Cavs, Kevin Love contract buyout a move of respect, gratitude

On Feb 20, 2023

Cavaliers forward LeBron James celebrates with teammates Kevin Love and guard Kyrie Irving after beating the Golden State Warriors in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on June 19, 2016, in Oakland, Calif.

The Kevin Love contract buyout, as much as anything else, was a symbolic handshake and a genuine “Thank you” from a franchise that is forever in his debt.

The Cavaliers and Love reached an agreement on a buyout Saturday, which made him a free agent able to sign with any NBA team. Love had fallen out of the Cavs’ rotation entirely and hadn’t played at all in a couple of weeks. And while the team recently said it didn’t expect a contract buyout on the horizon, Danny Green’s signing appears to have changed those plans, or at least expedited them.

Prior to Love’s benching, he was playing 20 minutes a game — a career low in his 15 NBA seasons — along with averaging 8.5 points and 6.8 rebounds. He was also shooting 35.4% from 3-point range.

The Cavs eventually became healthier, and coach J.B. Bickerstaff found a rotation that appeared to be working. It just didn’t include Love. But while he no longer fit the Cavs’ immediate plan, he could certainly help another team in need of depth at power forward or another shooter with some size.

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The moment Love’s contract was bought out, it was known he’d likely end up with a rival contender in the East, whether it be Miami or Philadelphia. Love tweeted confirmation Sunday afternoon that he’ll be signing with the Heat, who currently own the No. 7 seed in the East as they try to sneak into one of the six playoff spots separate from the play-in tournament.

In reality, allowing Love to walk free isn’t a move being made because it’s the right basketball-centric roster decision. It’s partially a nod to all Love has done for the franchise over nine years.

Kevin Love left his legacy on Cleveland sports landscape with Cavs

Love was the last remaining member of the 2016 championship team that ended Cleveland’s 52-year title drought. In the 2015-16 playoffs, Love averaged 14.7 points and 8.8 rebounds while shooting 41.4% from 3-point range as the third member of the Cavs’ Big 3 alongside LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.

In the final few moments of Game 7 of the Finals, James had “The Block,” Irving had “The Shot” and Love had “The Stop,” as he pestered Stephen Curry, arguably the best shooter the NBA has ever seen, and forced a miss that kept the Cavs ahead in the final minute — really, the greatest minute in Cleveland sports history.

The Cavs’ reasons for gratitude toward Love certainly don’t stop with “The Stop.” Love became a leader in more than just basketball while being open about his battles with depression and anxiety, which were detailed in an essay for The Players’ Tribune in 2018.

He also played through the team’s lean years after exits by Irving and James. Love was the veteran on a team that had to rebuild and, surrounded by younger players not yet ready to compete, the Cavs struggled to three consecutive seasons of 22 or fewer wins.

Last year, the Cavs turned a corner of sorts to challenge for a spot in the play-in tournament. And with the blockbuster Donovan Mitchell trade, the Cavs re-entered the contender conversation in the East in a major way. Love, at 34 years old, had made it out to the other side. But he fell out of the team’s plans moving forward, and he’ll now continue his career, likely for his third different team.

Cavs thank Kevin Love for nine seasons in Cleveland

“Kevin Love had an outstanding run with the Cavaliers, including memorable on-court moments, four NBA Finals appearances and an NBA Championship in 2016,” Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman said in a statement. “Kevin represented the organization and the city of Cleveland with the utmost charm and professionalism during his nine seasons in Northeast Ohio.

“He also embodied everything a franchise would want in a player, and the admiration and gratitude we have for him will ultimately land his jersey in the rafters of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. We thank Kevin for his impact and wish him nothing but the best, knowing that he has solidified his place in the hearts of Cavaliers fans and this organization forever.”

Love’s mark on the Cavs franchise, and certainly the current roster, will remain evident. He was one of only two players on the roster, along with Mitchell, with any substantial playoff experience. He knew how to navigate a long regular season. He was a leader on a young team coming into its own.