After drafting Evan Mobley with the No. 3 overall pick and agreeing to re-sign Jarrett Allen to a five-year, $100MM contract, the Cavaliers appear to have locked up their frontcourt of the future, prompting Jason Lloyd of The Athletic to suggest that if Kevin Love is going to remain in Cleveland, he should be prepared to accept a role off the bench.
According to Lloyd, the Cavaliers have already spoken to Love about his minutes and role moving forward. The first step will be getting the veteran power forward healthy following the calf strain that has nagged him for much of the year, but even if that calf injury is no longer an issue in the fall, Cleveland will have to closely manage Love’s minutes, writes Lloyd.
While a buyout could ultimately be in both sides’ best interests, those discussions have not yet taken place, according to Lloyd, who suggests Love would likely have to be willing to give back at least $12-15MM for the Cavs to consider buying him out. He’s owed just north of $60MM over the next two seasons.
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Rookie Pistons forward Isaiah Livers, who was selected 42nd overall in last Thursday’s draft, continues to recover from the right foot surgery that ended his college career, but remains optimistic that he’ll be fully cleared around the start of the 2021/22 season, writes Rod Beard of The Detroit News. “For five-on-five, I expect to be fully cleared, hopefully, at some point in October,” Livers said. As Beard observes, Detroit will likely play it safe with Livers and have him start the season with the Motor City Cruise in the G League.
- Although the Heat might not get much out of Victor Oladipo in 2021/22, their minimum-salary agreement with the two-time All-Star will put them in good position to re-sign him next summer if he earns a raise, since they’ll hold his full Bird rights, as Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald details. Oladipo is recovering from surgery on his quad tendon and the Heat aren’t expecting him to be ready to return until sometime in 2022.
- After agreeing to a five-year, $90MM deal with the Heat as a restricted free agent, sharpshooter Duncan Robinson said on The Long Shot podcast that he entered the week focused on getting a deal done with the only NBA team he has ever played for. “Miami ultimately, for me, felt like it was going to be the best situation because it was something I was really familiar with,” Robinson said, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “I felt like I had built equity with an organization, the coaching staff, the front office, the fans even, the city.”
- Despite their past squabbles on and off the court, new Sixers center Andre Drummond doesn’t anticipate teaming up with Joel Embiid will be an issue, he told reporters today. “For me, there was never any real beef,” Drummond said (Twitter link via Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com). “The way we play, sometimes we talk. I don’t think it goes any further than that. … We’re on the same team now.”
Does it really matter if Love accepts a bench role he’s never healthy enough to play anyways
It really doesn’t make sense for him to play at all since the Cavs are in perpetual rebuild mode as one of the worst teams in the league after LeBron deserted them again.
Of course it makes sense for him to play. If healthy he can absolutely contribute and if he can, in anyway, return to even 75% of his former self then he could be moved. Im hoping her realizes the situation abd embraces a mentorship role on the team. He’s the only vet that’s recently won anything.
75% of his former self or not, no one wants that contract for 2 years.
If he doesn’t play, or the ridiculous buyout
media and fans are mouth-foaming over would actually happen, they guarantee themselves another last place finish. You don’t win by giving away players, let alone championship players. They’re already ass-in-stir over the dumping of Porter, Jr .
Love is not expected to be a starter therefore their ein loss SHOULD only be effected in a positive way since he’s not going to be a starter. if he sucks, he doesn’t play much or released. he plays, then my guess is he’s doing something to contribute.
Get a knew name ……..
Just like Blake, but let him get to a contender and watch him find himself again.
What would be the advantage of Love giving up $10-15 million with a buyout? I would milk that entire contract for the next 2 seasons.
Agree100%. Let them release him if they want the bench spot.
To leave and join a contender in hopes of another chip? Pride??
It’s his last pay day and he’s due 60+ million. He’s not throwing 10-15 away on hopes of another ring that he won’t contribute much to.
he doesnt went to play
According to ESPN Windhorst
Lillard wants Blazers to acquire Draymond
IMO Research another 5 team deal to send Love out
Dray looks good in Tokyo despite nearly refusing to shoot. I like that pairing, their similar thinking… except on shooting!
The GSW dynasty may be over anyway, in its previous form at least, with Myers unable to resist the draft values at the GSW slots.
Kevin Love is a fat cry baby
Dude got a fat check for the chip, then actually retired. Too much money and no return. I knew that was happening. Never would’ve invested my money there I can you that.
The 2 years remaining is really one. Some team will go for his expiring $. If not, we clear it off the books. In the right role, he can still contribute to winning. I’d be more worried about the love situation if the Sexton situation was more imminent, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.
Last point is, with all the extra cap space, realistically the best we can hope for is to be a salary dump ground ala OKC. In that situation, we’d likely be stuck with another less than desirable contract. Yes, theoretically we could package whatever sweetener with young assets, but that’s a lot of effort for a team that’s not quite ready to compete for a championship. OR we could sign someone, which obviously is going so well for us. We’d likely have to overpay, in which case we’d be in a similar position.
Unless things become dire, I say keep love until we rebuild his trade value or his contract runs out.
Only one year? It is $60m regardless. Yes he’s stuck, as is the conventional wisdom and Gilbert’s plan, whether or not he might want to cover the bill himself. Still takes up capspace.
Right now nobody wants CLE’s MLE, or it seems like.