Around this time last year, Kevin Love was well on his way to orchestrating his way out of Minnesota, while the Timberwolves were slowly coming around to the idea that his long-term future was not here and quietly preparing to attempt to move on.
Things lurched forward awkwardly for the rest of the spring and a good part of the summer, with rumors coming and going until finally word broke that Love would be dealt to the Cavaliers in a package including No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins. (Then we just had to wait another month for it to be official.)
It seemed, at the time, to be the perfect fit for both franchises and for Love: The Wolves received a potential future star player in Wiggins, the Cavaliers acquired a proven standout player to form a new "Big Three" with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, and Love went to a spot where he was practically guaranteed a first trip to the playoffs and a good chance to compete for a championship.
Now Love is "highly unlikely" to play the rest of the postseason, Cavs GM David Griffin said Monday, after Love dislocated his shoulder Sunday. If so, it marks the end of a difficult year for him and provides the chance to revisit where both franchises now stand.
The biggest question marks on the Wolves end centered around Wiggins' motor and ceiling. Would he become a great NBA player or merely a good one? His rookie season went a long way toward answering the question, and his ceiling now appears to be "star" or even "superstar."
The biggest questions on the other end centered around Love. Would he be able to assimilate into a system where he wasn't the only star and focal point of the offense? Would he prove to be mentally tough enough to withstand the grind of a different kind of spotlight? And would he stay healthy?
This brings us to the "be careful what you wish for" portion of the story because I'm not sure Love has checked any of those boxes this season.
He struggled in a diminished role, usually saying the right things while searching for clarity. His numbers dropped even more than most people would have predicted: from 26.1 points, 12.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game with the Wolves last year to 16.4/9.7/2.2 with the Cavaliers.
His mental toughness was tested in the never-ending mini-dramas that sprouted up over the course of the season, many of them involving the notion that he and LeBron weren't seeing eye to eye. The unrelenting nature of the controversies seemed to wear on Love.
The injury that forced him out of the playoffs is either a fluke or a dirty play by Boston's Kelly Olynyk, depending on your perspective. Regardless, Love will miss out on the one thing he sacrificed for, and the Cavs will have to try to win without a guy who was still a key piece even when struggling.
It's not the way the team or player pictured this entire season going.
michael rand
