All things considered, the Cleveland Cavaliers have had a productive offseason. It didn’t feel like that would get said just a few weeks ago, but that was before a blockbuster happened.
In late August, the Cavs made a series of moves, shipping out Dennis Schroder and Max Strus and welcoming ascending 23-year-old star Peyton Watson, giving the team a starting lineup of stars.
“Look at just about any statistic and chances are that Watson posted a career-best mark last season,” ESPN’s Zach Kram wrote. “It wasn’t just that the 23-year-old forward averaged career highs in points, rebounds and assists; he also made 41% of his 3-pointers on a career-high volume and pulled off the rare feat of increasing his usage rate and true shooting percentage by large margins simultaneously. In other words, Watson got many more opportunities last season, and he made the most of them.”
The addition of Watson, at the very least, keeps the Cavs pacing with the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference, though there is plenty to like about last season’s conference finalist, which just added a potential future All-Star.
Cavaliers May Not Be Done Yet
The Cavs have enough firepower to get back to the conference finals, but they could look to shore up their bench depth to give Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and the crew a boost.
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Cavs could look to add to their frontcourt by way of a reunion with a former All-Star big man.
Wrote HoopsRumors’ Rory Maher: “According to Windhorst, the Cavaliers are looking for frontcourt depth behind Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen and may reunite with a longtime former member of the team: “The Cavs are looking for a big man and Kevin Love is out there (in free agency). That’s a guy to keep an eye on for Cleveland.“
Love, 38, spent last season with the Utah Jazz, where he averaged 6.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, after playing the previous three seasons with the Miami Heat, another team linked to a reunion with Love.
Love was memorably traded to the Cavs from the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2014 offseason, creating the NBA’s newest Big Three with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.
Love Could Head Back to Minnesota
It seems a reunion of some sort is on deck for Love. According to NBA insider Brett Siegel, the Wolves have interest in bringing back Love.
“I think Kevin Love being a free agent is a very interesting situation,” Siegel said last week. “… I think that, personally, it would be awesome to see Love go back there. I think it’s a real possibility at this point to bring in him as a former champion, a franchise icon and a great locker room guy for this Minnesota team, especially to be the perfect veteran to kind of help Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball as they enter the primes of their careers. I would love to see Kevin Love back in a Wolves jersey. I think that it’s looking more likely than not likely at this point, but we’ll wait and see what happens over the course of the next few weeks.”
Love played the first six seasons of his career in Minnesota, where he was selected to three All-Star teams.
In Cleveland, Love achieved two All-Star nods and helped the Cavs reach the NBA Finals four years in a row. He played nine seasons for the franchise.
If the Cavs land Love, he would be a solid option to beef up an already formidable frontcourt featuring Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and the recently-signed Khalifa Diop.
Report: Cavaliers Eye Reunion With 5-Time All-Star as Final Offseason Move