Miami Heat forward Kevin Love shared an honest take on how he felt close to his departure from the Cleveland Cavaliers, wrote Cleveland.com Cavs reporter Chris Fedor in a Thursday article.
“Unhappy? I think I was more frustrated in that I just wanted to play,” Kevin Love said. “I felt like I could still offer a lot and I think for the bench down there, it’s been up and down for them. So, I felt like if I was given another opportunity, I could make an impact. Being angry, being frustrated, that sort of thing, it’s not me being pissed at the front office or J.B. or anybody like that. It was more so I still think I could play. I think it was me having pride in that and just wanting to be out there with those guys. I guess that wasn’t in the cards and I don’t know if it was going to be.
“I worked my butt off and just figured eventually down the line that I would get another opportunity. But I didn’t know if it was just like they were going to wait until the playoffs. The communication, I think, was lost and I think that added to some of the frustration. But there’s absolutely no love lost.”
The legacy Kevin Love left with the Cavs ended with him not seeing the floor in his last 12 games with the Cavaliers, according to Basketball Reference. Though he was listed as “questionable” before tipoff, Love scored eight points and grabbed eight rebounds as he played in 21 minutes of a 104-100 Cavs win over the Heat on Wednesday.
The Heat will not make the trip to Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse for the rest of the regular season. The Heat will tip off against the Cavs at 8 p.m. EST on Friday in Miami-Dade Arena. The game will be broadcasted on Bally Sports Ohio.