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Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love
Entering the 2018-19 NBA season, the LeBron James-less Cleveland Cavaliers were set to rely on Kevin Love to do much of the heavy lifting. Love had just signed a four-year, $120 million contract extension with the Cavaliers, a move which made a lot of sense as the team began building for their future.
Unfortunately, the 30-year-old forward was only able to play in four games to start the season before suffering a toe injury. Through the four-game start, he posted solid averages of 19 points, 13.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists, but struggled with his shot, making just 32.3 percent from the field.
Poor shooting proved to be the least of Cleveland’s concerns, as Love has remained out since that point and the Cavaliers have struggled to pick up early-season wins. In turn, the team even fired head coach Tyronn Lue after an 0-6 start to the year.
Let’s take a look at the latest on Love’s injury and a potential timeline for when he could return this season.
Potential Return Date and Severity of Kevin Love’s Injury
Although there has been no exact date set for when Love could return to the floor, the Cavaliers will undoubtedly take their time bringing him back. The Athletic’s Joe Vardon revealed back on November 2 that Love had surgery on his left toe, which will sideline him for at least six weeks. At that point, he’ll be re-evaluated for a potential return or updated timeline.
With Love likely being evaluated for a return around Christmas time, there’s no guarantee he’ll be back at that point. Depending on how the Cavaliers sit in terms of their record at the time, the team could choose to hold him out until he’s 100 percent healthy. Even when that time comes, Love’s minutes will likely be monitored right out of the gate.
As Cleveland finds themselves in a rebuild for the second post-LeBron era, the front office and coaching staff would be wise to tread lightly with Love’s toe injury.
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