Cavs: Kevin Love has to start next season on the bench

Kevin Love hasn’t played as many expected him to in 2021.

The Cavs have a mindset of “if we have to pay him, we’re going to play him”, which is actually fine. Love’s salary is going to count against the Cavs even if they release him, so there’s no point to do that. There appears to be no market for him, mostly because his contract is so large and his output is so pedestrian. There’s no real reason to get rid of him if he’s just going to count against your cap figure. So the Cavs seem determined to make the best of it.

That is if he can stay healthy, and there are some in the Cleveland organization who feel that isn’t likely to be the case.

Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com spoke about Love’s healthy recently and mentioned how the team has their concerns for him.

"Sources say Love hasn’t been right for a while now — even though he’s tried to battle through. Physically, he’s not close to the player he was at the beginning of the season, when he came in with a fresh mind, feeling like he was in the best shape — physically and mentally — in years. Love’s calf has been bothering him. Same with his Achilles. He’s been off-balance, out of rhythm, and tentative. His lackluster play at the end of this season has a few in the organization wondering if he can ever get it back."

Kevin Love may no longer be worth starting.

The Cavs may have to accept that Love may not be worth starting anymore. If he can’t stay healthy then there’s no point in putting him in the starting five. If he’s going to continue to get worse, and not be an effective player, then moving him to a sixth-man role is the most prudent thing. If Love retires he won’t get paid, so it seems very likely that he’ll keep playing; at least until his contract is out.

What can he do with the mounting injuries is anyone’s guess. There’s no precedent for this, for Love’s injury-riddled body. If it were just the mounting injuries, maybe people would be more patient with him but it’s not. He’s been acting foolish over the last few years, and being beyond unprofessional at times.

His injuries are bad enough but then you factor in the behavior and you start to get a player who’s well worn out his welcome. Love needs to find a new role on the team because he’s not providing enough to the starting lineup as is. He’s become anything but a leader for this team and getting someone like Larry Nance Jr., Dean Wade, or even a rookie into that starting five may be what’s best for this team in the long run.