The Cleveland Cavaliers are still circling the wagons on a potential Kevin Love trade. However, teams around the league have not been fond of the idea of taking on his contract, which pays him a whopping $90-plus million over the next three years, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
While there is a certain interest in the 30-year-old forward, some have even argued teams trading for Love would need a first-round draft pick compensation to haul in his gigantic contract.
Love received a four-year, $120 million extension at the beginning of last season, a decision that could ultimately prove to be a massive mistake and set back the Cavs’ rebuild, given the resistance from the rest of the league. At the time, they hoped to make a long-term commitment to Love to reaffirm their culture after the departure of LeBron James in free agency.
Love’s trade value is low at the present time, and he’s widely viewed as an overpaid, past-his-prime star, with averages of 16.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game on the season.
In the eyes of potential trade suitors, Love could be a nice stretch-four commodity to add to their roster. However, he offers little else besides his rebounding, 3-point shooting, and the occasional passing game. His reputation as a defensive liability has a few teams hesitating on paying a $30 million per-year price tag. They know they’d have to pair him with a strong scoring wing and interior defender to use him for extended minutes.
Teams like the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, and Portland Trail Blazers have reportedly shown interest in acquiring Love, but the Cavs want a definite first-round pick in return, which could make this trade rather difficult to pull off by the Feb. 6 deadline. Still, Cleveland’s front office will continue to work towards a deal to move Love to a better situation as he plays out the tail end of his career.
