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SPORTS Wednesday 25 July 2018
Love-fest: Cavs sign Kevin Love

to 4-year, $120M extension

By TOM WITHERS we have championship- I think in some cases what
AP Sports Writer caliber guys, and we have we lose in identity we will
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) young and fresh guys that make up but we also have
— Kevin Love signed his are going to be willing to in culture. We've always
new contract and proudly learn and come along in had a culture here that has
put on a hard hat. this league. been very hard working. ...
The Cleveland Cavaliers "I think guys putting on their I think we're going to see a
will rebuild around him. hard hats and coming to lot of guys really having fun
The All-Star forward made work every day — that has and being themselves and
a long-term commitment to be the identity to our playing really hard-nosed
to the franchise on Tues- team, and I think we have basketball."
day by signing a four-year, guys that are cut from that Altman said it wasn't long
$120 million extension with cloth and are going to be after James announced he
the Cavaliers, who believe willing to go out there and wasn't coming back that In this June 3, 2018, file photo, Cleveland Cavaliers forward
Kevin Love, center, shoots against Golden State Warriors forward
Love can help them stay prove themselves." he made his commitment Kevin Durant during the first half of Game 2 of basketball's NBA
competitive following LeB- Love will make $24.1 mil- to Love. "Right after LeBron Finals in Oakland, Calif.
ron James' departure. lion next season before the decided to leave, I called Associated Press
The 29-year-old Love, who extension begins, making Kevin first," Altman said. "I
was nearly traded twice by his contract worth $145 mil- said: 'Kev, I'm not trading vered in his commitment, ally meaningful.
Cleveland, signed the ex- lion over five years. Love you. I want you to be here not once in the four years "He wants to be a part of
tension in front of dozens of waived his option for 2019- and I want you to be a part since we traded for him this franchise and be the
construction workers inside 20 and there are no other of this thing,' and he was all and not once this summer leader. I think he's earned
Quicken Loans Arena, the options or trade clauses in then, too. He's never wa- and, to me, that's really, re- that."q
team's downtown home, within the new deal.
which is undergoing a $140 He will be paid $28.9 million
million renovation not un- in 2019-20, $31.3 million in
like the makeover taking 2020-21 and 2021-22, and
place with the four-time $28.8 million in 2022-23.
defending Eastern Confer- The deal gives Love obvi-
ence champions. ous financial security, and
The symbolic moment it locks up an elite player
wasn't lost on Love, who for the Cavaliers, who want
came to Cleveland four to avoid stumbling the way
years ago to join James they did when James left
and Kyrie Irving and form the first time in free agency
the Cavs' "Big 3." in 2010.
It's now his team. As the NBA waited for
"I look back, everything James to make his move
happens for a reason," earlier this month, Love was
Love said. "My best friend with friends on Long Island
from back home said, 'It when he got word that his
always works out.' This is teammate was bound for
where I wanted to be. I've LA.
said that all along. There "I was kind of just sitting
were some tough times there in a crowd of people
where potentially I would and I go, 'Huh, OK, well,
have been traded and let me go call Koby,'" Love
my name came up in ru- said. "Koby actually ended
mors every few months. But up calling me and made a
hopefully that ends now." couple calls and we need
Love didn't know when he to figure some things out,
arrived at the arena that but here we go, let's build
he would be meeting with this thing."
carpenters, electricians, Love, who will turn 30 in Sep-
plumbers and team em- tember, just completed his
ployees to celebrate his fourth season with Cleve-
signing. General manager land, which was swept by
Koby Altman wanted to Golden State in the Finals.
surprise him. And although James is else-
Moments after signing, where, Love believes that
Love took a selfie with the with him and young players
workers and posted it on In- like rookie guard Collin Sex-
stagram . ton, forwards Cedi Osman
"It wasn't even my idea, but and Larry Nance and oth-
I thought it was great," Love ers, Cleveland can remain
said. "I had all the people more than competitive.
behind me. It's almost like, "You lose the best player in
to me it's not a rebuild, the world, you have to form
because we have talent, a new identity," he said. "But