Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love is heading to Tokyo as part of Team USA. This marks the Cavs star’s third stint for USA Basketball while being his second Olympic run.
Love’s inclusion in the roster came as a shock to others owing to the steep drop in his play, no thanks to a slew of injuries. It even triggered a controversial reaction from Jalen Rose, pointing out racial factors allegedly in play.
As far as Cavs GM Koby Altman is concerned, Love being part of Team USA only has the organization beaming with pride.
Kevin Love experienced rough times in recent years due to a combination of injury concerns and the Cavs’ inability to win games on a consistent basis. When healthy, he projects as an integral part of the Olympic squad with his ability to space the floor and find teammates.
In his last game of the 2020-21 season, Love showed a glimpse of his All-Star form as he tallied 30 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, and two steals to go along with six 3-pointers in a win over the Boston Celtics.
Needless to say, the Love of old is still there. Perhaps being immersed in Team USA’s winning environment while playing for an elite coach such as Gregg Popovich could serve as a breath of fresh air that rejuvenates Love.
He is being paid a hefty sum by the Cavs and fans have been critical of this when talking about the team’s cap flexibility. This is the best opportunity for Love to flush out all the negative opinions before embarking on Cleveland’s preparations for the 2021-22 season.