CLEVELAND -- Ever since he was acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in the summer of 2014, Kevin Love's name has never seemed to leave the rumor mill.
Even after he signed a four-year extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015, it didn't take long for trade rumors to pop back up. Through it all though, Love has remained in Cleveland.
This summer, however, that could finally change.
With a second straight NBA Finals defeat at the hands of the Golden State Warriors appearing to be a matter of not if, but when, the Cavs are preparing to enter the offseason facing more uncertainty than any summer since LeBron James returned four years ago. Most notably, James can opt out of his contract and once again become a free agent, with his decision dictating the direction of the Cavs' franchise for years to come.
At this point in his career, Love has become accustomed to uncertainty and knows how to answer the questions about his future accordingly.
"Yeah, I mean, I'd hope so," the 5-time All-Star said when asked if he hoped to remain with the Cavs beyond this season on Thursday. "I've always said that. I always wanted to be here. Always wanted to win here."
But at the same time, Love isn't naive to the reality of his current situation.
"As you know, it's probably going to come up," Love said. "It always does. It's also good to be wanted. But at the same time, it's going to be interesting to see what happens. We just don't know."
Independent of James' decision, Love's time in Cleveland could be nearing its end.
Should James stay, the Cavs will still likely explore trading Love in an acquire a new running mate for the 4-time MVP. Should James leave, Cleveland would almost certainly attempt to trade Love in an attempt to acquire assets to jumpstart a rebuild.
Of course, regardless of where Love winds up in the months -- or weeks -- to come, his time in Cleveland isn't over just yet. Trailing the Warriors 0-3 in the best-of-seven series, the Cavs will take the court for Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday night.
What will happen next, at this point, is anyone's guess. But by now, Love has become more than accustomed to the uncertainty.
"There's been so much overhaul and so many things that have happened this year, particularly with our team, that you just don't know when July comes and free agency hits," he said. "There could be something interesting that comes up for this team."
