With LeBron James now plying his trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Cleveland Cavaliers took measures to keep their other star player from jumping ship, as General Manager Koby Altman announced that power forward Kevin Love has signed a new multi-year contract extension.
Other outlets have reported that the extension will add another $120 million over four years, making his overall contract a five-year deal worth $145 million.
“When I first came to Cleveland, I came with a long-term mindset,” said Love. “I came here to win. We developed a culture here that reflects that. I’m super excited and I couldn’t be happier. It’s a big commitment for me and it’s a big commitment from the Cavaliers, so I want to thank Dan Gilbert, Koby Altman and the entire organization. I enjoy playing here, I’m excited about the team that we have and look forward to our future together. Cleveland fans have been special from day one and I’m also looking forward to continuing to be a part of this great community.”
Love is a versatile offensive player who can not only hit threes, but can also bang down low and score in the paint with his nice jump hook. An excellent rebounder, Love nevertheless had his game minimized somewhat playing with LeBron James, as too often he simply camped outside the three-point line and spaced the floor -- much like Chris Bosh did with James in Miami.
With Love now the focal point of the Cleveland offense, expect a return to more of the interior-based style of play he displayed earlier in his career with the Timberwolves.
“We are very excited to announce Kevin’s long-term commitment to the Cavaliers and Cleveland. This quickly became a partnership the second we began these discussions. Collaboration and winning matter greatly to Kevin and that was reflected in this extension,” said Altman. “Kevin’s talent and character are both at a very high level and he has earned his role at the center of what we want to do moving forward. As a five-time All-Star and NBA Champion, Kevin has a special understanding of exactly what success and winning require.”
Despite being a clear second option, Love (6-10, 251) was an NBA All-Star this past season, appearing in 59 games (all starts) for Cleveland and averaging 17.6 points and a team-high 9.3 rebounds in 28.0 minutes per game. He also shot .415 from beyond the arc and a career-high .880 from the foul line.
Love was one of just four NBA players to make at least 100 three-pointers while averaging at least 9.0 rebounds in 2017-18 (Karl-Anthony Towns, Nikola Jokic, DeMarcus Cousins). In addition, he recorded 31 double-doubles and scored 20 points or more on 26 occasions, including a season-high 38 points in just 25 minutes versus Miami on Nov. 28. He posted 17 outings of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.
The 6-10 forward was originally acquired by the Cavs in a three-team trade with Minnesota and Philadelphia on August 23, 2014, and he eventually helped the Cavs win an NBA Championship in 2016. Over his 63 career playoff games (62 starts) with Cleveland, Love has averaged 15.3 points and 9.7 rebounds in 31.1 minutes per game, while recording 27 double-doubles and shooting .404 from beyond the arc and .854 from the charity stripe.
The UCLA product has also earned five NBA All-Star selections (2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018), two All-NBA Second Team honors (2012, 2014), an Olympic gold medal (2012) and was winner of the league’s Most Improved Player award (2011) and Three-Point Contest at All-Star Weekend in Orlando (2012).
By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services
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