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There have been plenty of intriguing names tossed out in trade rumors involving the Golden State Warriors over the past few weeks and a lot more who have been mentioned as free agent targets of the Dubs. If neither of those avenues produce a sweet-shooting big man who’s a menace on the glass, there may be an option in Cleveland that could fit that Warriors’ desire.
Golden State is one of a handful of teams interested in acquiring Cavaliers forward Kevin Love this summer, according to multiple reports, and with Love seemingly ready to flee the rebuilding organization for a contender, the feeling could be mutual. One of the issues surrounding Love’s availability is that he still has two years and $60 million left on his four-year deal with the Cavs, and with his injury history and age – he’ll turn 33 in September – not many teams would even consider trading for the five-time All-Star.
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What may end up happening then, is a contract buyout from Cleveland and some teams like the Warriors may see if Love would be willing to sign with a new club on a veteran-minimum contract.
Dubs Have Been ‘Flirting With the Idea’ of Adding Love ‘for Years’
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GettyCleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love before Game One of the 2018 NBA Finals.
According to The San Francisco Chronicle‘s Rusty Simmons, the Warriors have been targeting K-Love for a while now, possibly years.
On Wednesday, HoopsWire.com NBA writer Sam Amico wrote about Love and Draymond Green currently being teammates during preparation for the Tokyo Olympics.
“Love spoke on their relationship Tuesday,” Amico wrote. “‘Obviously, with Draymond, it’s a love-hate relationship, but we’ve become actually pretty close friends over the past few years,” Love said. “I love how he competes, his mind for the game, his intangibles, how he leads the break. He passes, he plays defense, and it seems like he’s always in the right spot.
“‘He’s first-team All-Defense and has been the Defensive Player of the Year for a reason, so I think we can elevate each other’s game.’”
Injuries Have Limited Love to 103 Games in Last 3 Seasons
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GettyGolden State Warriors guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love during Game Three of the 2018 NBA Finals.
Before his NBA journey began, Love suited up for one terrific season with the UCLA men’s basketball team alongside fellow future NBA players Russell Westbrook, Darren Collison and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. The Bruins earned a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament, but eventually fell to Derrick Rose and the Memphis Tigers in the Final Four.
Love was later selected fifth overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies but immediately traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he would spend the first six seasons of his career. While in Minnesota, Love made second team All-Rookie in 2009, second team All-NBA twice, and after the 2010-2011 campaign where he led the Association in rebounds, won the league’s Most Improved Player of the Year award.
Love was also selected to three All-Star teams during his tenure in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. In an August 2014 megadeal between Minnesota, Cleveland and the Philadelphia 76ers, Love was traded to the Cavs, while Cleveland sent Andrew Wiggins, former number one overall pick Anthony Bennett and a trade exception to the Wolves, and Cleveland also sent a 2016 first round pick to Philly.
Minnesota also moved Mbah a Moute and Alexey Shved to Philadelphia, while the Sixers sent Thaddeus Young to the T-Wolves. While Love’s seven-year run (and counting) with the Cavs has had it’s rocky moments, the highlights have included their 2016 title win over the Dubs and two straight All-Star appearances for the big man in 2017 and 2018.
In the 2018-2019 season, injuries limited Love to just 22 games though and this past season, he was only able to go in 25 contests.
“His history of missing time with aches and pains and even surgeries is another reason for opposing teams to hesitate when it comes to a possible trade,” Amico wrote. “Along with the Warriors and possibly Nets, the 76ers, Clippers, Pelicans, Heat and hometown Trail Blazers would all likely be among those making a serious pitch to Love.”
Despite a rough last few seasons for Love, he has shown that when healthy, he can still be a solid contributor.
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