Kevin Love Will Play Against The Cavs For The First Time In Almost 10 Years
The biggest shock for the Cleveland Cavaliers at the trade deadline didn't come in the form of an acquisition or swap with another team.
The most shocking part of the aftermath was Kevin Love's departure from the organization via a buyout. He has been at the center of trade rumors for years now but it seemed like the veteran had found a comfortable spot on the bench as a mentor for the younger players and a three-point threat.
However, Love found himself out of the rotation while still having the willingness to compete on a team. Time isn't on the 34-year-old's side who has had to deal with his fair share of injuries throughout his career.
The solution for both sides was for him to depart the team and leave it up to Love to decide what jersey he'd wear next. He chose to sign for the rest of the season with the Miami Heat, who the Cavs will play on Wednesday evening.
It'll certainly be weird to see him in a jersey that's not in wine or gold after the power forward played nine seasons in Cleveland.
Mar 1, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Kevin Love (42) reacts during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
The last time that Love suited up against the Cavs was on November 13, 2013, with the Minnesota Timberwolves. In that game, he 33 points, shot 63 percent from the floor, grabbed eight rebounds, and dished out six assists. He also played 31 minutes in that early season matchup with the Timberwolves.
The most shocking part of his stat line was that Love only attempted four threes in that game and knocked down one of them. That just goes to show how quickly the NBA has changed since Love came into the league and also how he's adapted to stay in it.
It's not likely that we'll see anything remotely close to this stat line nine years later though. In Love's six games with the Heat, he's averaging 7.5 points while 36 percent from the field.
It'll still be an emotional game for the Cavs even if Love isn't the main focus on offense. Cleveland's locker room grew close to the veteran over the last season and he's one of the reasons Cleveland is back in a playoff spot today.
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