Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 takeaways from 2017-18 Media Day

4. Kevin Love must dominate this season

This headline has probably been said by basketball writers all over the world since Kevin Love was traded to the Cavaliers in 2014. This time, it holds a little more importance with the departure of Irving.

I’ve been one of the harshest critics of Love. I thought we weren’t seeing his full potential, and that he just wasn’t a fit with the Cavs offense in his first few years with the club. Heck, I even called for them to trade him for LaMarcus Aldridge.

More from Cleveland Cavaliers

• Latest intel calls Donovan Mitchell’s future with the Cavs into question
• 5 players who will challenge Victor Wembanyama for Rookie of the Year
• Cleveland Cavaliers: Analyzing the Max Strus acquisition
• Ranking the 5 best available shooting guards in 2023 NBA free agency
• NBA Rumors: Cavs have secret weapon to lure LeBron back to Cleveland

But as the saying goes, some of the moves you don’t make turn out to be your best moves. Aldridge is still adjusting to the Spurs offense, and Love is a champion. He had his best season as a Cavalier last year, averaging 19.0 points and 11.1 boards per game.

Lue played him more on the elbow, and he let Love play his game. Even though he struggled in the middle of the season, the focus was on James and Irving. He was the third player of the Big Three.

Now with Thomas likely out until January, he is the second most important player on the team.

Love is really going to have to step his game up, and revert back to his Minnesota Timberwolves ways this season in order for the Cavs to have success. Most fans chuckled at that notion, but now it’s a reality for the four-time All-Star.

He didn’t speak much on his new role with the team during Media Day, but mainly on how the new additions were surprised at how competitive, yet close the team was at their practices in Santa Barbara, California.

Another adjustment Love will have to make is playing center full-time. According to Tom Withers of the Associated Press, Lue is going to start him at the 5 with Tristan Thompson backing him up.

It shouldn’t be a huge transition for him. He’ll be in his comfort zone around the basket, and he can focus more on his elite rebounding rather than creating space for Thompson or others. Love will still be able to utilize his 3-point shooting. I won’t be surprised if his efficiency goes up significantly. He shot 37.3 percent from long range last season.

In the NBA, bigs don’t like guarding the perimeter, and he can destroy an opposing center out there just like he did last year against the Portland Trail Blazers when he put up 34 points in the first quarter.

The only downfall is his defense. He’s going to be looked upon to be a shot-blocker, and to defend the rim, but that just isn’t his game. Opposing players could get any shot they want inside unfortunately, but Love can make up for that on the offensive end. If things really get bad, they can always bring in Kendrick Perkins.

This will be a big year for Love to continue to show his worth, and he will be a big reason of the Cavaliers go far.