Kevin Love on next season: 'I truly expect to be suiting up' for the Cavs

As Cleveland sports fans celebrate a LeBron James-led Cavaliers team preparing for the NBA Finals, the daily chatter surrounding Kevin Love's potentially pending free agency has quieted somewhat.

Still, regardless of what happens over the next two weeks, the fact remains: the Cavs could lose an All-Star-caliber player in his prime for nothing, only a year after trading a No. 1 overall pick - and the eventual Rookie of the Year - for his services.

Addressing the media for the first time since suffering a season-ending shoulder injury at the hands of Boston Celtics big man Kelly Olynyk, Love did his best to quell those fears on Sunday.

Love holds a player option for next season worth more than $16.7 million, leaving him with a number of choices.

He could opt in to that final year of his deal, remaining with the Eastern Conference champions he couldn't help beyond this season's first round, and then become an unrestricted free agent when the cap spikes with new television money in 2016. He could opt to become a free agent this summer, either re-signing with a Cavs team that owns his Bird rights (and can therefore offer him more money and an extra year) or taking his talents elsewhere - perhaps Los Angeles or Boston.

Love could also sign a short-term deal (spanning one or two years) as a UFA this summer to cash in now, while still giving him an opportunity to take advantage of a booming cap in 2016 or 2017.

With all that in mind, Love committing to Cleveland for next season doesn't necessarily mean he's in it for the long haul as a Cavalier.

The Cavs should hope it does.

While his contributions to the Cavs' playoff run didn't last long, the three-time All-Star 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 James and All-NBA point guard Kyrie Irving - in addition to Love being somewhat misused within the offense - they're impressive nonetheless.

"I still feel like I'm a big part of this," Love said Sunday of the team's success.

Love also said he's finally reached out to Olynyk (via text) after he first scolded the youngster in the media for the "bush-league play" that resulted in his injury, but admitted he's still dealing with pain.