Despite opting out of his contract with the Cavaliers, it appears likely Kevin Love will return to Cleveland next season.
Love will become a free agent on July 1 after declining his player option last week. He was scheduled to earn a base salary of $16.7 million in 2015-16, but will be able to cash in on a more lucrative deal with the NBA salary cap set to increase next season.
The Eastern Conference champions are in for a busy off-season.
Along with bringing back Love, the Cavaliers will need to work out a new contract with LeBron James after the four-time NBA MVP notified the Cavaliers he will opt out of his contract. He is expected to re-sign in Cleveland after returning to the Cavs as a free agent last summer.
The Cavaliers also need to lock up restricted free agent Tristan Thompson and fill out the roster with free agents.
Love averaged 16.4 points and 9.7 rebounds per game on 43.4 per cent shooting in 75 regular season games before suffering a season-ending injury in Cleveland’s first-round playoff series with the Boston Celtics.
Cleveland acquired Love last August in a three-team deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers that included 2014 No. 1 overall draft pick Andrew Wiggins, forward Thaddeus Young and 2013 first overall pick Anthony Bennett.
