Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love blew up on general manager Koby Altman, voicing his displeasure with the organization, following the team’s shootaround Saturday, according to The Athletic’s Joe Vardon and Shams Charania.
Love was reportedly screaming at Altman as his teammates and the Cavaliers’ coaches looked on, saying that there was “no feel here.”
He posted a picture from the 2019 film “The Joker” with caption “mood” on Instagram after the incident.
That wasn’t the only incident from Saturday’s game as Love showed some frustrated with teammate Collin Sexton during the second quarter.
As Love was calling for a pass, Sexton started dribbling the clock down about 40 feet away from the basket forcing Love to walk over to Sexton and ask for the ball before making a bullet pass with both hands to Cedi Osman as he walked away from the play with Osman getting fouled.
Talking to reporters after the game, Love admitted to being frustrated with how the play developed.
“I think you’re talking about the play with Chris Paul on me. Yeah, I felt we were making a play call and at the end of the second half we were in the bonus and I had Chris Paul on me,” Love said after the 121-106 loss. “Felt swing it to me and try to throw it in the post, see if they double-team me and get a shot out of that, but that’s not what we did. Yeah, I was frustrated.”
Love then took to Instagram after the game to clarify the situation saying that people are misrepresenting the facts and that he loves his teammates.
The 31-year-old, who is in his sixth season in Cleveland, was fined $1,000 for another outburst while on the bench during the team’s 117-97 loss at the hands of the Toronto Raptors on Dec. 31. Shams and Vardon report that Love disagreed with the penalty.
Saturday’s incident was not the first confrontation between Love and Altman. Love reportedly raised his voice toward the GM and at the end of last season and Altman threatened to fine him. According to The Athletic, Love responded by saying, “Go ahead. I have plenty of money.”
Love — who is averaging 16.6 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists on 44.8 per cent shooting for the Cavaliers (10-24) — is reportedly looking for a trade to a contender, but hasn’t publicly asked for a move.
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