The Cleveland Cavaliers do the unthinkable and buyout Kevin Love

The Cleveland Cavaliers have done the unthinkable and bought out franchise legend Kevin Love

The Cleveland Cavaliers have bought out Kevin Love and made him a free agent, with the news breaking after the Cavs’ loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday. Love, who lost his starting job to Evan Mobley, and later his rotational spot to Dean Wade, had not played in weeks. His play last year was stellar, earning votes for Sixth Man of the Year, a role many had expected him to contend for again in 2023, but that’s not been the case.

A hand issue that he tried to play through and back spasms sapped him of his shooting and mobility, and he eventually lost his role to Wade, who is a better defender than Love, but arguably not as good of an offensive player at this point. Despite Love’s shooting, he was still passing and setting screens, but Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff decided Love wasn’t contributing to the level he was supposed to, so he took Love out of the rotation for good.

Love is expected to have a lot of interest and one of the teams interested is the Miami Heat, a team that his former collegiate teammate Russell Westbrook is also thinking about going to.

The Cleveland Cavaliers should have kept Kevin Love if he wanted to stay

If this move came from the front office, then shame on them for letting a franchise legend leave the team under such poor optics. Love deserved to retire a Cavalier. It’s not like he was taking a roster spot away from a better player. In fact, one could argue he probably should’ve gotten his spot back with how poor the bench has been playing the last few games.

If Love goes to Miami, or wherever, and Bickerstaff continues to overwork the starters, then questions need to be answered. Like, is Bickerstaff the guy to lead the Cavs?

While that question is going to linger for months, maybe years to come, if Love wanted out and the front office granted his request, then good on them for letting a franchise legend go off and prove his worth else worth. Especially if they think he has something left. Letting a guy go to a better spot is a bold move by a franchise and it’s one that could work out for everyone involved.