Kevin Love may be out of the playoffs after suffering a shoulder injury and now murmurs are abuzz on what lies ahead for the NBA All-Star.
It will be recalled that prior to this season, Love was quiet on his plans. He was still with the Minnesota Timberwolves during the last offseason until that surprising move saw him heading to Cleveland in exchange for 2015-16 Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins.
This coming NBA free agency seems to be déjà vu for Love though the shoulder injury will sideline him for at least 4 to 6 months. Still and all, everyone knows the value of a Kevin Love. Despite being out of commission, Love will still be a hot commodity in the offseason.
But before all that, everything depends on what Love decides on. He has a player option for next season which he can decline. If so, the top contenders for his services are reportedly the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics.
Cleveland is still a choice though but everyone knows that Love hasn't exactly been a perfect fit. He has been doing his role and has been trying to fit in to the system of head coach David Blatt. However it is obvious that he isn't as comfortable and as striking compared to his Timberwolve days.
Of course, one factor is the fact that he isn't the top dog anymore. He has to share the limelight (if not take a backseat) to Kyrie Irving and LeBron James. It is an entirely new environment for Mr. Double-Double but is he fine with it?
The answer to that will apparently come in the offseason. Is he fine with his backseat role with the Cavaliers?
If not, Love could likely be headed to teams in need of a franchise player. And at the top of the list are the Lakers and the Celtics, two ballclubs well-known for their winning tradition.
