In the midst of a losing streak, the Cavaliers seem to be considering a Kevin Love trade, but it won't happen at this point in time. With the acquisition of Love in 2014, Cleveland Cavaliers fans had mixed emotions, to say the least. Love came to us in a three-way trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Philadelphia 76ers, the Cavs surrendering Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett to Minnesota and a 2015 first round draft pick to the 76ers. Love's time in Minnesota was marked by his own vocal frustration with the Timberwolves' front office, coming to a head after the 2013-2014 season, when the three-way trade was made. Although Love had been stacking up star numbers, even establishing an NBA record in the previous season by becoming the first player in the league's history to record 2,000 points, 900 rebounds, and 100 three-pointers in a single season, Cavaliers fans were less than enthused.
It had seemed like our roster was set with the addition of Andrew Wiggins to an already star-studded lineup. I remember being slightly confused upon hearing that we had just traded Wiggins for Kevin Love, whom I was assured was Minnesota's version of LeBron James. I wasn't really familiar with Love or his style of play, nor do I think a lot of our fanbase knew his capabilities.
Flash forward to the 2014-2015 postseason, when the Cavaliers were competing against the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. Kevin Love is tangled up under the basket with Kelly Olynyk, a power forward for the Celtics. After a bit of a shuffle, Olynyk yanks on Love's shoulder out of the socket. The initial reaction of Love says it all: he ran straight to the locker room for treatment, not stopping at the bench or to talk to a referee. Love would be out for the remainder of the season, something that Cavaliers fans and critics alike attributed to their loss in the 2015 NBA Finals.
In the 2016 NBA Finals, Love made a crucial defensive play in stopping Steph Curry from making a shot. Love was praised widely for his defensive efforts, but that praise was short-lived. During the 2016-2017 season, every time the Cavaliers began to slip in one way or another, trading Kevin Love became the focus of conversation. Despite doubts from the public, the Cavaliers' front office remained constant in their support and appreciation of Love.
Now that we have reached a point in the 2017-2018 season where the Cavaliers are undoubtedly struggling, Love's name has been brought up again. Only this time, he's injured and may be out for several weeks to months. Arguments have been made by both sides for trading or keeping him. He has contributed too much to the team to be constantly thrown on the chopping block. While his fate is being discussed as uncertain, one thing is for sure: what happens to Kevin Love is completely out of our control and we should probably just stop speculating what will happen to him this offseason.
