Just as promised: Kevin Love wisely decides to return to LeBron, Cavaliers

Kevin Love is ultimately getting what he wants in his return to Cleveland.

Chris Mannix | Jul 1, 2015

Just as promised: Kevin Love wisely decides to return to LeBron, Cavaliers /

We’re sorry, Kevin Love. We’re sorry for not believing you. We’re sorry for thinking you might be being disingenuous when you insisted in interview after interview, in comment after comment that Cleveland was where you wanted to be. We’re sorry for thinking you could be lying for steadfastly asserting you preferred a Cavaliers uniform over one of the Knicks and the Lakers, that you would rather spend your winters in the Rust Belt over Manhattan or sun-splashed California.

We’re sorry.

Well, I’m not. Personally, I never thought Love was going anywhere. And when you think about it, you should not have either.

Love’s decision to re-sign in Cleveland—announced via a short post on The Players' Tribune—was always the most logical. He's returning on a five-year contract worth $110 million, according to an NBA source. Yes, Love’s statistics suffered last season; he averaged the fewest points (16.4) since his second year and fewest rebounds (9.7) since his first. Yes, he failed to get an All-Star invite for the first time in a fully healthy season. Yes, his relationship with David Blatt was a little rocky. And yes, he took a jab to the chin from LeBron James on social media early in the season.

There were plenty of superficial reasons to think Love would consider leaving. But there were also far too many real ones to know that he was going to stay.

Grade the deal: Kevin Love returns to Cavaliers on 5-year, $110 million deal

Consider Love’s history: In 2012, Love was immersed in what would be his fourth straight losing season in Minnesota. The Wolves had some decent young talent, headlined by Ricky Rubio, and a strong head coach in Rick Adelman. But Minnesota was also comically mismanaged, with then-GM David Kahn bungling draft after draft, supplying a roster with the top-five talents of Jonny Flynn, Wesley Johnson and Derrick Williams instead of Stephen Curry, DeMarcus Cousins and Enes Kanter. Yet when it came time to talk contract, Love sought the financial security of a five-year deal; the Wolves, inexplicably, pushed for four, providing an early dose of poison to an eventually toxic relationship.

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So why, in Cleveland, would Love seek anything less? The promise of future television money? Guaranteeing yourself an annual salary of $20-plus million coming off a statistically subpar season that ended with a nasty, season-ending shoulder injury—an injury that was preceded in previous years by hand, hip and knee issues—is a pretty good reason to worry about collecting some of that TV cash another day.

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Besides: It’s Cleveland. It’s not sexy, at least not compared to Manhattan Beach or Broadway, but it is the city that will likely host three or four NBA Finals during Love’s tenure with the team. Thus far, the Cavaliers are having an A-plus offseason. They re-signed Love and are reportedly near an agreement with Tristan Thompson on a five-year, $80 million deal. They still have Brendan Haywood’s non-guaranteed $10.5 million contract and the taxpayer exception—about $3.5 million—to play with to fill out the rotation. The Cavs are, in almost every possible way, a super team.

That matters. Love is 26, and before this season never played for a team that finished above .500. So as alluring as L.A. might be—and Love did spend his brief college career at UCLA—would a shorter contract with the rebuilding Lakers be worth it? New York has Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony, but the Knicks have not been truly relevant this century.

Love admits: Being in the Finals—even as a spectator—had a measurable impact.

''After Game 1 of the NBA Finals, that's when it really struck me,'' Love wrote. ''Sitting on the sidelines, I never wanted to play in a game more than that one. I had dreamed of playing in the NBA Finals and I just wanted to help my guys win. I couldn't have been prouder of them as they poured their blood, sweat and tears onto the court.”

It won’t be a seamless return to Cleveland for Love, but then he probably knows that, too. Thompson’s performance in the playoffs has earned him a more substantial, possibly even starting role next season. Blatt will have to figure out a Love-Thompson-Timofey Mozgov rotation and ways to appease the two that sit when James inevitably shifts to power forward in some situations. Love may not average 20-points per game, may not play 35-plus minutes, and may not reestablish himself as the best power forward in the game.

But he will get paid and he will get a chance to win. Which, ultimately, is what he wanted.

GALLERY: Rare photos of Kevin Love over the years

Rare Photos of Kevin Love

1989

A six-month-old Kevin Love is introduced to basketball at a very, very early age.

1991

At two years old, Love knew he was destined for a career in hoops

1994

A five-year-old Kevin Love rocks a sweet Jerry West jersey.

2004

Love attended the 2004 Nike All-American Basketball Camp in Indianapolis, but controversy ensued when he chose to play in Reebok's ABCD Camp.

2006

Here's Love donning his Denver Nuggets-colored ABCD jersey.

2006

Love gets chippy at ABCD camp.

2007

Love finished his high school career at Lake Oswego High in Oregon as the all-time leading scorer in state history with 2,628 points, breaking a 50-year-old record. He also led the Lakers (yes, the Lakers) to a state title.

2007

You know you're big time when people want your autograph in high school.

2007

The 2007 McDonald's All-American National High School Player of the Year shot hoops with Quentin Harris during a visit to a Ronald McDonald House in Louisville, Ky.

2007

Because who wouldn't want an autographed Topps card of Greg Oden from the McDonald's All-American game?

2007

2006 Gatorade Male Athlete of the Year Greg Oden congratulates the 2007 Gatorade Athletes of the Year, Kevin Love and Maya Moore, in Los Angeles.

2007

Just hanging out at the Pac-10 Media Day.

2007

UCLA's Kevin Love hangs out with USC standout O.J. Mayo on the set of a photo shoot for SI.

2007

He'd be wise to frame this photo.

2008

Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE via Getty Images

Love does his best Fred Astaire impression.

2009

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Love interviewed former NBA forward Robert Horry before Game 1 of the 2009 Finals between the Magic and Lakers at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

2009

No, he did not think (at least, we hope he didn't) this was a good look. It was merely "Kurt Rambis Night" at the Target Center.

2010

Love, with former UCLA teammate Russell Westbrook, joking around during 2010 NBA All-Star weekend in Dallas.

2010

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

While helping Team USA to a gold medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championship, Love spent his off time touring Europe. Check him out in front of the Acropolis in Athens.

2010

Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

Love and his father, former NBA player Stan Love, dined at the Four Seasons in Istanbul during the World Championship.

2010

Love and Dwight Howard guest star on "The Suite Life on Deck," which may have stifled any career in acting.

2011

Love shows some skills in Times Square after announcing he'll be playing in upcoming beach volleyball tournaments during the NBA lockout.

2012

Love shares a laugh with Anthony Davis during the 2012 Summer Olympics.

2012

Love, who grew up with dreams of playing quarterback, looks ready to gun a t-shirt.

2013

Love takes a dip during an event for Special Olympics.

2013

Love used a Ricky Rubio figurine as his good-luck charm while representing the Timberwolves at the 2013 draft lottery.

2013

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

Love chats with Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski during a minicamp.

2013

Love and the Timberwolves had their game in Mexico City postponed because of smoky conditions in the arena.

2014

Love wields a drill during the NBA Cares All-Star Day of Service.

2014

Injured with a hyper-extended right elbow, Love cheers his teammates from the bench during their game against the Houston Rockets.

2015

Kevin Love, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving celebrate after a 113-108 overtime win over the Washington Wizards in April 2015.

2015

Kevin Love reacts after a season-ending shoulder injury against the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of a first-round playoff series in April 2015.

2015

Cleveland made the NBA Finals but was forced to play the majority of the series without Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, both who were injured.

2015

LeBron James and Kevin Love attend the 2015 ESPYS at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

2015

Kevin Love and Mike Krzyzewski of the USA National Team share a laugh during a minicamp at UNLV in Las Vegas.

Published Jul 1, 2015

CHRIS MANNIX

Chris Mannix is a senior writer at Sports Illustrated covering the NBA and boxing beats. He joined the SI staff in 2003 following his graduation from Boston College. Mannix is the host of SI's "Open Floor" podcast and serves as a ringside analyst and reporter for DAZN Boxing. He is also a frequent contributor to NBC Sports Boston as an NBA analyst. A nominee for National Sportswriter of the Year in 2022, Mannix has won writing awards from the Boxing Writers Association of America and the Pro Basketball Writers Association, and is a longtime member of both organizations.