Lauri Markkanen could have Kevin Love’s current Cavs role down the road

Lauri Markkanen‘s first season with the Cleveland Cavaliers was something of a mixed bag, in my opinion. Coming into this season, with him in a new situation, and with other Cavaliers bigs in the fold, it was hard to expect Markkanen to get out to a strong start.

Through Markkanen’s first four seasons with the Chicago Bulls, there were plenty of times where he showed immense potential on the offensive end. Objectively, there were just inconsistencies over that span of time, partly because of injuries.

Overall, it did seem apparent that with the Cavaliers, though, Markkanen again was going to need time to get comfortable.

For the season in general, Markkanen had 14.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per outing, and he connected on 35.8 percent of his three-point attempts. As we essentially alluded to, he had some ups and downs, and playing his share of time as a de facto 3 with both Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen on the floor was an adjustment for Markkanen.

Markkanen did seemingly hit his stride with Cleveland in January, and as the year wore on, he looked to have better feel for playing off the other two starting bigs, and was improving his chemistry with other perimeter guys. He unfortunately suffered an ankle sprain in late January that extended through the All-Star break, but he did close the season strong post-All-Star, and I believe he’ll start out strong next year.

That was more so playing at the 4 with Allen’s extended absence due to a fractured finger; still, I do think we should see Markkanen and the tall-ball starting lineup begin next season for Cleveland. There were some notable success there defensively for the Cavaliers, and while injuries at times cut their play together as starters, we should see more of that next season, one would think.

Nonetheless, when it comes to Markkanen’s outlook maybe later on next season, or looking onward, it’s not that out of the realm of possibility that Markkanen could seemingly be in Kevin Love‘s current role for Cleveland.

Markkanen could have Love’s current Cavs role down the road it seems.

Heading into this now-past season for the Cavaliers, Love’s outlook was somewhat precarious, as he seemed to be shifting toward moving to a bench role, and it was difficult to project how that might shake out.

Fortunately for Love and the Cavaliers, the move was a terrific one for both Love and his preservation health-wise, and the team. Love had 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, which wasn’t earth-shattering on the surface, but in just 22.5 minutes per contest, that gave the team a notable lift.

Love connected on 39.2 percent of three-point attempts, too, and had the third-most threes made in a single season by a Cavs player, with 187 triples.

Love’s deep shooting prowess, quality defensive rebounding, and leadership/buy-in in his new role helped the Cavs in their turnaround in 2021-22, and he was rightfully in the Sixth Man of the Year conversation. He ultimately finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting, which was the near-cherry on top of a bounce-back season for the veteran.

That being said, while I do believe Love can be successful once again next season in a supersub-type role as a catch-and-shoot guy, he is set to be on an expiring deal, at least currently. And he’s set to make $28.9 million. So naturally, he could theoretically be a potential expiring trade piece for Cleveland, as some have suggested it seems, and as we continue to progress in the offseason.

I still think Love can be very impactful for the Cavs this next season, but if they utilized his expiring deal as a trade asset, I’d understand that. That’s something that will be a topic of conversation ahead, assuredly.

Either way, though, Love will be in his age-34 season in 2022-23, and he might not be around through next season, or looking onward. Perhaps he and the team can come to a short-term agreement at some point, if it’s pretty team-friendly, but we’ll see.

Regardless, as we hit on previously, Markkanen, another stretch big with range, could potentially be a candidate to take on Love’s current role down the road. Markkanen is a guy that’s going to have some streakiness with his shooting, which is generally the case with most players of his archetype, anyhow.

But looking down the road, it’s tough to say if Markkanen and the three-big lineup can be viable, at least until Mobley has more perimeter shooting competence, and/or if Markkanen can becomes more comfortable defending wings.

I still want the Cavaliers to give the group more time together to see if this experiment can work, and with the Garland/seemingly Sexton duo, especially, if Sexton fully recovers.

Anyway, whether or not Markkanen sticks as a de facto starter at the 3, or fills in at the 4 at times starting if injuries occur, one can’t blame the Cavaliers for eventually moving a potential wing selection such as Tari Eason there.

Rumored potential trade targets such as Jerami Grant or Harrison Barnes maybe moving Markkanen to a bench role at some point down the road, or if Love is potentially moved by the deadline, there next season, could be sensible, also. In a possible Grant or Barnes deal, I’d prefer Cleveland move Caris LeVert as part of a package, for the record, but we’d have to see.

Anyway, down the road, with Love’s age factored in, and a potential wing add, Love’s current role could end up being Markkanen’s down the road. Maybe that’s not the case, but it’s I’m sure something the Cavs are monitoring.