Report: Cavs want to keep Kevin Love even if LeBron James leaves

Kevin Love has seemingly been involved in trade rumors since the moment he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers a mere four years ago. While consistently averaging a double-double, making All-Star appearances, and being able to knock down open threes all while continuing to produce on both ends of the floor even though the power forward has been counted on to guard the opposing center at times, Love hasn’t let any of that affect him. Instead, he has seemingly used it as motivation, consistently putting up big numbers while his relationship with LeBron James, one that some thought was rocky early on, continues to trend in the right direction.

In an offseason that will be filled with plenty of unknowns, it seems as the Cavaliers aren’t actively shopping the All-Star forward ahead of Thursday night’s NBA Draft, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

Some seem to think that we have seen the last of Love in the wine and gold. Whether LeBron James decides to leave Cleveland or remain with the Cavaliers, they will likely revamp their roster after getting swept by the Golden State Warriors in the fourth chapter of the NBA Finals matchup.

If No. 23 bolts, the Cavs could decide to gut their roster and begin to rebuild; if James stays, they could either get younger or add a fresh batch of veteran stars to play alongside the King and maybe, just maybe, (somehow) give the Cavaliers a legitimate chance to take down the Warriors.

While many seem to think that’s the case, it looks as though for what could be the first time in the last four years, you can take Love’s name out of your Trade Machine trade. With two years remaining on his contract that’s worth approximately $49.6 million, with the final year of his deal being a player option in 2019-20, Love seems to want to remain a Cav as much as the Cavaliers supposedly want him to remain in Cleveland.

After Kyrie Irving was sent to the Boston Celtics last summer, Love’s role offensively increased drastically. During his first three years in Cleveland, the big man was the team’s third scoring option on offense and had plenty of open shots with guys like James and Irving being able to take plenty of the defense’s attention away from him. Without Irving, Love was counted on to produce on a nightly basis and the team’s second scoring option, all while starting at center for much of the season and being able to take the wear and tear of defending a post player all game.

He made the most of his opportunity. The five-time All-Star had his most efficient season in Cleveland, averaging 17.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting 45.8 percent from the floor and 41.5 percent from beyond the arc in 28 minutes a night, his lowest over the last four years. He did all that while nursing a broken bone in his left hand that he suffered at the end of January.

Although he had his most efficient season as a Cavalier during his 59 regular season games, the 29-year-old struggled throughout much of the postseason, at least for his standards. Love averaged 14.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game but shot just 39.2 percent from the floor and 34 percent from three-point range, both of which were playoff lows for his career.

Love has made it known that he wants to remain a Cav the rest of his career, preferably with James as his teammate. But with his future in Cleveland in question, he acknowledged the questions during the postseason.

“It could be my last run, too, so you just never know,” Love told McMenamin in April. “The unknown is something that you try to just put out of your hands for a certain amount of time. But, just go out there and lose yourself in it and everything will fall where it needs to.”

“Obviously, I’d love to play with LeBron the rest of my career, but that will be a choice that he makes,” Love said.

“Anything is possible. People have been saying that for the past four years. I knew that question would come. But I like to be here. I’ve always said that. Always wanted to win here.”

The next few weeks are filled with plenty of unknowns. Who will the Cavs select with the No. 8 pick Thursday night? Will that player’s rights be traded on Draft night? Will said player ever actually suit up in the wine and gold? Who can Cleveland even get for the draft pick? Will LeBron James remain with the Cavs? If he does, how do they improve the roster and who gets traded? If he decides to leave, do they start to rebuild or try and compete for a playoff spot anyways? So many questions, so little answers.

Love has done everything asked of him even with all the fake trade rumors over the years. Although this offseason’s trade rumors seem to be real this time around, the Cavs have seemingly shut them down, at least for now. Then again, ahead of Thursday night’s draft, it is #SmokeScreenSZN. If reports state that Cleveland doesn’t want to trade Love, it may entice a trade partner to offer more in a deal, which could be exactly what the Cavs are hoping for. Then again, maybe they do in fact want to keep him, much like they have over the last four years.