NEW YORK — Right around the time the Oklahoma City Thunder announced Kevin Durant’s season was over, the free agency clock began ticking loudly in the heartland.
Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick …
Cleveland Cavaliers fans remember all too well what that feels and sounds like. LeBron James’ final season in Cleveland was a sales pitch at every stop. At least, every city with cap space. That’s the problem the Thunder and the league’s next transcendent player will face. Because of the rising salary cap, many more teams will have cap space in 2016 than when James was entering free agency. Durant and the Thunder will spend all of next season staving off questions about where he’s headed next.
What does this have to do with the Cavs? Maybe (probably?) nothing. But maybe it does.
One rival general manager suggested in November, right around the time Kevin Love began swatting down questions about his future, that the exploding salary cap could allow the Los Angeles Lakers to add Love this summer, Durant in 2016 and Russell Westbrook in 2017. That’s why the Lakers can’t be dismissed as major players despite their current woeful state.
Now before this goes any further, it’s important to stress that Love hasn’t shied away from questions about his future. Every time he is asked about his plans — every single time — he has adamantly maintained he is committed to Cleveland long term. Most players in his position duck the question with some form of, “I’m not really thinking about free agency. I’m focused on the season.”
Love, however, has never taken that route. But that hasn’t stopped agents and front office folks from insisting Love’s time in Cleveland will be brief. For now, all involved have no choice but to take him at his word.
The GM’s inclusion of Westbrook into the equation back in November, however, became more intriguing recently when Love suggested on a national radio show Westbrook as the league’s MVP ahead of James.
Love is irritated his comment drew so much attention. He maintains that his answer, when taken as a whole, makes it clear he believes any from the pool of James, Westbrook, James Harden and Steph Curry could win the award. And while that’s true, the simple fact is he chose a rival (granted a former college teammate) instead of his own.
That left at least a few people within the Cavs organization shaking their heads.
David Blatt has grown annoyed at times this season with all of the questions regarding Love and his role on this team. Blatt has spent his entire career overseas where more players buy into winning above self. That isn’t always true here.
From Blatt’s perspective, as long as the Cavs are winning — which they are more than any team in the league since Jan. 15 — nothing else matters. But in the NBA, when players are in the last year of their contracts, everything else matters. If Love was under contract for three more years, none of this would ever come up.
The Cavs experienced all of this once before with James and lost. They’re going through it now again with Love. And the Thunder, provided Durant’s foot heals properly and he returns next season as good as ever, will experience it for themselves. In the NBA, there are few times more frustrating for superstars and teams than the dreaded final year of a contract.
Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick …