Getty J.B. Bickerstaff, Head Coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bickerstaff shared some thoughts on his ex. player Kevin Love, now of the Miami Heat.
The Miami Heat landed Kevin Love earlier this week after he was bought out by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
On February 22, his former coach, J.B. Bickerstaff was asked if he felt as if Love was unhappy while being left out of the lineup in Cleveland.
“Yes, and it’s not a disruptive unhappy or combative unhappy,” he told reporters. “Kevin wants to play. I understand that, he wants to be on the floor. He can help teams, help a team, he believes. So, I think it’s that frustration of not being able to participate with your teammates that you could feel in a good sense. He helped bring this organization to a place that it hadn’t been. To be able to win a championship anywhere, to be able to go to four straight finals, that’s something that should definitely be praised and be recognized and appreciated. There’s a ton of respect for all of the things that you have to through in order to get there. There’s so many sacrifices you have to make. In my time with him here, the sacrifices he made for the younger guys and for the better of the team, like those things can’t go unmentioned and not appreciated. So, you know, there’s nothing but respect and appreciation for him. Again, it’s an opportunity for him to move on to a place to where he feels he’ll be able to contribute and have a role consistently. And, that’s what he was looking for.
“It was the only available option from that standpoint from the conversations that we had.”
#Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff made his first comments since Kevin Love’s buyout searching for more opportunity. @basketbllnews
Bickerstaff went on to say that he believes Loves No. 0 should be retired by the Cavs someday.
The 34-year-old spent nine seasons in Cleveland, making four straight NBA Finals from 2015-18, and winning a title in 2016.
In 41 appearances with the Cavs this season, Love averaged 8.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 20 minutes per game. On the year, he has shot 38.9% from the field and 35.4% from beyond the arc.
Kevin Love Discusses Decision to Join Heat
Love’s decision to take his talents to South Beach after the buyout, seemed like an easy one. During a video press conference with reporters Wednesday, he explained his decision-making process, citing Miami as a “top-tier organization.”
“I love the way that they operate here,” Love praised. “You can tell that it’s a top-tier, high-class, high-character organization and that all starts at the top. So for me, at the end of the day, it was a pretty easy decision.”
Kevin Love Praises Heat Teammate Bam Adebayo
Another topic of discussion during Love’s introductory video conference was Heat center Bam Adebayo.
Much like he did over the organization, the 2016 NBA champion gushed over his frontcourt partner.
“He’s one of those guys, I just love his game,” he told the media. “I love what he is about. I love how he impacts winning.”
Kevin Love on Bam Adebayo, in a call with me, @Anthony_Chiang and @IraHeatBeat: “He’s one of those guys, I just love his game. I love what he is about. I love how he impacts winning.”
And on their IG ‘beef’: “For him to jaw like that, it just means we’re off to a good start.”
Adebayo just appeared in his second-career All-Star game and is having a career season for the Heat. The star center has suited up in 54 of Miami’s 59 games this year, playing 35.4 minutes each time. He’s averaging a career-high 21.6 points per game while shooting 54.4% from the field.
The addition of Love will likely make things easier for Adebayo. His new teammates ability to space the floor, drawing defenses out with ability to shoot the three, should create some more room for the two-time All-Star to operate down low.
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Cavaliers Coach Sounds Off on Kevin Love Following Move to Heat