The season is still less than a month old but speculation regarding Kevin Love and his future with the Cleveland Cavaliers has already started. According to an anonymously sourced report from Sam Smith at Bulls.com, Love could consider opting out of his contract with the Cavaliers next summer and join Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers:
It's not going to get as much discussion during the season, but one of the biggest issues for the Cavs is that both LeBron James and Kevin Love own opt outs after this season. LeBron James basically cannot afford to go anywhere after his return to Cleveland. But watch out for Love. Indications are he will seriously consider the opt out and has his eyes on a return to Los Angeles, where he attended college and where the Lakers long have had him on their free agent wish list.
But Matt Fitzgerald of Bleacher Report believes that Love would be facing considerable risk if he returns to the City of Angels. With Cleveland, he is playing alongside two of the best players in the NBA in LeBron James and Kyrie Irving and possibly has his best chance of winning an NBA title with the Cavaliers. And just after joining the Cavs this summer, he said he was committed long-term to staying with the franchise.
But Love may strongly consider bolting out of Cleveland if they fall short of winning a championship in their 2014-15 NBA campaign. Per Dime Magazine:
Then again, if the Cavs struggle and Love's one-year odyssey alongside LeBron and Irving is stunted by an early playoff exit, what's the incentive for Love to return when he's the secondary or even tertiary option on a team that didn't even compete for a title? That's the nightmare for Cavs fans, and Smith's report just adds that extra quiver of doubt to any already anxious franchise.
But then again, it is still way to early to even consider if this report has weight. Smith definitely has a source but how reliable that anonymous source might be and whether Love is really contemplating about next summer is the reason why this report should not be taken strongly.
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