Kevin Love has the option of leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers at the end of the season. The forward has a player option for 2015 and could opt out of his deal and hit the free agent market. That was the plan from the start for Love who then found himself being traded by the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Cleveland Cavaliers to be the final piece of the Big 3 puzzle. However, Love still has that opt out option looming and is trying to downplay the idea he will use.
The Cavaliers gave up their last two No. 1 overall draft picks in Anthony Bennett and Andrew Wiggins to acquire Love. They took a very big risk on a player that maybe only views himself as a one-year rental. There were reports that Love and Dan Gilbert had a verbal agreement in place regarding a contract extension. Cleveland will have the space to offer max money, but all that could really be tossed to the win if Love is not happy with the Cavaliers. He denies the idea.
"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, via ESPN Radio's "Mike and Mike in the Morning." "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."
There is still interest for Love including the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks. Love grew up a Lakers fan while his father played against the Knicks in the Garden during the 70s. He could make the jump if he wants as both teams with have the available salary cap space to sign the forward. However, Love stresses again that he is a Cavalier for the long haul.
"...so yeah I mean, the Knicks are a great franchise to be a part of, but as of right now I'm a Cleveland Cavalier, and I see that for a long time being, so we'll just have to wait and see what happens with my career. But as far as playing in New York, it's unlike anything else, it's really truly a treat," Love said.
Meanwhile the Cavaliers will be eyeing trades in order to help Love and the others win games. After Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio stressed that Dion Waiters was not a trade target, Tristan Thompson might be and he could help land someone like Timofey Mozgov, Norris Cole or even Roy Hibbert.
