Cavaliers Notes: Osman, Love, McKinnie

The four-year, $31MM extension that Cedi Osman signed today was always his preference instead of trying his luck in free agency, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. It’s a team-friendly contract, Fedor notes, starting at $8.75MM and decreasing each year, with a non-guaranteed final season at $6.65MM. Although Osman might have found a better offer on the open market, he likes the security of having a long-term deal in Cleveland.

“I really feel like I’m home,” he said after today’s shootaround. “I just really wanted to stay where I belong. I love being here, I love the organization. I’m just happy here, with the coaches, with the organization, with my teammates, we have a great brotherhood in here. It’s a great opportunity for myself to grow and to learn during those extra four years I’m going to have here. I’m just really happy that I’m going to be here for the long term.”

Osman’s role with the team has expanded since he made the decision to leave Turkey in 2017. His first Cavs team still had LeBron James and was headed to its fourth straight NBA Finals. Osman got into 61 games as a rookie, but only averaged 11 minutes per night and barely saw the court in the postseason. He moved into the starting lineup last year and became a double-figures scorer.

“He’s just the type of young man that works hard every single day in practice, very low maintenance and he’s young and growing as a player,” said coach John Beilein. “That’s been the biggest thing. Takes a business-like approach to his career.”

There’s more out of Cleveland:

• Getting more shots for Kevin Love will be a priority, Fedor relays in a separate story. The former All-Star shot the ball just nine times in a season-opening loss, and Beilein said it would be “crazy” if he doesn’t have a larger role in the offense. Beilein, who was coaching his first NBA game, apologized to Love afterward for playing him 20 minutes in the first half and has given his assistants the power to make substitutions for tired players.
• In another piece, Fedor predicts that Love will remain with the Cavaliers throughout the season, even though he’s the team’s most valuable trade asset. Fedor notes that the team’s record was far better with Love in the lineup last season, and the front office has stated that it has no regrets about giving him a four-year, $120MM extension last summer.
• Beilein and general manager Koby Altman see Alfonzo McKinnie as an asset to the team culture, which is among the reasons Cleveland claimed him off waivers this week, notes Sam Amico of SI.com.