The Cleveland Cavaliers, playing without injured star LeBron James, lost its fifth straight game on Sunday, a 103-84 rout at the hands of the Sacramento Kings. After the game, head coach David Blatt got testy with a reporter when asked why the team is struggling despite having two players in the lineup that make the NBA’s maximum salary, guard Kyrie Irving and forward Kevin Love.
“Kevin’s not a max player yet,” Blatt said, according to Sactown Royalty.
Blatt could’ve been trying to get technical with the reporter since Love signed a four-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves instead of the usual five but it still was max money.
Or there’s the route sensationalists will take and say Blatt is indicating that Love isn’t playing like a max player as of late although he’s averaging 17.7 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.
Love is expected to opt-out of the last year of his contract and become a free agent. The rumor is that he will sign a one-year deal and play that out in anticipation of the rise in the salary cap when the new TV deal kicks in, in 2016. He will then command another max contract but it’s uncertain if it will be with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
