Tap here to view theScore's NBA Offseason Tracker, which includes the latest transactions and rumors
It turns out all the rumors surrounding Kevin Love's potential departure from Northeast Ohio were just that - rumors.
The star power forward and unrestricted free agent announced his decision to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday through a post on The Players' Tribune.
Kevin Love shares his free agency decision with The Players' Tribune. http://t.co/q4WB6zxNwe
— The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) July 1, 2015
"Of course I've heard the free agency rumors," Love wrote. "But at the end of the day, and after meeting with my teammates (it turns out pools are great meeting places) and with the front office, it was clear Cleveland was the place for me."
According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Love and the Cavs have agreed to terms on a five-year contract worth $110 million. The fifth year of the deal will be a player option, Grantland's Zach Lowe reports.
"After Game 1 of the NBA Finals, that’s when it really struck me," said Love, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury at the end of the postseason's first round. "Sitting on the sidelines, I never wanted to play in a game more than that one. I had dreamed of playing in the NBA Finals and I just wanted to help my guys win."
— Kevin Love (@kevinlove) July 1, 2015
Love, a two-time All-NBA selection, spent six years in Minnesota without a playoff appearance to show for it, moving to Cleveland last July in a blockbuster trade that sent No. 1 overall pick - and eventual Rookie of the Year - Andrew Wiggins to the Timberwolves.
While his contributions to the Cavs' playoff run didn't last long, Love was a key component of the team's first trip to the postseason in five years, averaging 16.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists on a True Shooting Percentage of 56.2 during the regular season.
Those numbers pale in comparison to Love's prodigious production as the clear-cut No. 1 option in Minnesota, but given his third-option status behind LeBron James and All-NBA point guard Kyrie Irving - in addition to Love being somewhat misused within David Blatt's offense - they're impressive nonetheless.
The three-time All-Star's relationship with James was the subject of season-long scrutiny, but Love said he and his teammates are "on the same page" and are "all in."
With Love, Tristan Thompson, and Iman Shumpert all reportedly locked up, and James' eventual re-signing an expected formality, the Cavs will once again enter the 2015-16 season as heavy favorites in the Eastern Conference.
