Utah Jazz forward Kevin Love said he is not ruling out a future reunion with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the franchise where he spent more than eight seasons and won an NBA title in 2016.
Speaking with D.J. Siddiqi of ESportsInsider.com, the 37-year-old veteran explained that he is approaching the remainder of his playing days on a “year-by-year” basis. While pleased with his current situation in Utah, Love acknowledged that returning to Cleveland remains a possibility.
“I don’t want to make any assumptions—they’ve been so good to me here already with Utah, and if this is it, then I’m very happy with that,” Love said. “Obviously, Cleveland is a near and dear place to me… They were so good to me for my eight-and-a-half seasons there, and continue to be.”
Trade to Utah Caught Him Off Guard
Love joined the Miami Heat during the 2022-23 season and believed he would finish his career in South Florida, where his family had settled. The offseason trade that sent him to the Jazz last summer surprised him. “Miami got better; they got Norman Powell,” he said. “But yeah, it still stung. I’ve seen all this before. It doesn’t make it any easier.”
Finding a Role in Salt Lake City
League observers initially expected the five-time All-Star to be moved again or bought out before the season began. Instead, Love has embraced his role with the young Jazz roster, calling the organization “amazing” and the experience “truly great.”
He has appeared in seven of Utah’s past eight games, averaging 14 minutes off the bench. With center Walker Kessler sidelined for the season following shoulder surgery, Love’s floor time has increased slightly. More importantly, he views his primary contribution as leadership.
“Even if I’m not playing, my role—it’s great to have a role in my 18th season—is being that veteran leader, a sound voice, somebody that preaches and acts on accountability,” he said. “I think sometimes people overvalue a veteran in a locker room, but the Jazz appreciate it. It makes me want to lean in even more and be the vet that, honestly, I never had.”
Contract Status
Love is in the final year of a deal that cannot be extended, positioning him for unrestricted free agency next summer unless Utah trades him before then. Asked specifically about Cleveland, he declined to commit either way, but acknowledged the idea remains alive.
The veteran forward’s non-committal stance may be all that is needed to spark speculation about a return to Northeast Ohio as he weighs the next step in an 18-year NBA career.
Source: Hoops Wire
