NBA Rumors: With the option this summer, should Kevin Love really leave the Cleveland Cavaliers?
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If there’s one person that isn’t happen that the Cleveland Cavaliers are in the NBA Finals, it has to be Kevin Love. You know, other than those irrational Miami Heat fans that are still hurt that LeBron James left back home.
(I may or may not be one of those)
With that said, he’s probably ecstatic that he’s in the NBA Finals — kind of. Nevertheless, deep down inside, there has to be at least one small ounce of him that’s kind of upset that the Cavs are flourishing without him.
After all, he was supposed to be the difference between the Cavaliers being a good team and a championship team. After the playoffs, it doesn’t exactly look that way. But the fact that Love has the chance to opt out of his contract with the Cavs in order to test free agency this summer makes things a million times more interesting. Especially when it comes to the Cavs.
See, it’s not only that.
On top of this already interesting situation — because that alone would provide good theater this summer — Tristan Thompson, who essentially replaced Love in the playoffs, also hits (restricted) free agency. Relevant fact: He’s also represented by LeBron James’ agent.
It doesn’t stop there, though. This past week, LeBron James went on record to say that Thompson should be a Cavalier for his entire career. In essence, LeBron is saying that Thompson should receive a max contract from the Cavs, because that’s what he’s expected to demand when he hits the market.
Awkward.
So, and stay with me here, if Thompson is going to get a max contract, or something close to that, and if he plays the same position as Kevin Love…
You can do the math. If nothing else, it leaves Love in a very awkward — and difficult — situation.
In an appearance with Yahoo Sports Radio (The Jason McIntyre Show), Adrian Wojnarowksi addressed this whole extremely awkward situation in Cleveland.
"[via theScore, H/T CBS Sports]“He’s got options,” Wojnarowski said in a radio appearance on The Jason McIntyre Show on Yahoo Sports Radio. “He could stay another year (by not opting out) and go into free agency next year. But he’s had injuries, and he might just want to sign a four-year deal somewhere else.”"
Of course he’s going to have options. That’s never been in question. The real issue here is whether or not Love should actually pull the trigger and move on from Cleveland.
He’s probably going to have the Celtics, Lakers and Knicks, to name a few, ready to pounce if he does opt out of his contract. Although, is he willing to simply walk away from playing next to LeBron James and Kyrie Irving for the next four or five years of his career?
It’s not easy to decline playing next to a sure thing, which is exactly what the Cavaliers will be for the foreseeable future.
Ultimately, it’s probably going to come down to happiness vs money/LeBron — because he doesn’t look happy as the third fiddle in Cleveland. Does he want to be happy or does he want to be in position to win an NBA championship every year that he’s in the league. That’s a decision that many stars take into consideration every year.
This summer, it’s Kevin Love’s turn to chose.