Defending Love (Kevin, That Is)

Sometimes, it is amazing to us how the news cycle works.

Monday night, Kevin Love got angry and you would think he set fire to an elementary school. His anger was directed to an official, he wasn’t mad at his teammates, and we understand he has shown displeasure towards some of them in the past.

The reaction on social media (yes, we know…) was swift and of course, way over the top, with people calling for Love to be suspended or worse, released by the Cavaliers for his action.

First, let us say, Love was wrong. The game was still close at the time, Toronto was up by four points, and the resulting three pointer, put them up seven. It didn’t mean the game was over, it was only the end of the third quarter.

Second, Love isn’t some kid. He’s 32 years old, and with 12 years in the league, he should understand officials miss calls, and he should keep composure. He didn’t.

He reportedly apologized to his teammates and that should be the end of it.

Love gets a lot of heat in northeast Ohio and really has since he arrived via a trade for first overall pick, Andrew Wiggins prior to the 2014-15 season. Why? We have no idea. Love probably sacrificed more than any other player when he came to the Cavaliers.

He was the man in Minnesota, the number one option. When he came to the Cavs, he suddenly was the third option, so instead of the 25 points, 12 rebounds per game he got with the Timberwolves, his averages dropped to 20 points and 10 boards with Cleveland. He took three to four less shots per game, so naturally he was going to score less.

He also gets criticized for his contract, which isn’t his fault either. We doubt anyone reading this would have turned down the $120 million extension the wine and gold offered him in the summer after LeBron James left for free agency.

We don’t know the conversation management conducted with Love when negotiating that contract, but we believe the front office still thought the Cavs could compete for a playoff spot in ’18-’19, with Love, Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith, Kyle Korver, and Larry Nance Jr. on the roster.

Remember, six games in the Cavs fired Tyronn Lue, and wound up the year with a 19-63 record. Love played in only 21 games that year due to a toe injury, averaging 17 points and almost 11 rebounds.

He put up similar numbers last year, playing in 56 of the 65 games on the schedule.

Our guess is there is some frustration for Love. He wanted out of Minnesota because he was tired of the losing. The best season in his six seasons there was the 40-42 record in his last year with the Wolves. He knows how long a rebuild can take.

And we know he has shown some disdain for the way some of his younger teammates have played over the last three years. After all, say whatever you want about him, Love knows how to play basketball the right way. This year, though, we haven’t seen that.

Darius Garland, in particular, has gone out of his way to say how much he likes playing with Love, and J.B. Bickerstaff has run the offense through him a lot since he returned from his calf injury.

Also, the calf injury the sidelined Love for 43 games this season, also sidelined the Lakers’ Anthony Davis for over two months this year.

It was a bad moment for sure for Kevin Love, but the overreaction was incredible. On the other hand, should the Cavaliers try to move the veteran this off-season? That would probably be best for both parties at this point in Kevin Love’s career.