Kevin Love Set To Face Cavaliers In Cleveland For First Time Since Leaving: ‘I’d Be Lying If I Said It Wasn’t Emotional’

NBA champion Kevin Love will face the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland tonight (3/5) for the first time since leaving and joining the Miami Heat. 

Love was waived by the Cavaliers in February 2023 and joined the Heat as a free agent. 

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t emotional,” Love said. “I mean, I was on the court (Tuesday) night working out and my wife wanted to see her former seats that she used to sit in. And we were just reminiscing a little bit and I said I had such a great relationship from ownership all the way down to the day-to-day people who work with the team.”

Love appeared in 489 games with the Cavaliers. He averaged 15.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists and made two All-Star teams. 

The 36-year-old Love helped the Cavaliers win the 2016 championship against the Golden State Warriors. Cleveland is the only team in NBA history to erase a 3-1 series deficit in the Finals. 

Love, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving will always be Cavaliers legends for what they accomplished in 2016. LeBron will undoubtedly have his No. 23 jersey retired by the franchise one day. Love (No. 0) and Irving (No. 2) could join The King as well. 

“One of the things I spoke about with ownership, I said if it is me, I’d be honored to go up next to him in the rafters,” Love said. “We’ll all be pretty close, so yeah, I might be the first one.”

Love is averaging 5.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists for the Heat this season while shooting 35.0% from the field, 35.0% from beyond the arc and 68.4% from the free-throw line. He’s appeared in 20 games. 

A UCLA product, Love has career averages of 16.2 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Cavaliers and Heat. He’s made five All-Star teams and two All-NBA teams. 

Love won the 2010-11 Most Improved Player of the Year Award with the Timberwolves.