Love: Expecting to play opening night with Cavs
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Kevin Love expects to be back on the court for opening night of the 2015-16 season and says he will be wearing a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey while doing so.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since undergoing season-ending surgery on his separated shoulder at the end of April, Love said he is “happy with how things are progressing” in his rehab.
“I truly haven’t even thought about it, but as I mentioned, I expect to be suiting up by Game 1 of next year,” Love said Sunday after taking a break from his rehab to update his status.
A reporter followed up by asking Love if he meant he would be suiting up for the Cavs, and the All-Star forward quickly replied, “Yes, sir.”
Love has one year remaining on his contract that would pay him $16.7 million for next season. He could decide to opt out by June 30 to either negotiate a new deal with Cleveland, which could offer him a five-year contract, or test the market as an unrestricted free agent, where the most he could fetch is a four-year deal per the terms of the league’s collective bargaining agreement.
The power forward dislocated his shoulder in Game 4 of the first round against the Boston Celtics when Kelly Olynyk pulled down on Love’s left arm and yanked it out of the socket. Olynyk received a one-game suspension, which he will serve at the start of next season, after the NBA reviewed the play.
Love called Olynyk’s involvement a “bush-league play” immediately following the game but has since softened his stance.
“I initially was very emotional about the play,” Love said. “I think everybody thinks, ‘Oh, he’s going to be able to come back, pop it right in,’ but at the time when it happened, I kind of knew. And about a week went by, reached out to Kelly, sent him a text and said, ‘Hey, it’s all good. It was a tough play.’ And we just move on from there.”
The Cavs have gone 8-2 since Love went out, beating the Chicago Bulls in the conference semifinals before sweeping the Atlanta Hawks to earn the franchise’s first trip to the Finals since 2007. Love was cleared to travel with the team during the Hawks series and expressed excitement about joining his teammates for Games 1 and 2 in Golden State beginning Thursday.
“Obviously I’d rather be out there playing, and that is, as a human being, from a human being aspect, is very tough,” Love said. “But as far as being here and supporting the guys and now being able to travel, it’s a lot of fun, and I still feel like I’m a big part of this.”
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