When LeBron James left the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Los Angeles Lakers, many Cavs fans figured that Kevin Love wasn't far behind. However, the NBA Draft came and went and the Cavs held onto their power forward. With Love struggling the last few years to stay healthy and the Cavaliers bouncing him from power forward to center and back to power forward again through the 2017-18 NBA season, it looked like he might be winding down. That is not what has happened. Instead, ESPN reports that the Cavaliers somehow convinced Love to stick around and gave him a monster four-year extension worth $120 million.

That brought a quick response from LeBron James to his former teammate.

The Kevin Love contract

Kevin Love joined the Cleveland Cavaliers along with LeBron James four years ago after starting his career with the Minnesota Timberwolves. At the time, Love was a premium power forward and Olympian and garnered a five-year, $145 million contract. This new extension -- with still one year remaining on his previous contract -- is worth $120 million over four years, a raise despite his increased age.

The new contract kicks in in the 2019-20 season where he will max salary for two years, a flat-rate salary the third and have a decreased pay rate the fourth. Love said he is "very excited" and "obviously humbled" with the new contract.

The new deal is a raise, but it was also something that Kevin Love gave back with. As mentioned, the contract is not maxed out in the third and fourth year and Love did that on purpose to help the Cleveland Cavaliers with the salary cap flexibility. Otherwise, he could have averaged $35 million a season.

While the Cavaliers lost LeBron James, the team hopes that signing Kevin Love to anchor the team will keep them in the playoff hunt.

LeBron James responds

LeBron James was very quick to respond. Despite helping bring Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers, James chose to leave for the Los Angeles Lakers without a word to his teammate. Love himself said that he found out on the internet when James left. However, LeBron reached out quickly with a complimentary tweet

While LeBron James did not sign with the Los Angeles Lakers for the immediate money, he knew that going to Los Angeles would improve his future earnings. For Kevin Love, it was all about getting the big money in a contract and now he has that security with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

LeBron James knows this and sent the sign of respect to Kevin Love.
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