INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Kevin Love still doesn't have a clear timeline for a return following a recent visit with his doctor, but admitted the mid-January mark that he once mentioned isn't realistic.

At this point, he's still weeks away and his comeback could end up being closer to the All-Star break.

"I don't know," Love said Monday at Cleveland Clinic Courts. "It's really tough for me to say because I don't know how my foot is going to respond. I didn't know what the doctor was going to say in New York, but I think just if I'm feeling good and I progress well than hopefully it will be sooner rather than later. I just don't know when it's going to be."

Love, who mentioned a mid-January return to The Athletic, had surgery to remove cartilage and have fluid drained from the base of the big toe on his left foot by Dr. Martin O'Malley at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York on Nov. 2. At that time, the Cavs said he would be re-evaluated after about six weeks.

On Thursday, one day after Love's follow-up in New York, the Cavs said he would be able to increase his therapy, adding a few more select basketball activities.

Love said he was happy with what he heard from the doctor and is progressing the right way.

He has started shooting. He's been able to be up on his toes a bit, but no running as of yet. On Monday, Love said he was able to do some very light work off the court, including exercise on the anti-gravity treadmill. Other than that, it's been slow and steady, especially given the tricky nature of foot injuries for bigs.

"I think just kind of go with the symptoms," Love said. "Like if I'm feeling anything we'll just kind of keep it at that pace, just a progression from here. But I think I'll get more of an idea of that over the next couple weeks and then from there there will be even more progression and get out on the court. I don't know when I'll be able to go one on one, two on two, three on three, but I think that's all part of the next few weeks I'd say."

When Love inked a four-year, $120 million extension with the Cavaliers this summer, committing his future to the team and becoming the face of the franchise, he didn't sign up for this.

The injury-riddled Cavs have the league's worst record and a rebuild has been more painful than anticipated. He's watched teammates that he made Finals trips with get sent away. He's had to sit on the sidelines during lengthy losing streaks and massive blowouts.

For Love, he was in a good place entering training camp, ready to become the leader of the post-LeBron James era.

Then everything changed in the preseason opener, as he suffered a painful foot injury that lingered into the regular season and eventually required surgery after the fourth game.

Despite all of that, including this injury that has kept him from reaching his goal of playing in all 82 games and sidelined him longer than he initially thought, Love has no plans to shut it down this season.

"That's never really been the thought process -- at least for me," Love said. "I know going out there, I want to play. I want to be out there with those guys. I feel like I would be letting my teammates down and letting LD (Larry Drew) and the coaching staff down if I didn't get out there and play and get out there and play as soon as I could so long as I'm healthy.

"I would just hope to come back whether it be right before All-Star break, after All-Star break just things to start trending in the right direction and give the fans and this organization some hope for better times that are going to be here."

It appears Love's return will coincide with the NBA trade deadline, which is Feb. 7. The All-Star break is the following week. By rule, he can't officially be traded until Jan. 24 -- six months after signing his new deal. That, of course, hasn't stopped his name from surfacing once again in trade rumors.

On Monday, he reiterated his desire to stay in Cleveland.

"I would love to be here," Love said. "Would just love to get through a whole season healthy just because I've had nagging things that have taken time and been a little bit unlucky, but I would like to play ball here."