Kevin Love To Los Angeles Lakers In 2015 Possible According To NBA Writer Sam Smith

Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers may leave his current team after the 2014-2015 NBA Season and move to the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent according to Sam Smith, a writer for the Chicago Bulls at NBA.COM. Smith’s speculation is that the Cavaliers have “issues”to settle when free agency hits in 2015 owing to the fact that both Love and LeBron James have the power to opt-out of their current contracts in Cleveland.

“LeBron James basically cannot afford to go anywhere after his return to Cleveland. But watch out for Love. Indications are he will seriously consider the opt out and has his eyes on a return to Los Angeles, where he attended college and where the Lakers long have had him on their free agent wish list,” Smith stated in his article.

There is no other source for the said free agency rumour but what is true is that indeed both James and Love have virtual expiring contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2014-2015 season. James is the highest paid player in the NBA this season being owed $20,644,400 this year while Love is among the maximum salaried players due $15,719,063 this season. James and Love can pick up their “player options” at $21,573,398 and $16,744,219, respectively and stay in Cleveland or choose to explore free agency where they will be expectedly get a long-term maximum contract extensions.

LeBron James Stays, Kevin Love Leaves A Possibility For Cleveland

As Smith’s contention, it would be tough for LeBron James to jilt hometown Cleveland for the second time in his storied career. James becoming the prodigal son returning as a hometown hero is one of the most followed, if not well-liked, the main story lines in the NBA this season. The same can not be said for Love, who has had no previous affiliation with Cleveland or the Cavaliers franchise.

Before landing in the NBA as the 5th overall selection— picked by the Memphis Grizzlies and traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves on draft night— in the 2008 NBA Draft, the 6-foot-10 Love played for the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Bruins in college basketball from 2007 to 2008. Love was also born in Santa Monica, California just eight miles of metropolitan Los Angeles, California. Before college ball, Love played for a high school team called, curiously, Lake Oswego Lakers in Oregon.

Kevin Love to Los Angeles: Doable As Per NBA Salary Cap Rules

Smith’s opinion of Kevin Love going to the Lakers has its merits as well. With the expiring contracts of Steve Nash ($9.7M), Jeremy Lin ($8.4M) and Carlos Boozer ($3.3M), the Hollywood squad will have roughly $47M on its payroll, way under the projected risen cap for 2015-2016 and with room for one maximum salaried player like Kevin Love. Of course, other NBA teams may want to chase Love in 2015 as well and squads like the Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons and Sacramento Kings among others are currently projected to have a total salary which will have cap space for a max salary player.

With roughly two weeks played in the 2014-2015 NBA season, it’s too early to make a call on Love’s future. If the Cleveland Cavaliers, which is powered by the super trio of LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, could go all the way to the 2015 NBA championship then talks of free agency could be put on hold as the team, particularly James and Love, will aim for back-to-back titles in 2015-2016. If the Cleveland Cavaliers bombs out and disappoints in the 2015 NBA Playoffs then Love to Los Angeles Lakers, among other NBA teams, talks will hog the NBA headlines while waiting for Love’s decision if he’ll opt-in or opt-out of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.