During the first half of the 2019/20 season, a report stated that if Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love was traded, he preferred to end up with his hometown Trail Blazers. Portland reportedly offered expiring contracts to Cleveland in exchange for Love, but were unable to complete a deal.
Love – who was born in Southern California and played for UCLA but grew up in Lake Oswego, Oregon – never publicly confirmed that Portland would have been his ideal landing spot. However, with the veteran forward and the Cavs increasingly likely to part ways sometime before his contract expires in 2023, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports asked Love during the most recent episode of his Posted Up podcast about the possibility of eventually joining the Blazers.
“Who wouldn’t want to play with Dame Lillard, first of all,” Love responded. “Dame, he’s special. He’s amazing. I claim Portland when they ask me where I’m from. It’s where I spent all of my formative years. I grew up in Portland. When people ask where I was born, obviously I say L.A. But Portland is always going to be a special place in my heart.
“Whether it be at the end of my career, whether it be in six months, or whatever it may be, if I was wearing a Portland jersey, that’s special,” Love continued. “That’s playing at home.”
Love still has two years and $60MM+ left on his contract with the Cavaliers, which will make a trade challenging, especially for Portland — if they’re going to take on that sort of money, the Blazers will be targeting an impact player in his prime.
Still, after Love’s latest on-court display of frustration, speculation has increased that the 32-year-old and the Cavs could be headed for a divorce sooner rather than later, even if that means Cleveland negotiating a buyout or accepting pennies on the dollar in a trade. If Portland could sign the former fifth overall pick at a discount once he eventually reaches free agency, the idea of a union between the two sides seems much more viable.
While he figures to be the subject of trade rumors again this offseason, Love is on track to finish the 2020/21 season with the Cavs. He has averaged 11.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per games in 21 contests (23.9 MPG) so far. Those numbers are all well below his career averages, as are his .404 FG% and .349 3PT%.
K. Love was too kind ……. all he really meant was “Get me the hell out of Ohio, asap”
His podcast should be called “Going Postal.”
Lol imagine being Dame having to explain how you’re ok with the moves the front office is making and how you’re confident and then they trade for Kevin Love.
Why does this fool keep making headlines? Pretend you have Covid and sit out the rest of the season. Let the young fellas play.
Because Lilliard is so fond of keeping Bazemore and Whiteside around?— I think not. It is in the link.
They are not around, moved for Ariza in the offseason presumably without Lilliard blocking it. Ariza has been traded 11 times and signed FA three and has also been moved on.
More from HR about a year ago:
“The Cavs couldn’t find common ground with potential trade partners when it came to Love’s trade value. Cleveland reportedly wanted a first-round pick in exchange for the big man, while it was rumored that some teams wanted a first-rounder just to take Love.”
Hopefully pressure is building to move Love and/or Altman. Whenever Altman pulls the trigger, he will lose support in the fanbase as the dullards have to figure things out.
If he were a good soldier, and the Cavs could assess his value realistically, they could be rid of him for just equally bad expirings.
The fact that he publicly wants to leave as badly as the Cavs want him gone throws a wrench into everything since the Cavs aren’t in a position to attach picks to dump that contract. It’s an even worse situation than Wiggins.
At this point, Cavs should take expiring contracts for Love
While giving these quotes, Love sprained his jaw and will miss the next 3 games.
After his little hissy fit the other night, I don’t see how anyone would want him on their team. Especially at his cost. I think he is stuck in Cleveland until a “Blake Griffin style” buyout happens.
I’m not sold he’s totally healthy. If he could get healthy I could see him having a bounce
back season or two — having said that if I were Portland I wouldn’t be betting on that.
Can someone offer up a legitimate explanation for how Kevin love could legitimately help the trailblazers more than as a solid bench player? He’d be the most expensive 7th man in the history of the game.
B/c the Blazers (or whoever) could move nonstarting salary out. However, the Blazers do not really have anyone that qualifies anymore. They used to. HR is sticking to facts, and the past does have facts. I made a list of 6 current targets but the Cavs would have to lose a good young player.
No good options like there used to be.
link to hoopsrumors.com
Cavs could attach value AND take salary to move him. Just don’t give up the next first. There are at least two phenomenal draftees waiting.
His numbers are decent per 36 mins. Definitely not worth his salary as I only see him as a buyout guy, and play as a 6th or 7th man. His defense sucks and if you have him with Melo, they play the same spot. Both bad at defense. Yikes! As a rebounder and shooter, I think he can still produce.
It wouldn’t be special for the Blazers.
Who cares ’bout the Blazers anyhow?
The article is ’bout K-Love & that is his view, so that it is, right?
No, that isn’t “it”
Right?
Please explain the point of typing ’bout which is the same number of characters as about.
The apostrophe is meant to contract, not make ”em the same length.
Love might be washed up but I’m not totally sold yet. He’s been injured continuously since LeBron left. Maybe that counts as washed, idk, but I could see him having another season or two of All Star level play if he can stay healthy.
In theory his game should age well.
The Cavs already gave away their best player for nothing. Houston thanks them.
So it shouldn’t take too much from the Blazers if they want Kevin Love.
Interesting that he talks about this now, a decade into his career and after winning a ring. I don’t remember too much love for Portland when he first came up lol