Cavs extend Kevin Love- 4 years, $120 million

[Roy H.]

Brian Windhorst: Kevin Love’s extension (4 years) is at the max salary in 2019-20 and ’20-21, then no raise in ’21-22 and then decreases in ’22-23. Took about $8M less than his full max, according to sources
– via Twitter WindhorstESPN

[blink]

so what does the cavs starting lineup look like now?  I don't see how that team makes the playoffs.

C - Thompson
PF - Love
SF - Hood / if resigned ?
SG - JR Smith?
PG - Hill


btw George Hill - $19 mil / Thompson $17 mil / JR Smith $14.7 mil.  I guess the cap space has to go somewhere, but I didn't realize they were spending that much on those 3.

[BitterJim]

I guess Love likes Cleveland, then. If he's content with the one ring he has, then this seems like a good move for him. Getting paid good money, playing in a city he likes, with a chance to be the #1 option again (and given the state of the Eastern Conference, maybe improve his image a bit by pulling a bad team to the playoffs.  He won't be vontending, but if he's happy with one ring then that isn't a big deal

A bit more questionable for Cleveland, although if they're happy to be a borderline playoff team for the next few years instead of tanking then they locked in a star for the next 5 years

[saltlover]

Brian Windhorst: Kevin Love’s extension (4 years) is at the max salary in 2019-20 and ’20-21, then no raise in ’21-22 and then decreases in ’22-23. Took about $8M less than his full max, according to sources
– via Twitter WindhorstESPN

To clarify for others, Love is not getting “the max” in a free agent sense, but the most that he could be offered through an extension in year 1, which is a 20% raise from this year’s salary.

Per Windhorst’s tweet I calculate the yearly breakdown as:

2019-2020: $28,942,830
2020-2021: $31,258,256
2021-2022: $31,258,256
2022-2023: $28,942,830

[Moranis]

so what does the cavs starting lineup look like now?  I don't see how that team makes the playoffs.

C - Thompson
PF - Love
SF - Hood / if resigned ?
SG - JR Smith?
PG - Hill


btw George Hill - $19 mil / Thompson $17 mil / JR Smith $14.7 mil.  I guess the cap space has to go somewhere, but I didn't realize they were spending that much on those 3.

Cavs actually have a fairly deep team, though lack the top end talent.  They are also a veteran team.  That type of team often grinds out victories and over performs in the regular season.

C - Thompson, Zizic
PF - Love, Nance, Frye
SF - Hood, Osman
SG - Hill, Smith, Korver
PG - Sexton, Clarkson

That team could pretty easily beat out Detroit and Charlotte for the 8th seed. 

[perks-a-beast]

so what does the cavs starting lineup look like now?  I don't see how that team makes the playoffs.

C - Thompson
PF - Love
SF - Hood / if resigned ?
SG - JR Smith?
PG - Hill


btw George Hill - $19 mil / Thompson $17 mil / JR Smith $14.7 mil.  I guess the cap space has to go somewhere, but I didn't realize they were spending that much on those 3.

Cavs actually have a fairly deep team, though lack the top end talent.  They are also a veteran team.  That type of team often grinds out victories and over performs in the regular season.

C - Thompson, Zizic
PF - Love, Nance, Frye
SF - Hood, Osman
SG - Hill, Smith, Korver
PG - Sexton, Clarkson

That team could pretty easily beat out Detroit and Charlotte for the 8th seed. 

True. And I think I’d rather have Cleveland’s roster going forward than either Detroit or Charlotte..funny how people think they’re going to be terrible. This is the season where people will remember how good Kevin Love can be..

[jpotter33]

"Look kids, a treadmill team!"

probably, but this is a franchise that has won only 4 playoff series that didn't involve Lebron James in its entire history which dates back to the 1970-71 season.  Sometimes being a treadmill team for awhile isn't the end of the world, especially when they had no real shot at tanking this season (given all of the contracts they have).

Without some bigger moves, I'm not sure if Love gets them to the point of winning playoff series, even in the East.  He'll probably get them some playoff revenue though, which is a big deal to smaller market teams.

Um, do they even make the playoffs? That’s a fair question. The top 4 in Boston, Toronto, Philly, and Indiana are set. Milwaukee and Washington are probably better than Cleveland, and Miami, Charlotte, and Detroit are all probably right there in the same tier as Cleveland, leaving them anywhere from 7 - 10.

Maybe they adapt and improve in a system not dominated by Lebron and Love’s numbers improve back to pre-Lebron levels, but I could easily see them not making the playoffs, let alone winning a series without home court advantage.

[CelticsElite]

I guess Love likes Cleveland, then. If he's content with the one ring he has, then this seems like a good move for him. Getting paid good money, playing in a city he likes, with a chance to be the #1 option again (and given the state of the Eastern Conference, maybe improve his image a bit by pulling a bad team to the playoffs.  He won't be vontending, but if he's happy with one ring then that isn't a big deal

A bit more questionable for Cleveland, although if they're happy to be a borderline playoff team for the next few years instead of tanking then they locked in a star for the next 5 years

for $120 million id like the city too. These players will play anywhere where the highest bidder is. If North Korea offered more, they’d take the money and claim they love the city there too

[BitterJim]

I guess Love likes Cleveland, then. If he's content with the one ring he has, then this seems like a good move for him. Getting paid good money, playing in a city he likes, with a chance to be the #1 option again (and given the state of the Eastern Conference, maybe improve his image a bit by pulling a bad team to the playoffs.  He won't be vontending, but if he's happy with one ring then that isn't a big deal

A bit more questionable for Cleveland, although if they're happy to be a borderline playoff team for the next few years instead of tanking then they locked in a star for the next 5 years

for $120 million id like the city too. These players will play anywhere where the highest bidder is. If North Korea offered more, they’d take the money and claim they love the city there too

I disagree. The city/fans matter, which is part of the reason you see places like LA get free agents so easily. I guess we'll find out for sure this summer, though, if the 3/25 offer Wade supposedly got in China is real

[greece66]

Good for the Cavs to stay competitive and reward a player who showed loyalty.

Love gets his paycheck and the opportunity to provide leadership.

Makes sense for both sides IMO.

[Fafnir]

Can what is largely the same roster without LBJ suddenly defend at a reasonable NBA level? Will they try?

Because there is no way they can play the way they did on D last year without LBJ and still make the playoffs.

[saltlover]

Can what is largely the same roster without LBJ suddenly defend at a reasonable NBA level? Will they try?

Because there is no way they can play the way they did on D last year without LBJ and still make the playoffs.

One thing’s for sure: we’re going to find out how good of a coach Lue actually is.

[Fafnir]

Can what is largely the same roster without LBJ suddenly defend at a reasonable NBA level? Will they try?

Because there is no way they can play the way they did on D last year without LBJ and still make the playoffs.

One thing’s for sure: we’re going to find out how good of a coach Lue actually is.

Yeah that's my thoughts on it too. LBJ was still probably a net positive on D due to his size and abilities. But him clearly not giving a single crap meant no one on the team tried on D most nights.

They cannot do that anymore and that's a massive culture shift for the team that's pretty much the same group of players.

[rondofan1255]

Wouldn't be surprising to see him traded mid-season like Blake Griffin.

[Fafnir]

Wouldn't be surprising to see him traded mid-season like Blake Griffin.

I'd be shocked if he ended up playing out more than 1.5 years under this contract.

Which I think is known and accepted by both parties, Love wanted to secure money before he had to play without LBJ.