Kevin Love - Miami Ground Machine

[foucault87]

When you do it every time instead of contesting a drive, whether it makes sense or not, it stops being a "defensive technique". More often than not, it's just a gift to the other team. Basket and one.

I'm sure Love didn't plan on doing it that often, but he fell in love with it.

Kevin Love is not the first Cavs big who drew a ton of charges. AV was a monster on D doing the exact same thing. I would love for Kevin to contest more drives too, but don't invalidate the technique just because you don't like it. This isn't as bad as bench Allen but its not much better.

 

[B Mac]

Kevin Love is not the first Cavs big who drew a ton of charges. AV was a monster on D doing the exact same thing. I would love for Kevin to contest more drives too, but don't invalidate the technique just because you don't like it. This isn't as bad as bench Allen but its not much better.

Yea, I don’t understand this complaint. Love knows he is more skilled at taking charges than actually contesting shots. A player playing to his strengths is a bad thing?

Additionally, a charge drawn is significantly more valuable than a blocked shot. A charge is a guaranteed turnover plus a foul on the opposing team. A blocked shot only sometimes results in a change in possession. Someone who can draw charges is a vary valuable asset.

 

[Heat Check]

Someone who can draw charges is a vary valuable asset.

Yes, if they play regular defense as well. Love can't close people out, doesn't challenge jump shots and his pick and roll defense means sitting under the rim. His inability (or unwillingness) to play D affects everything around him. He doesn't exist in a vacuum.

His succesful charges have often been valuable, but not nearly valuable enough to replace his defense.

 

[Dr No]

I wonder if they want to amicably move on from Love because of age and defensive limitations. Lauri had a heck of a game and made a case for himself to stay and essentially replace Love; he even grabbed some physical boards that I saw. Love at least had a very respectable season, and played great in the first play-in, but we all know time is running out...we'll see what happens.

This could work out for you - the only way Kevin gets moved is if a place like your Thunder (who has tons of cap space and is not planning on winning next year) can get something they want from Cleveland in return for taking on his salary.

 

[sailfish]

This could work out for you - the only way Kevin gets moved is if a place like your Thunder (who has tons of cap space and is not planning on winning next year) can get something they want from Cleveland in return for taking on his salary.

There is no way the Cavs attach an asset to Love to move him. He’s proven to be a great shooter and an extremely valuable contributor off the bench. I look for the Cavs to re-sign Rubio and we saw how well Love & Rubio play together

 

[Dr No]

There is no way the Cavs attach an asset to Love to move him. He’s proven to be a great shooter and an extremely valuable contributor off the bench. I look for the Cavs to re-sign Rubio and we saw how well Love & Rubio play together

I believe that would be foolish. Those two old guys are in the stage of their careers where diminishing returns are almost guaranteed. The Cavs have to be looking to developing the future not trying to re-create what is past. If we can get them cheap - sure. But we know Kevin is not cheap and if Rubio, coming off the injury, is cheap there is likely a reason.

 

[Heat Check]

There is no way the Cavs attach an asset to Love to move him. He’s proven to be a great shooter and an extremely valuable contributor off the bench. I look for the Cavs to re-sign Rubio and we saw how well Love & Rubio play together

1. Love was unplayable in the biggest game of the season.
2. Rubio is probably retiring or playing out his career in Spain. He won't be back.

 

[CavsKermit]

1. Love was unplayable in the biggest game of the season.
2. Rubio is probably retiring or playing out his career in Spain. He won't be back.

Eh, he was one of the best players on the court against the Nets and he was a bad matchup in a game where the focus was not allowing Trae to hide on defense. Also, the Hawks clearly game planned for him. They were in his shirt. He's expiring after this season, unless there's a good trade, the Cavs should let him play out his contract. Regardless of what happens with Rubio, the Cavs need an upgrade at backup PG. It's the second biggest need behind shooting.

 

[Dr. Claw]

Eh, he was one of the best players on the court against the Nets and he was a bad matchup in a game where the focus was not allowing Trae to hide on defense. Also, the Hawks clearly game planned for him. They were in his shirt. He's expiring after this season, unless there's a good trade, the Cavs should let him play out his contract. Regardless of what happens with Rubio, the Cavs need an upgrade at backup PG. It's the second biggest need behind shooting.

agreed 100%.

As the resident Rondo Stan, the biggest problem with him was availability. We only got a pinch of Good Rondo when he was here. If he decides to hang it up after this season, I'd like him to be somewhere on the Cavs staff or something, because he was a net positive as far as the off-court aspects are concerned.

But the absolute astronomical hit that Rubio was as the Delly successor was painfully obvious when he was gone. His impact could not be replicated or understated. I had my gripes about some of the things he did (shouldn't have had so many shots or minutes, Knicks game notwithstanding). It was the same in 20-21 season, which was an absolute disaster and no one knew what Garland could be. Now that we do, the Cavs really gotta hit another triple, if not a home run with who comes next. Regardless of how they handle Rubio (I think the Cavs are going to try to get him back, but he likely would not be a factor if so until sometime in 2023).

Rest for Garland without a catastrophic drop in production is key.

As for Kevin Love -- can't believe he made it through 21-22 without getting dinged too much and produced like he did coming off the bench. He has absolutely earned the end of his contract in CLE. The willingness to take a back seat worked wonders for him.

 

[Heat Check]

As for Kevin Love -- can't believe he made it through 21-22 without getting dinged too much and produced like he did coming off the bench. He has absolutely earned the end of his contract in CLE. The willingness to take a back seat worked wonders for him.

People talk about this as if Love had a choice in the matter. I don't get it.

There was zero chance he was going to start for this year's team. It was either a buyout or a bench role.

 

[buzzdog]

Yea, I don’t understand this complaint. Love knows he is more skilled at taking charges than actually contesting shots. A player playing to his strengths is a bad thing?

Additionally, a charge drawn is significantly more valuable than a blocked shot. A charge is a guaranteed turnover plus a foul on the opposing team. A blocked shot only sometimes results in a change in possession. Someone who can draw charges is a vary valuable asset.

I think Love taking charges was a net positive over the course of the season. But there were times like last night where it was frustrating to watch him get called for a blocking foul when he could have and should have just contested a smaller player taking a layup directly inside Love's wingspan.

 

[Dr. Claw]

People talk about this as if Love had a choice in the matter. I don't get it.

There was zero chance he was going to start for this year's team. It was either a buyout or a bench role.

Easy to say in retrospect. Mobley was a rookie, with no indication that he would have the impact he had from the PF position with Allen playing center.
And Lauri being the starting SF wasn't expected either.

The assumption was that Love would start since he was a known commodity at PF. Even over Lauri. Lauri still hasn't logged a ton of minutes in the PF slot (except through injuries).

 

[shoes22]

Kinda surprised people want to move on from Love when he was easily in our top 5 highest performing players this year. Run it back with him again off the bench.

 

[2 For The Brew]

Kinda surprised people want to move on from Love when he was easily in our top 5 highest performing players this year. Run it back with him again off the bench.

I don’t see a lot of interest in him elsewhere. $29m aging vet with slow feet.

 

[KevinLoveFan]

As I stated elsewhere, I'm fine with the Cavs amicably moving on from Love. He's still a great shooter and defensive rebounder, but his overall lack of defense and lack of ability to play high minutes (due in part to his age) make him a less versatile option. Markk can do most of what Love does, but at a younger age. The contract does make him tough to move, so we'll see what happens. But I do expect an even lesser role next season, if he does stay put. And I understand why.