The Cavaliers need an escape goat for the team's record and while many fingers are being pointed at head coach David Blatt, there are a few eyes looking in the direction of Love. The Cavaliers acquired the power forward in the offseason, giving up the past two No. 1 overall draft picks in return. That trade does not change the fact that Love is working on an expiring contract and could simply leave Cleveland in the summer.
There have been a number of conflicting reports regarding Love's short-term and long-term status with Cleveland. ESPN.com reported Love was planning on opting out of his current contract at the end of the season and heading West for the Los Angeles Lakers or Clippers. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported Love was not going to sign a long-term deal with Cleveland in order to get a max contract with the salary cap rises. Yahoo! Sports reported Love was going to be traded. On his part, Love saying he is committed to the Cavaliers and has no plans on heading elsewhere.
"I think that we will figure it out here, so I don't plan on opting out or any of that," Love told NEOMG. "I plan on being here. As far as leaving my options open, I mean sure, it's always there. At the end of the day, it's always good to have something but no, I plan on being here. I've said all along that I plan on being a Cavalier long-term."
The question is would the Cavaliers pull the trigger on moving the forward before they risk losing him for nothing? The answer is likely no, but there are potential deals out there that could be enticing. According to Fansided.com, the Phoenix Suns could deal Eric Bledsoe for the forward. The Los Angeles Lakers could deal Julius Randle and Jordan Hill. The Knicks could always pull the rug out and give up Carmelo Anthony. Most likely, Love stays with the Cavaliers for this season and potentially the next. After that it is anyone's guess what the forward does.
The Cleveland Cavaliers placed extremely high expectations on themselves when the team landed LeBron James in free agency and Kevin Love in a trade prior to the season starting. Immediately they were considered the favorite to win a championship given the level of talent on the roster. However, the wins have not come and while the team has had some strong moments over the past two games, improvement is necessary which could result in a trade of one of the biggest stars on the roster.
