Advertisement

Kevin Love announces he will return to Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love, left, tries to shoot over Lakers forward Tarik Black during the first half of a game on Feb. 8, 2015.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love, left, tries to shoot over Lakers forward Tarik Black during the first half of a game on Feb. 8, 2015.

(Mark Duncan / Associated Press)
Share

One of the Lakers’ free agent targets came off the market on Wednesday.

Unrestricted free forward Kevin Love announced his intentions to re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers on the Player’s Tribune website.

I’m going back to Cleveland.

After Game 1 of the NBA Finals, that’s when it really struck me. Sitting on the sidelines, I never wanted to play in a game more than that one. I had dreamed of playing in the NBA Finals and I just wanted to help my guys win. I couldn’t have been prouder of them as they poured their blood, sweat and tears onto the court.

Advertisement

Yeah, of course I’ve heard the free agency rumors. But at the end of the day, and after meeting with my teammates (it turns out pools are great meeting places) and with the front office, it was clear Cleveland was the place for me. We’re all on the same page and we’re all in. We have unfinished business and now it’s time to get back to work.

Love was sidelined for the NBA Finals with a shoulder injury, his team losing to the Golden State Warriors.

The Lakers are hoping to lure a top free agent with a portion of their $22 million in cap space.

The team has met with forward LaMarcus Aldridge and forward/center Greg Monroe. They’ll also sit down with DeAndre Jordan on Wednesday.

Brook Lopez, another fallback option for the Lakers, reportedly has agreed to re-sign with the Brooklyn Nets.

Contracts cannot be signed until the NBA’s annual moratorium ends on July 9.

Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.

Advertisement
Advertisement