Stars that could push Trail Blazers over the hump: Kevin Love
The link between Kevin Love and the Portland Trail Blazers has been interlocked for quite some time now. Portland hasn’t quite filled the Oregon-sized hole at the PF position since Aldridge’s departure, opting for stopgap pieces that haven’t survived the duration of the Lillard-McCollum pairing.
Love, a Lake Oswego narrative, has spent the last few years of his … post-prime toiling away on a hapless Cavaliers. Once you get past the infamous “thug” debacle, and Cleveland’s comically bad defense, there’s actually a future to be found, thanks to the potential of Collin Sexton and Darius Garland.
But, at 31-years-old, it’s likely Love wants to become part of an established score-at-will backcourt, and not an up-and-coming one.
Individually speaking, this wouldn’t be a move to make as a GM, for one key reason: Love commands north of $30 million, a price tag that will stick until he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2023.
Love definitely has tons in the tank; over the first few games of the season, he was putting up numbers only Wilt Chamberlain can attest to, and he enjoyed the most efficient season since the 2018 Finals run.
Make that two reasons. Part of me would argue that the individual defensive deficiencies of the Blazers’ starters have been slightly overblown. But there’s no way, in good integrity, that I can say Love makes that problem any better. He’s a solid defender from the perimeter, but as a paint protector … just chalk up two points for the opposition and head the other way.
And, for a third reason, health has remained an issue. Love hasn’t played in over 60 games since the 2016, 3-1 comeback Cavaliers.
That is perhaps the biggest difference between he and say, Aldridge or Millsap. Love, in the analytical NBA, probably scales the Blazers’ offensive ceiling higher than anyone here, and spaces the best alongside Jusuf Nurkic. But offense isn’t really a problem for Portland.
In a pressure-packed offseason, perhaps Olshey realizes the issue with not allowing Damian Lillard the best possible roster leads him to make a big move, especially with fans already calling for his exile. The move probably won’t feel idealistic in a few years. But if Portland rolls out a 2014 All-Star Team in 2020, maybe there’s a big championship push or two left in them?
Multiple reports offered that the Portland Trail Blazers tried to trade for Kevin Love during last year’s trade deadline, but the Cavaliers wanted more than Portland was willing to argue.
It’s unclear just how much things have changed, given what the Orlando bubble taught us about Portland’s frontcourt health and future going forward. If so, there’s one player that seems to always be within play for a trade.