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5 important goals for the Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason

By Holden Walter-Warner

CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 26: Kevin Love #0 talks with Collin Sexton #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on February 26, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 26: Kevin Love #0 talks with Collin Sexton #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on February 26, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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Cleveland Cavaliers
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – DECEMBER 18: Kevin Love #0 of the Cleveland Cavaliers is all smiles during the second half of the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on December 18, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) /

5 goals for the Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason: 5. Trade Kevin Love

Trading Kevin Love has been the great white whale for the Cavaliers. Getting a deal done this summer is imperative to moving forward with the team’s evolution.

Rumors of Love’s departure have been around since LeBron James and Kyrie Irving left. Yet Love remains still, proving to be a key cog of the team’s bench unit, albeit an expensive one.

Love was a legitimate Sixth Man of the Year candidate in 2021-22 (he finished second in voting), averaging 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, hitting 39.2 percent of his threes while largely coming off the bench. With Lauri Markkanen around, however, Love becomes a more expensive, more aged redundancy in Cleveland.

The 33-year-old big man has one more year left on his four-year, $120 million contract, which will pay him about $29 million for the upcoming season. His contract makes him one of the ten highest-paid power forwards in the league next season, though free agency might shift him down the list.

If the contract were not a factor, there would be suitors for Love. His main role is to come off the bench and drill three-pointers. Any playoff contender would be interested in that. But the contract is an obvious issue.

The goal of trading Love would be to open up cap space. The Cavs shouldn’t try to make any moves to free up funds if it means taking back large contracts in return, especially since Love only has one year left on the books.

Unfortunately, the Cavs would almost certainly have to trade some major draft capital to convince a team to take on Love’s salary. That’s somewhat antithetical to Cleveland’s path towards building a long-term contender, but trading picks as far into the future as possible may work out for the team’s contention timeline.

Dealing Love would also represent a reset for the franchise. He’s the last vestige of the team’s last glory days. But he’s also presented some problems as he’s tried to settle into a smaller role with the team.

It won’t be easy, but trading Kevin Love should be the top offseason priority for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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