State Of the Cleveland Indians Rotation: Is It Time To Be Concerned? by Nick Dudukovich

Could Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook one day team up together with the Los Angels Lakers? It’s not a new rumor to some NBA fans, but the conspiracy theory has been given even more weight with ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst talking about the possibility on his Hey Windy! podcast, which airs on ESPN Cleveland.

Windhorst talked about Love and Westbrook’s relationship because Love recently said his former UCLA teammate was having a better season than LeBron James when the MVP race was discussed on the Dan Patrick Show.

Windhorst said the following, around the 37;48 mark of the podcast:

“Love enjoys Westbrook. they have a relationship. there’s a conspiracy theory that exists out there that Kevin Love will go to the Lakers this summer, or next summer, and then Westbrook will join him when he’s a free agent, and they will reunite in LA, like they played for UCLA. The guy, the star player he has the best relationship in the league with is Westbrook.”

What Love does in the future is anyone’s guess, but the national perception that Love isn’t “fitting in” with the Cavaliers is ridiculous, as the stats in one of my latest post reveals. More from Factory of Sadness Cleveland Browns: Porter Gustin should be given the next start

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Westbrook won’t become a free agent until after the 2016-2017 season. Love can opt out of his current deal after this season, but should he opt in–or re-sign on a one-year deal, he would set himself up to be a free agent at the same time as his college teammate.

Love will be an interesting case to watch this offseason, because of the speculation surrounding a possible back injury. Would he sign a max deal this summer to ensure he sets himself up for life, or would he risk an injury to enter free agency after the 2017 campaign?

Speculating that far in advance seems ridiculous, but James and Dwyane Wade showed that if friends want to play together, they will.