There is nothing Kevin Love can do to stop the speculation. The forward will be a free agent next summer regardless and the media cannot help but wonder if he is planning an exit from the Cleveland Cavaliers. Free agency is what got Love to where he is right now in the first place. The forward was traded simply because he announced his intentions to test the market. Now, Love is doing his best to downplay the idea he still intends to dip a toe into the free agency pool this summer.
The Cleveland Cavaliers gave up a lot to get Love in the offseason. The team dealt away their last two No. 1 overall draft picks to acquire the forward from the Minnesota Timberwolves. The issue is, per NBA rules, they did so with no guarantee that Love would sign a contract extension in 2015 when his deal expires. There were reports of a verbal agreement in place that Love would stay for the long-term, but that essentially means nothing. Of course this has only fueled rumors that Love has every intention of heading out in free agency.
In an interview with ESPN's "Mike and Mike in the Morning", Love stressed that any rumor of him departing the Cavaliers at the end of the season is simply untrue. While the media continues to question his allegiance to the Cavaliers, Love promises he is there to stay.
"Whether we lose two or three games in a row, or there's a game where my statistical output isn't necessarily what it should be, people are always going to talk," said Love. "Since I was traded to Cleveland this summer, I've said since Day 1 that I'm a Cleveland Cavalier long term and I plan for it to be that way. I want to grow with this team. There's a lot of guys with a lot of unique talent, one-through-fifteen, on our roster who are going to be here for a long time. If I could end all the speculation now, I would. But people are going to continue to talk no matter what. I just want to continue getting better with this team long term. I'm a Cleveland Cavalier."
Love will certainly opt out of contract at the end of the season for financial reasons. The salary cap for NBA is only getting bigger and the forward could simply sign a one-year deal and then get a max contract when the TV deal gets put in place. That is the route LeBron James is taking. The Cavaliers have made it clear they will give Love a max contract along with the one that Kyrie Irving has.
The small issue is that there will be a window for other teams to try and make a move on the forward. Being from the West Coast, many speculate that Love truly intends to play for the Lakers, a team that will have the money to sign him. For now, Love promises he is a Cavalier for the long haul, but this is the NBA and money rules everything so no move can be crossed out.