CLEVELAND, Ohio – Kevin Love on the Olympic basketball team?
When I first heard that, I wondered, “He barely played for the Cavs this season, now he wants to be on the Olympic team?”
Then I realized the benefit for the Cavs, assuming Love played reasonably well. Then maybe ... just maybe ... they’d be able to trade their declining star forward.
But it didn’t work out. After performing poorly and not looking even close to recovered from his calf injury, Love withdrew from the Olympic team. So much for Love starting to put his career back together.
So much for the Cavaliers possibly trading Love for something beyond a disastrous, overpriced contract in return. So much for a quick answer to the Love problem for GM Koby Altman.
No matter what the Cavs claim, Love has become a problem with two years and $60 million left on his contract.
HE STILL ISN’T HEALTHY
In the last three seasons, he has played 116 games and missed 103. Over the last five years, he’s missed an average of 31 games per season. Those are the painful facts. This guy has been hurt for a long time, and the injuries have become more severe since signing his lucrative contract extension three years ago.
It doesn’t matter that Darius Garland loves to play with Love, as Altman mentioned in his postseason press conference. That is true, at least when Love approaches his best.
But Love is rarely on the court.
Nor does it matter when the Cavs kept saying the last few years how they haven’t had the starting five they imagined on the court for long periods of time – partly because Love was out.
That’s probably not going to change.
THE REALITY NOW
What happened on Team USA is another reason to doubt Love making a significant comeback. He been out for too many years with too many injuries.
Regardless of the player they select in the 2021 draft, the Cavs are not close to being a contending team.
Remember when the Tribe traded veterans Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher to Atlanta in August of 2015?They had a combined $38 million left on their contracts. They were often hurt. The team needed to get younger.
In return, Cleveland took a bad contract in the form of first baseman Chris Johnson. They added $11 million in the deal to help Atlanta take on Bourn and Swisher.
Fans know the Tribe hates to make costly deals such as this, but it was needed to give the team a new attitude – one that didn’t including waiting for their high-priced talent to maybe get healthy. It was the beginning of a series of moves in 2015 that set up the rise to the 2016 World Series.
The NBA has the buyout system. I’ve written about how the Cavs can do that with Love, they have a couple of options in terms of payment. The Cavs don’t have to buy out Love’s contract right now. They can see if something develops during the July 29 draft where a deal possibly (a long shot) would include Love.
Remember that Love has pouted at times and clearly prefers to play elsewhere. If no trade is worked out, buy out Love’s contract and let him try to play elsewhere next season.
Both sides need a fresh start and the Cavs can’t be afraid to admit they made a big mistake with Love’s contract.
RECENT TERRY PLUTO COLUMNS
Brady Quinn’s draft destiny, then a painful NFL reality.
What up with the Tribe’s ownership structure? The team name? The payroll?
What are the Indians drafting all these pitchers?
The Tribe may have drafted someone special in Gavin Williams
Hey Terry: What about Browns hype? Nick Chubb?
Tribe at All-Star break: Payroll? Who should stay, who should go?
Looking for help in farm system: Terry’s Tribe Scribbles
Lots of things about Doug Dieken you probably don’t know
"love" - Google News
July 19, 2021 at 04:55PM
https://ift.tt/3riDCEe
The latest lousy news when it comes to Kevin Love and the Cavaliers – Terry Pluto - cleveland.com
"love" - Google News
https://ift.tt/39HfQIT
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "The latest lousy news when it comes to Kevin Love and the Cavaliers – Terry Pluto - cleveland.com"
Post a Comment