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Brian Windhorst
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ESPN Senior Writer
- ESPN.com NBA writer since 2010
- Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years
- Author of two books
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Adrian Wojnarowski
The Cleveland Cavaliers are preparing for the strong possibility that five-time All-Star forward Kevin Love could miss more than a month with an injured toe in his left foot, league sources told ESPN.
The Cavaliers and Love are consulting with doctors early this week to consider the limited short-term solutions available, but intense pain and the combination of an 0-6 start make it less logical for Love to push through the injury.
Rest would be the solution for the toe injury, which has persisted since the preseason for Love.
Love signed a new four-year, $120 million contract this summer.
The loss of Love, 30, could send the Cavaliers into an even deeper spiral, leaving them without the team’s most reliable offensive player.
Love has missed the Cavaliers’ past two losses. The injury appears to have impacted his performance; he is averaging 19 points and 13.5 rebounds but is shooting 32 percent from the field and 29 percent on 3-pointers.
Cleveland fired coach Ty Lue on Sunday, replacing him on an interim basis with assistant Larry Drew.