player that could be traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers. That’s nothing new, and the hypothetical trades/Cavs rumors involving Love have been a mainstay for so long, because of the Cavs not being a team that’s likely to be making a viable push for a postseason berth.
But what us Cavs fans also understand is that Love’s contract is such a hefty one, as he’s set to make nearly $91.5 million over the next three seasons. So even with Cleveland amid a rebuild, I wouldn’t expect Love to be traded until at least after next season, frankly.
And sticking to how Love will be so difficult for the Cavaliers to move, should they choose to do so at some point, recent comments by a former NBA executive, John Hollinger, further prove that. Hollinger was previously the Memphis Grizzlies vice president of basketball operations, for context.
Anyway, here was what Hollinger, now of The Athletic, said on an appearance on former ESPN NBA Draft Insider Chad Ford’s NBA Big Board podcast involving Love, as h/t Sam Amico of Amico Hoops and Sports Illustrated.
"“I don’t think there’s any market for him at all. I had people openly scoff at me last year when I was bringing up Kevin Love trades.”"
Those comments regarding Love/for the Cavs from Hollinger are telling, whether or not Cavs rumors centered on it are to come.
Love being reportedly very difficult and/or Hollinger even saying he doesn’t think “there’s any market” for Love is not exactly the most shocking thing to hear.
Love’s due to make roughly $31.3 million next season, and factoring in what’s likely to be a loaded 2021 free agency class, it’s really hard to foresee Love being traded by the Cavaliers until at least following the free agency period next offseason. These comments from Hollinger to Ford just reiterate that, honestly.
Now, will we probably see Cavs rumors about potential Love trades still to come/hypothetical deals centered on him being moved? I would think those are here to stay, still, and it’s understandable why that’s seemingly likely.
Albeit Love would appear likely to remain with the Wine and Gold through next season at least. And fortunately, he seems so much more bought-in.
That’s after a past season that had turbulence with him and the Cavs’ team dynamic, as Love and Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who took over in that role post-All-Star break leading into the novel coronavirus-induced hiatus/ultimately end of 2019-20 for Cleveland, seem to have a great relationship.
Love had a better second half of this past season, either way, though, and was a considerably better teammate/more engaged from early-to-mid-January onward, anyhow. He finished out last season with 17.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest, which was solid.
He also hit 37.4 percent of a career-high 7.0 three-point attempts per outing in 2019-20, and I’d imagine Love should have much better chemistry next season with pieces such as Collin Sexton, Darius Garland and Kevin Porter Jr., for instance.
But it is evident that, given his contract, and frankly, bevy of injuries over the course of his time with the Cavs, especially, that trading him any time soon, should the Cavs look to do so, will be an extremely difficult endeavor. Hollinger’s comments just drove that point home.
However, Cavs rumors involving Andre Drummond, should he eventually opt into his $28.7 million player option for next season, which would seem likely at some point, will likely be more noteworthy, really.
Granted, per a report from Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, should Cleveland look to trade Drummond, their “best chance” is to near the 2021 deadline, though, provided he were to opt in. And that’s seemingly whether the Cavs select a big or not on Nov. 18 in the 2020 NBA Draft/or if the unrestricted Tristan Thompson were to return.
Regardless, I’d expect Love to be a Cavalier again, through next season, and Hollinger’s take brings me to continue to be steadfast in that opinion.