Lookout! Run! The Sky is Falling on the Indians: Between Innings
July 25, 2018TBT in Columbus was a great success, but left fans wanting so much more
July 25, 2018There are so longs, and there are goodbyes. When the NBA season had come to a close, ending with a thud in a Game 4 dismantling at the hands of the world-beating Golden State Warriors, it felt like a goodbye. With the future of LeBron James—at least at that point—uncertain, it felt like the fate of Kevin Love was all but sealed.
If the Cavaliers were going to attempt to improve the current roster in attempt to sell James on a brighter future, all of the rumors and speculation surrounding a Love-related deal for the last three years felt as if they would become a reality. And while Love spoke on record about wanting to remain a Cavalier, the manner in which he shook the hands of a handful of local writers signaled that even he wasn’t sure when we would meet again.
Little did we know, that moment would be a random Tuesday afternoon shortly after Love would sign a four-year contract extension. Not just your run-of-the-mill extension, by the way—one that doesn’t kick in until next year, effectively serving as a five-year deal, and one that doesn’t include a player option while paying him less in Year 4 than in Year 3.
We love @KevinLove! pic.twitter.com/NbhhDM0BRS
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) July 24, 2018
When Love arrived to Cleveland, calling him “guarded” would have been an understatement. He rarely made eye contact with anyone. Following games, he would respond to reporters as he stared at the floor. There was one moment when he was asked a question about Flip Saunders (prior to his passing) during his time in Minnesota and he simply looked at a team PR employee in attempt to not have to answer.
Compare this to Tuesday morning when he signed his contract in front of a host of hard hat-wearing construction workers, addressing them for their hard work and dedication to making The Q a little more 2018, signing their lids and taking a selfie with them before going on his way. Maybe it was the advent of Lil’ Kev. Maybe it was the sobering effect of his shoulder injury and missed Finals run in 2015. Whatever the ice-breaking moment was for Love, he’s transitioned from a guy who fans enjoyed the idea of into one they could fully embrace both on and off of the court.
Love is far from the perfect player. The Cavs will be quick to point out his elite combination of rebounding and three-point shooting, but doing so in a vacuum ignores his shortfalls on the defensive end. His injury history is a concern. And if we’re being honest, he was brought to Cleveland to create space for Kyrie Irving and LeBron James. In an ironic twist of fate, the man linked to trade rumors for the last four years is not just the last man standing, but the one who, come the end of his contract, could wind up spending nine seasons wearing wine and gold.
It could be argued that signing Love to an extension is not the best way to rebuild the Cavaliers’ roster. What can’t be argued, however, is that committing to Love is in line with the team’s objectives to win basketball games. Sure, you could argue that winning games—and thus potentially missing out on their first-round pick in 2019—is not the smartest move long-term, but this would ignore the fact that entertaining basketball is a much better fan experience than embarrassing losses and horrid, 26-game losing streaks.
As much as Love as evolved as a person throughout his four years in Cleveland, what Cavaliers fans will see over the next several seasons is a version of the five-time All-Star they haven’t seen yet. In Minnesota, he was the star, but he will admit he wasn’t much of of a vocal leader. In Cleveland, he played in the shadow of the best player in the world. This season and beyond, Love aims to be an extension of the coaching staff and help lead a cast of young but hard-working players.
“I was looking at the photo of me taking the selfie,” Love told me on Tuesday afternoon. “It’s not a rebuild because we have talent and championship-caliber guys. But guys putting on their hard hats and coming to work every day, that has to be the identity of our team. I think we have guys cut from that cloth who are going to be willing to go out there and prove themselves. A lot of teams preach that, but we have a lot of guys with that certain quality.”
In 2010, the Cavs attempted to compete with a “core” of Antawn Jamison in his walk year and an unhappy Mo Williams surrounded by D-Leaguers and players who would not have seen the floor had they played for any other franchise in the league. There’s a reason why Love was the first call Koby Altman made when the LeBron James news hit the wire; there’s a reason why the team wanted to get ahead of his walk year. They’ve had an up-close seat for what a toxic locker room can look like in the absence of leadership, and they were not about to let it happen again.
This Week in #ActualSportswriting:
- “Dead Man Walking” by Tisha Thompson and Kevin Shaw (ESPN The Magazine)
- “Aly Raisman Takes the Floor” by Mina Kimes (ESPN The Magazine)
- “‘A Bit of Brady’: How Jimmy Garappolo copied the GOAT then Escaped His Shadow” by Jenny Vrentas (Sports Illustrated)
This Week in #ActualNonsportswriting:
- “The Extinction of the Middle Child” by Adam Sternbergh (The Cut)
- “Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott on Love, Making it Work, and the Kardashian Curse” by Mark-Anthony Green (GQ)
- “My Brain Feels Like it’s Being Punched: The Intolerable Rise of Perfectionism” by Paula Cocozza (The Guardian)
- “The Walls Are Closing In” by Drew Magary (Deadspin)
This Week in Bleacher Reporting:
- “Where Did it All Go Wrong for LeBron James and the Cavaliers?”
- “The Advice Luke Walton Really Needs for Coaching LeBron James“
- “The Cavs Could Be A Playoff Team Without LeBron James“
- “Cavs Show Faith in Love with $120 Million Deal“
And while I had nothing to do with it, this “Power 50” project by B/R Mag is extremely well done. I recommend picking a few stories, if not all of them. It’s worth the time.
Have a great hump day, Cleveland.