The Cavs in the post- era are beginning to take shape.
The team has spent the summer developing its young prospects and is keeping a key piece of the 2016 championship team; is now under contract for the next five years.
WKSU commentator says Love has always been the talk of trade rumors, and now he鈥檚 the face of the Cavs.
Love Wants To Stay
When the Cavs traded for Love in 2015, the team secured its 鈥榖ig three鈥� with James and .
Love, however, received the most criticism for the team鈥檚 shortcomings from the start.
鈥淗e didn鈥檛 score enough, and he was always the third option,鈥� Pluto said.
A day after being swept in the 2018 NBA Finals by the Golden State Warriors, the Cavs conducted exit interviews with the players.
Pluto said Cavs General Manager sat down with Love to discuss the uncertainty surrounding James鈥� impending free agency.
鈥淎t one point he (Altman) says we don鈥檛 know what LeBron is going to do. He might leave,鈥� Pluto said. 鈥淟ove looks at him and says, 'I want in.'鈥�
Pluto said Cavs Owner wanted to keep a player of Love鈥檚 caliber with Irving gone and now, James.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e just so happy someone wants to take your money,鈥� Pluto said.
The Cavs followed up with a five-year $145 million contract for Love. The last two years of his contract allows him to be tradeable.
Cavs Support Love
So, why would Loev want to stay with a team that's lost two of its 'big three'?
鈥淚 think part of it goes back to a situation in the middle of the season when Love left a game early,鈥� Pluto said. 鈥淗e was called soft, and the team called it the flu originally.鈥�
Love actually suffered a panic attack, but nobody knew.
鈥淭here was a team meeting led by and to clear the air, but it kind of became an attack on Kevin Love,鈥� Pluto said.
Love then shared his panic attacks, but it didn鈥檛 seem to help.
A few weeks after the meeting, Altman traded most of the roster away, including Wade and Thomas.
鈥淎ltman gave one of these great lines,鈥� Pluto said. 鈥�'I had an old coach, and he said to me, I want people who are fountains, not drains.' People that nourish you, not just suck the life out of you.鈥�
Love felt secure that the Cavs had his back when things started falling apart.
Staying Competitive
With the signing of Love and the acquisition of young players at the trade deadline, Pluto said the Cavs want to remain competitive.
鈥淭hey add , and ,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey wanted to build for the future fearing that LeBron was leaving.鈥�
Love represents a winning veteran presence for the young roster.
鈥淵ou still need somebody older. They don鈥檛 want another disaster like the 2010 season when LeBron left the first time,鈥� Pluto said.
The Cavs suffered a NBA record 26-game losing streak in the 2010-11 season after James left for Miami.
Feeling The Love
鈥淚 do think the real story here is the personal relationship that Kolby Altman, and to a lesser degree , developed with Kevin Love when he was dealing with some of this anxiety,鈥� Pluto said. 鈥淟ove felt like some of his teammates had turned his back on him.鈥�
The Cavs want to add more fountains to their team like Love, not drains.
Pluto also warned that the big thing Love has to do is not be James.
鈥淗e just needs to be the main part of a team that鈥檚 growing; it all doesn鈥檛 rest on his shoulders,鈥� he said. 鈥淔ans are always thrilled when anyone wants to stay.鈥�
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