The Cleveland Cavaliers made a blockbuster trade before the season began that brought Kevin Love to town for phenom Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett. Both Wiggins and Bennett were first overall picks in their drafts.
Kevin love was once seen as an up and coming superstar for the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he averaged 26 points and 12 rebounds last season. He's been an All-Star three times. The Cavaliers thought they were going to get the same guy when they made the trade. With Kyrie Irving, LeBron James and Kevin Love who could beat the Cavaliers? At the beginning of the season everybody could beat Cleveland. Since the new year, the Cavaliers have established themselves as a force in the East.
The only thing missing now is finding the Kevin Love of the past.
He has never been criticized for his talents, but Love has always been criticized for his lack of reaching the postseason. People like myself would argue that his team as a whole was never that good. To be labeled a "superstar" you have to be able to take your team beyond the regular season.
The Cavaliers traded away someone who could one day be the best player in the entire league for someone who is a star already. At the time the trade looked like a win-win for the Cavaliers. The trade looks more like a win-win for the Timberwolves now.
If Love leaves Cleveland then it won't even be an argument.
People are asking if Love deserves a max deal this summer. If you take what Love is doing this season you probably wouldn't think he deserves $100 million. He is averaging a double-double but sometimes that doesn't even deserve that kind of money.
If you take what Love has done during his whole career then you could argue that he may deserve that money. I believe he deserves that money. As a Lakers fan I pray every night that Love doesn't get a max deal offered from the Cavs and just like James; Love comes home.
The media has every right to criticize Love after his comments about James and himself not being "best friends" and choosing Russell Westbrook over his teammate James for his choice of MVP. The Cavs regularly use Love in crunch time during the 4th quarter. James has been posting post-game pictures of the team without Kevin Love all over social media. It's starting to get tense in Cleveland. Unless the Cavs can figure something out with Love, this summer is going to get very interesting. It could end up being another Dwight Howard/Lakers situation all over again.
And I sit with my fingers crossed hoping things don't get better in Cleveland. Love would look good standing next to Kobe Bryant.
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