The Cavaliers were reportedly expecting Kevin Love to miss at least two weeks after injuring his shoulder in a tangle with Kelly Olynyk, but nothing has been announced yet.
Why the delay?
Brian Windhorst of ESPN:
Announcement on Kevin Love prognosis & timetable may be delayed as he seeks 2nd opinion(s), sources say. As a free agent, a lot to consider.
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) April 27, 2015
Love certainly wants to help the Cavaliers win this year. But can also become a free agent this summer, and he also surely doesn’t want to limit his options by scaring off teams due to an injury he played through.
There’s no easy answer here, but with Cleveland already in the second round and awaiting its next opponent (Bulls or Bucks), he has a little time to deliberate.
He also has a $16,744,219 player option for next season. Under normal circumstances, he should opt out, even if it’s just to re-sign with the Cavaliers. But it also offers him protection if he’s injured heading into the offseason.
For the Cavaliers, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving can alone form the core of a very good team, but it will be difficult for Cleveland to reach elite levels without Love.