After missing most of the NBA Playoffs with a shoulder injury, many people are interested to see what Kevin Love does next. According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the All-Star big man has decided to opt out of the final year of his contract and enter free agency this summer.
ESPN sources say Cavs forward Kevin Love has opted out of the final year of his contract and will be a free agent July 1
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) June 24, 2015
While it would be hard to believe that Love would leave the LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, the forward had less than a memorable tenure in his lone season with the Cavs. With the team coming within two wins of an NBA title despite Love’s injury, along with the emergence of soon-to-be-maxed Tristan Thompson, Love’s future in Cleveland is no sure thing.
Rumors have swirled for years that Love would eventually make his way out to Los Angeles and join the Lakers, but the team already having Julius Randle and likely drafting Jahlil Okafor makes that a bit less likely. However, if the Lakers were to surprise everyone and take Ohio State guard D’Angelo Russell in tomorrow’s draft, that would seem to open the door for Love to join the team.
Other suitors for the forward this summer will likely be the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, two more storied franchises looking to make a big splash in free agency. It will be very interesting to see where Love goes from here.
July 1st can’t come soon enough.