Just this past NBA season, the Cleveland Cavaliers traded their first round pick Andrew Wiggins in order to acquire Kevin Love. Now, Love has decided to opt out in the last year of his contract with Cavs, which would have guaranteed him $16.7 million. This does not mean that the three time All-Star will necessarily leave, but it does open up the possibility of finding a new home with a different team.
As well as the Cavaliers played throughout the playoffs without Love, it is obvious that his presence was dearly missed. He was needed in order for his team to stand a better chance of defeating the new NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors. Love is a player who provides various contributions when he on the floor and is still among the more impressive big men in the league.
On July 1, the UCLA product will be an unrestricted free agent with a player option and will be able test the waters of free agency. He has had more than his fair share of struggles with Cleveland and that is a reasonable motive to explore alternative options. With that being said, Love has expressed his strong desire to stay with the Cavs.
This was a smart financial move for him. It gives him the chance to sign with another team if he so wishes and allows more money for a new contract. Still, expect for the Cleveland Cavaliers to sign Kevin Love to a larger long-term deal. Remaining with the Cavaliers would improve the likelihood of him being successful in the playoffs and more importantly his chances of achieving an NBA Championship. This recent development is one of the more interesting stories around the NBA and we will just have to stay tuned and await his final decision.
