Kevin Love - Miami Ground Machine

[Frank Reynolds]

One thing I have heard about Love is that he is often trying to avoid getting himself into foul trouble. You have 6 fouls to give, Love just ins't giving them very often.

If you guys think he's overrated or don't want him on your team, that's on you. Has he been pretty lazy defensively? Yes, but he's adding so much to the game, he's such a presence out there on the glass, he's great at drawing fouls, and he has to be accounted for at the 3.

I just wish when there's a small guard who is taking it to the rack and Love is stuck rotating, grab the player and don't let him get the ball onto the square. That's all I ask of Love, just don't allow guys to have a free look at the rim.

He's never developed the habit, but I believe he's around the right group of people to get him to positively change. He changed up his body, he's committed to doing whatever it takes to win. This guy is a competitor, he's just in flux, and he has never learned the proper defensive habits.

He's a tough player for the casual fan to appreciate sans the outlets, he's not overly flashy, his game doesn't dazzle you. What you are not noticing is the anticipation to get to a specific position. There's often 2 players fighting to hold him off a rebounding position, problem for them is that he anticipates where that rebounding spot is going to be, and he's great at getting to the spot first.

 

[CavsFTW]

MoFlo is a tad more in the know than you are, just FYI.

Still too many variables involved to suggest there's a 0% chance Love signs elsewhere, Chris. To say there's a 0% chance he leaves is the same as saying that it's impossible, which completely ignores how Kevin Love's opinion may change from now until next summer or the year after. With all due respect to MoFlo, I've seen others "in the know" make similar bold statements in the past, only to let their flock down.

To get an elite free agent like Love to commit to Cleveland winters for the next half decade, a lot of things have to go right. Getting him here was half the puzzle. The other half is keeping him happy, which is why there is some early concern based on his sharp decline across the board.

 

[theSTEREO.]

Still too many variables involved to suggest there's a 0% chance Love signs elsewhere, Chris. To say there's a 0% chance he leaves is the same as saying that it's impossible, which completely ignores how Kevin Love's opinion may change from now until next summer or the year after. With all due respect to MoFlo, I've seen others "in the know" make similar bold statements in the past, only to let their flock down.

To get an elite free agent like Love to commit to Cleveland winters for the next half decade, a lot of things have to go right. Getting him here was half the puzzle. The other half is keeping him happy, which is why there is some early concern based on his sharp decline across the board.

You're right that saying 0% is probably too strong, but let's just say that if MoFlo is saying that there is 0%, then if Kevin does in fact leave, then it means that he directly and flagrantly went against whatever understanding there is between he and the Cavs. There was a lot of speculation and reports from guys like Woj and others that the Cavs had strong enough assurances from Love, Lebron, and other important people involved that he would be here for a good long time.

So yeah 0% probably won't be true. But it's probably about as close to 0% as you can get.

 

[Kbiz]

Still too many variables involved to suggest there's a 0% chance Love signs elsewhere, Chris. To say there's a 0% chance he leaves is the same as saying that it's impossible, which completely ignores how Kevin Love's opinion may change from now until next summer or the year after. With all due respect to MoFlo, I've seen others "in the know" make similar bold statements in the past, only to let their flock down.

To get an elite free agent like Love to commit to Cleveland winters for the next half decade, a lot of things have to go right. Getting him here was half the puzzle. The other half is keeping him happy, which is why there is some early concern based on his sharp decline across the board.

He was perfectly happy in Minnesota where the winters are just as bad...The only reason he became angered with Minny is b/c they didn't offer him a max.

At the end of the day, winning cures all. If he walks away from a successful team, that's his problem.

 

[jason436]

As far as committing fouls, this is going to be a change for him. I would have to think in Minnesota his thought process and maybe coaches told him to stay out of foul trouble. Having Kevin on the floor was their best chance to win.

With the Cavaliers, yes we're better with him on floor but we have stars and role players that allow us to play without him and still play well. So if he does get in foul trouble he goes to the bench we bring Thompson or Andy in or even slide Lebron to PF for a little while.

I think he's going to be fine. He puts forth effort and he's trying to adjust and fit in with in a new team which will take some time.

 

[Chris]

Still too many variables involved to suggest there's a 0% chance Love signs elsewhere, Chris. To say there's a 0% chance he leaves is the same as saying that it's impossible, which completely ignores how Kevin Love's opinion may change from now until next summer or the year after. With all due respect to MoFlo, I've seen others "in the know" make similar bold statements in the past, only to let their flock down.

To get an elite free agent like Love to commit to Cleveland winters for the next half decade, a lot of things have to go right. Getting him here was half the puzzle. The other half is keeping him happy, which is why there is some early concern based on his sharp decline across the board.

I already agreed that it's a little bit overkill to say 0%, my point was he wouldn't say that MoFlo would not make such a strong statement if there was not measurable evidence that he is going nowhere.

 

[CSF]

He was perfectly happy in Minnesota where the winters are just as bad...The only reason he became angered with Minny is b/c they didn't offer him a max.

At the end of the day, winning cures all. If he walks away from a successful team, that's his problem.

Hmmm so other GM's don't think he's worth the max. So why should we offer the max to a guy who's only going to give us bout 75% of what he did in Minny?

 

[Toph]

Hmmm so other GM's don't think he's worth the max. So why should we offer the max to a guy who's only going to give us bout 75% of what he did in Minny?

You can't be serious....

 

[CSF]

You can't be serious....

Yes I'm serious. I would like to know why Minny was unwilling to sign their alpha dog to the max.

 

[Scholar]

Yes I'm serious. I would like to know why Minny was unwilling to sign their alpha dog to the max.

A certain GM, that is presently unemployed, thought the 5 year deal should be saved for Rubio. A GM and his point guards.

 

[Toph]

Yes I'm serious. I would like to know why Minny was unwilling to sign their alpha dog to the max.

You must not know who used to make the decisions in Minnesota. It was pretty widely viewed as an idiotic decision not to give Love the full max. And he's an even better player now than he was then.

 

[SalvadoranCavsfan]

Yes I'm serious. I would like to know why Minny was unwilling to sign their alpha dog to the max.

I know Scholar above talked about their former GM David Khan, but I just wanted to really emphasize the point that David Kahn is one of the stupidest GMs to ever come through the NBA.

Please, click on this article in order to learn more about the legend of David Kahn. http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2013/5/3/4296498/david-kahn-fired-timberwolves-kevin-love-jonny-flynn

 

[MalTalm]

Yes I'm serious. I would like to know why Minny was unwilling to sign their alpha dog to the max.

Glen Taylor: "knowing what I know now I would've signed Kevin to the five years."

And Love was given a max, just not the 5 year designated max a team can only sign one player to (The one Kyrie got this offseason) Love requested the 5 year deal and was rebuked, so he then demanded a player option in year 4, that was proof positive he was leaving Minnesota since they didn't offer up long term faith in his abilities.

Love was selected by Kevin McHale, who was replaced by David Kahn the year after. Kahn selected Rubio with his first high draft choice, and decided to wait for Rubio's rookie deal to come up for the 5 year deal rather than extending Love. This was a mistake on multiple levels, the most important being that Rubio had been lackluster at the NBA level whereas Love was a bonafide allstar.

Keep in mind that not extending Love on that 5 year deal was a big factor in Kahn getting fired: Minnesota would absolutely want a re-do on that deal looking back now.

 

[Just Checkin]

Thank you, David Khan

 

[SalvadoranCavsfan]

I take back my insults about David Kahn. If we end up winning the championship this year or in the coming years thanks to Kevin Love we owe a lot to Kahn. If anything we should build him a statue next to LeBron's.