Are the constant rumors of the Cleveland Cavaliers trading Kevin Love finally over? Since the team acquired him from the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014, there have been questions about the star power forward’s fit with the team. In Minnesota, he was one of the best rebounding and shooting big men in the league, and consistently put up gargantuan numbers in the rebounding and scoring columns. In Cleveland, though, his per-game averages dropped (which was to be expected), and his lack of defensive impact could no longer be hidden by gaudy numbers. At times, it has looked as though Love’s confidence is gone. Trade rumors have consistently swirled throughout the league, which can’t have helped his peace of mind. Now, however, the Cavs believe that Love is in a great place, and the idea of trading him is off the table, reports Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer:
The Cavs are very excited about Love this season. They talk about him “being in the best place” mentally and physically since being traded to the Cavs in 2014. Once again, he spent much of the off-season at the U.S. Olympic ski training facility in Park City, Utah. The Cavs like how Love dropped 15 pounds last summer and added flexibility — and I hear Love is in excellent shape right now.
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As someone close to the situation told me, “Kevin learned about what it takes to win. He really matured last season.”
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Once again, there are some silly trade rumors. I’ve been told since the middle of last season the Cavs have no intention of trading Love. And the same is true after the title.
Had the Cavs collapsed in the playoffs, certainly a trade of Love or almost anyone not named LeBron James would have been possible. But the goal for General Manager David Griffin has been to “bring back the band,” as he’s called it several times.
Love is not going anywhere as the training camp looms late in September.
The Cavaliers are obviously doing well; they just won a championship. However, with the addition of Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors, the Cavs will have to play significantly better than they did last season if they want to have a shot at winning. A consistently efficient and confident Kevin Love would do wonders for this team. If that’s the sort of Love we see next season, the Cavs could be a much improved team.
