Cleveland Sports Forum

He was on the bench last game in uniform

That is correct ! Cavs are definitely trying to see if they can pull a big trade using Love's contract. Love is different than LeVert because Levert could be extended for more dollars. Love will have to take less if at all. So this is the one chance the Cavs have to make a big move without trading a core piece.

Now that Kyrie is in the West, does that open an All Star spot for Garland?
of course I don't think they'll force someone off the West team to make room for Irving
And since the competition is not East players vs West players it really doesn't make any difference

I think Garland enjoyed competing against Halliburton last night. Darius had a +27 rating and Halliburton a -30

Trae Young did not make the all star team also.

Cavs make ‘difficult’ Kevin Love decision


Story by Angelo Guinhawa • Yesterday 10:22 PM



Kevin Love has not played for the Cleveland Cavaliers over the past six games, leading to many fans asking about his status with the team.


Love has already recovered from the back issue that kept him out in three games at the end of January, and he has been available in their last three outings. Nonetheless despite being active, he had been consistently given the DNP tag.

Apparently, Love is already out of the rotation, with Dean Wade and Cedi Osman now above him in the pecking order. According to the latest report, Love and head coach JB Bickerstaff had a conversation about it, and while it’s said to be a “difficult” decision for the Cavs, it’s for the best, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.



Kevin Love had a solid start to the year, looking like a really good veteran who can provide quality minutes for the Cavs off the bench. Nonetheless, he has struggled since December and had plenty of poor performances despite getting solid minutes. In the 25 games he played from December to January, he averaged just 7.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 36.8 percent from the field and 31.1 percent from deep–all that despite playing nearly 20 minutes a game.

It remains to be seen if Love can still get back to the rotation or whether he’ll be traded by the deadline, but for now, it is clear the team is prioritizing both Wade and Osman as they try to make the playoffs and compete for the title.

LeVert and Love did not play yesterday again.

I was thinking maybe we could have traded the pair to the Nets and Irving could have been a step forward as the Cavs 3rd guard; he's a better shooting than Rubio, and I';m sure Kyrie would have been happy coming off the bench on a young playoff bound team. But Mavs beat us to him. He should enjoy playing second fiddle there.

I would be looking at a Gordon Hayward + (PJ Washington) for Kevin Love. This would be kicking the contract of Love down the road.

Cavs Notes: Trade Deadline, Kevin Love, Caris LeVert, Cedi Osman

By Sam Amico -February 6, 2023

Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love is “undoubtedly” a name to watch ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, with several rival teams expressing interest in Love’s expiring contract, a league source told Hoops Wire.Kevin Love

Several opposing GMs told Hoops Wire via text that there is interest in Love, who has fallen out of coach J.B. Bickerstaff‘s rotation.

Trading Love, though, may not be on the Cavs’ radar, as they would have to take back salary in such a deal, sources cautioned. Also, while Love isn’t playing at the moment, there has been “zero” discussion of a potential contract buyout following the deadline, one source said.


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Love, 34, is coming off a season in which he was a strong candidate for Sixth Man of the Year with the rising Cavs. But things have been quite different in 2022-23, as Love has played hard and been a great teammate, but not very productive when healthy.

He is averaging career-lows of 8.5 points and 6.8 rebounds, shooting 39 percent from the field. One rival GM told Hoops Wire he wondered if Love is “finally breaking down after all those years of battling near the basket.”



Players such as Spurs forward Doug McDermott and guard/forward Josh Richardson remain on the radar, but the Cavs may not view either as an upgrade over what they currently have, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
The same could be said for Mavericks’ guard/forward Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jazz shooting guard Malik Beasley, both also repeatedly linked to the Cavs.
The Cavs are continuing to discuss wings Caris LeVert and Cedi Osman in trades, as well as injured small forward Dylan Windler, sources said.
We touched on a hypothetical Osman/McDermott deal last week, which you can read more about here. It’s pretty clear the Cavs are looking for additional perimeter shooting.
But again, there aren’t a whole lot of moves out there that would move the need for Cleveland. As one rival GM told Hoops Wire, the Cavs’ big trade came before the season, when they acquired star guard Donovan Mitchell from the Jazz.
As we relayed here, the Cavs remain “strongly interested” in Trail Blazers guard/forward Josh Hart. But if Cavs fans think LeVert or Osman are wildly inconsistent, well, Hart is often the same.

Trading Love, though, may not be on the Cavs’ radar, as they would have to take back salary in such a deal, sources cautioned.

What a silly statement ! Of course they would have to take back money. The only teams that are going to trade for Love are ones that need to get rid of contracts......

Are Cavs Primed to Make Trade at Deadline? Well, Maybe.

By Sam Amico -January 25, 2023

It’s less than a month until the trade deadline, which is generally when Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman is at his best.
If there’s anyone who is fearless when it comes to making trades, it’s Altman. We saw that over the summer when Altman sneaked in and landed Donovan Mitchell from the Jazz for the likes of Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, Ochai Agbaji and multiple picks.

Really, that was the Cavs’ big trade for the season, and it’s hard to imagine them doing much else. After all, there’s a lot to be said for consistency on the roster.


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Still, the Cavs now need help on the wing, particularly consistent perimeter shooting. The return of Dean Wade may help in that area, but even so, it’s not likely viewed as enough.

So we’ve heard the names that have been linked to the Cavs — such as the Mavericks’ Tim Hardaway Jr., the Jazz’s Malik Beasley, the Spurs’ Doug McDermott, and even the Pistons’ Bojan Bogdanovic.

But aside from McDermott, the asking price for those players and others is likely out of the Cavs’ price range. McDermott wouldn’t likely cost more than Dylan Windler and a couple of second-round picks, sources said, but teams other than the Cavs might make better offers. And the Cavs’ interest in McDermott, at this point, may not even be a thing.



As for Bogdanovic, forget it. The Pistons are more inclined to keep him as the veteran scorer on an otherwise young team and try to make a playoff push next season. At least, that’s what they keep telling everyone.

If they do trade him, they’ll be seeking someone similar, and a pick, and that just is not something the Cavs can or would want to offer.

For the Cavs, Caris LeVert and his expiring contract are most mentioned in trade rumors. But it’s important to remember that LeVert is playing 31.0 minutes a game. That makes him an important part of the rotation.

While Cedi Osman‘s contributions are a little more uneven, and he could be considered another player who is drawing interest … again, you have to ask what type of player they could get in return.

Do the Cavs really want to move LeVert or Osman for a piece that may or may not be an upgrade? It seems like, at this point, the Cavs would be trading them just to make a deal. As active as Altman often is, that’s just not his mode of operation.

If he makes a deal, it’s usually a splash. But the Cavs don’t need a splash, they need a little help. That’s not to say they will do nothing.

But unless it’s an obvious boost, they are likely to just stand pat and continue on their pretty good path. Nothing wrong with that.

LeVert played last night. 2nd night of back to back games. Offers might not be interesting enough. Cavs can hold on and sign and trade Levert in the summer. (He will make the same or more in the future)

Cavs did not make a trade. Cavs decided to roll with LeVert, Okoro and Wade at the SF position. Did not want to mess with the chemistry of the team.

More concerning for the Cavs is the situation with Kevin Love. Gilbert has never backed away from adding money. Fedor saying that the Cavs will possibly buy out Love makes no sense.

Why always aggressive Cavs ‘sat out’ the NBA trade deadline this year

Updated: Feb. 09, 2023, 8:23 p.m.


By Chris Fedor, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday afternoon, Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman stepped out of his office inside Cleveland Clinic Courts with a phone attached to his ear -- a familiar February sight.

Call it a last-second effort for the guy affectionately known as “Trader Koby” to strike a deal. Only it wasn’t to be. Not this year.

The chaotic NBA trade deadline passed on Thursday with a rare outcome: Cleveland failing to make a move.


During a flurry of furious activity, with 28 of the 30 teams (Chicago was other one that didn’t) completing at least one deal, Altman -- who has made 14 in-season trades since becoming the franchise’s architect -- even surprised his front office lieutenants by standing pat.


“We just didn’t feel like anything was going to really move the needle for us,” Altman said shortly after Thursday’s 3 p.m. deadline buzzer. “Scoured the market and talked to every team I could. We could have made a move that was lateral, multiple moves that were lateral, that I didn’t think appreciably made us better. I really wanted to see what this group looked like together, fully healthy, and the potential of this group, which we’ve seen right in front of our eyes, continue to grow.


“A few of my guys over there, they said, ‘Koby, I’m proud of you. You could make deals, you can. There’s things you can land the plane on. Don’t just do something to do something. Let’s be very, very intentional with what we’re doing. If the move wasn’t there to do it, don’t do it.’ So, I guess we sat this one out.”

The Cavs were aggressive. They always are. There was belief that another shooter could’ve helped. They spent months making -- and taking -- calls. They gauged the value of their “movable” pieces -- Caris LeVert, Kevin Love, Cedi Osman, Dylan Windler and eight second-round picks. They gathered an abundance of intel and medical information.

But there’s always a line between aggressive and reckless. The front office was careful not to cross it.

Sources tell cleveland.com the Cavs had a long list of high-priority targets, players they coveted most -- Brooklyn’s Royce O’Neale, Dorian Finney-Smith and Cam Johnson, Atlanta’s Bogdan Bogdanovic, Boston’s Grant Williams, Pistons sniper Bojan Bogdanovic (Detroit’s ask was termed “outrageous” by one rival executive) and a few others. All of them stayed put. Sources say those teams either weren’t interested in what the asset-poor Cavs -- who couldn’t offer a first-round pick without acquiring another one (something the team explored) because they used so much draft capital on the Donovan Mitchell blockbuster -- were willing to give up or the price tag was deemed too high for the caliber of player coming back.


Throughout Thursday, sources say Cleveland went hard after O’Neale -- a playoff-tested 3-and-D wing, one of Mitchell’s closest friends from their Utah days together, a snug locker room fit and a name that went to the top of the team’s wish list following Brooklyn’s roster overhaul. The Cavs even tried to get ultra-creative, lining up a series of shrewd, out-of-the-ordinary chess moves with other teams to strengthen a potential final package. Brooklyn -- which wanted more than a first-round pick, a price increase from what it took to get O’Neale this past offseason -- wouldn’t bite.

A few of the other players that sparked varied levels of interest -- Josh Hart, Cam Reddish, Josh Richardson and Malik Beasley -- went elsewhere. The Knicks and Blazers agreed to a Hart-Reddish swap late Wednesday night. Beasley was sent to the Lakers. Richardson got acquired by the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Cavs kicked around the idea of San Antonio sharpshooter Doug McDermott. But he’s widely viewed as a negative defender who is likely to get played off the court in a seven-game postseason series. Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff, a defense-first coach, would’ve had a hard time providing McDermott consistent minutes. His contract was also an impediment, viewed as one of those lateral pickups Altman mentioned. The same went for Dallas swingman Tim Hardaway Jr.


Beyond everything else, the Cavs weighed each realistic trade target against Caris LeVert -- a player they like, believe in, is part of their every-night rotation and gave up a first-round pick to acquire last February. Ultimately, they determined LeVert was still a better option than what was realistically available.

“I think there’s value in continuity,” Altman said. “I think there’s value in giving this group a runway. Sometimes you just say to yourself, ‘Don’t mess this up.’ I think that was a big key for us this deadline. It was not easy for me. We’re the fifth best team in the NBA right now -- 35 wins, which is the fourth most in the NBA -- and some really good numbers to back up what I think you guys see on the court every day. I didn’t see anything that was going to put us over the top. I’m really happy with where we are and where we’re going. Give this group what they deserve, what they’ve already accomplished.”

If the Cavs were going to make a significant roster upgrade, LeVert was always the linchpin. His salary number matched many of the possible trade targets while also allowing suitors to view him as both a help-now addition and future salary-space shedder.


LeVert told cleveland.com the other night he was expecting -- and hoping -- to stay beyond the deadline despite constant rumors.

A free agent at the end of the season, the Cavs are interested in bringing him back on a multi-year deal -- at the right price. Given they stood pat and still retain his Bird rights, the Cavs have essentially backed themselves into a corner on a new deal this summer. It’s just a matter of length and annual salary.

Projected to be an over-the-cap team -- barring an unexpected and significant roster shakeup -- Cleveland can’t afford to let LeVert, a $19 million player, walk in free agency. With so much money already tied up, the Cavs won’t have the means to replace him -- even if renouncing the rights of Love and LeVert and waiving Osman, whose contract is non-guaranteed for next season.

“There’s a lot of interest to keep him here,” Altman said of LeVert. “We obviously kept him through the deadline for a reason. We acquired Caris last year in vastly different circumstances. I think what he’s done this year is tried to adapt his game to two ball-dominant, all-world guards. He’s gotten better at a spot-up shooting. He’s had a career high this year at 37% a game in terms of shooting, and that’s not even his real piece. He’s just a really good basketball player.


“The thing that really speaks to me too is, and I’m a softy for this, but guys that really want to be here. Guys that show up every day to work, that have a great attitude, that whatever their role is -- he had to take a substantial step back, be a six-man type when he could be starting in the NBA on a lot of different teams – and him being like, ‘I want to make this work. I want to be here.’ That’s meaningful to me. It’s meaningful to the organization. And it’s a big reason why he’s here.”

The Cavs also see the importance in his shot-creation, isolation skills and playmaking, especially when one of their two ball-dominant guards is off the floor -- a belief backed up by the five-man lineup metrics. It’s why 14 games into the season, Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff made a permanent change, shifting LeVert into a more suitable sixth man role, where he would log fewer minutes next to the high-usage backcourt tandem.

“To be able to spot start Caris at times is an absolute luxury,” Altman said. “We learned that last year. We can’t have enough ball-handlers, and we’ll see in the playoffs. I know it’s been a few years now, but to break your man off the dribble when everything else breaks down and you’re set plays are not working, you’re gonna need guys to go get some stuff and manufacture some runs, if you will. He remains a very important part of what we’re doing. He’s a really good basketball player and I know he’s thrilled to still be here. We’re happy that he’s here as well.”


The Cavs also debated whether one of their potential pickups would actually crack Bickerstaff’s tight eight- or nine-man rotation. When at full strength or close to it, the top 8 are set. The ninth will likely fluctuate between Osman, Lamar Stevens and Raul Neto -- depending on the matchup and who else is available. It will take an injury for Love to get another extended look.

Altman said even though the current situation isn’t easy on the 34-year-old Love, he has not been approached about any buyout talks and doesn’t anticipate those happening.

So, the thinking was logical and straightforward: Who would come in and displace Dean Wade, Ricky Rubio or LeVert -- the three primary reserves? Would that newbie be OK with limited minutes or the kind of playing time oscillation that others have been forced to accept? Would that player be too disruptive to the status quo in which everyone seems to have a clear understanding of their role and the team’s identity.


“Everybody wants more shooting,” Altman admitted. “It’s something I looked at, but where are those minutes going to go to? And that starting five, which has been really good with Isaac Okoro, who are you taking off the floor there?”


The recent uptick from Okoro, the No. 5 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, also played part in Cleveland’s decision-making -- although it didn’t prevent it from having advanced conversations while looking for an upgrade. Because of Okoro’s impact over the last month, especially in the starting lineup, it, at the very least, kept the Cavs from approaching the deadline with a sense of desperation.


“I think we’ve been hammered since this off-season about, ‘What are you going to do at the wing?’ We’ve always wanted the solution to be internal,” Altman said. “That’s the ideal, right? You’re developing within and helping guys achieve from within. I’m so happy for Isaac who puts the most work in that now he deserves that sort of 3-and-D position that we drafted him as. Between him, Dean, Cedi, we always wanted to hopefully have that be internal and not use more assets and go outside and hope it works.

“At the deadline, you’re making these deals and hoping that it fits. You’re ingratiating a new person to this system, everyone has to adapt around this person, you have to change the way you play a little bit to accentuate their positives. Keeping the continuity and letting the internal growth happen I think was a big part of it.”

The Cavs were the only current playoff team to stand idle during a trade deadline that featured a competitive market and an overabundance of buyers because of the wide-open view of the league’s hierarchy and the cluttered standings.


In past years, they might have gotten antsy, perhaps even felt compelled to do something. But this is a much different roster setup. They aren’t rebuilding. They aren’t in asset-collection mode. They aren’t trying to stockpile future draft picks. They aren’t searching for players to make up a foundation. The decision-makers like this group and what to see how it looks at full strength. They have already done the toughest part, assembling the league’s youngest group of contenders with a window of contention that just cracked open and should stay that way for years to come.

Now it’s about letting that core -- with an average age of 23 years old among the starters -- grow and prove what it can become.

“There’s no trade I could have accomplished that was going to account for Darius Garland playing in his first playoff series, Evan Mobley playing in his first playoff series, Isaac Okoro playing in his first playoff series. We have to go through that as a team,” Altman said. “We have the second-youngest starting lineup in the NBA. We have to go through those experiences. We’re gonna have to go down the stretch here and battle for our position. We’re gonna have to go and, hopefully knock on wood, go into a playoff series and see what that feels like. I’m excited about that. That’s the growth. That’s the maturation that I want to see from this group down the stretch.


“It’s a really, really exciting place to be.”

Why is Love glued to the bench? No longer holding him out in preparation for trade. He was doing OK until his injury setback. Is he still hurt? Isn't he still the 4th best big man even if Wade is now the regular backup to Allen and Mobley?
I haven;t seen an explanation from Fedor or Pluto but has someone else speculated on the situation?