Report: Cavaliers' Kevin Love Out 'Several Games' After Entering COVID Protocols

Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love has been put in the NBA's health and safety protocols and is "expected to miss several games," per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. 

Love is averaging 9.9 rebounds and 7.3 rebounds in 20.7 minutes across seven games this season.

The 33-year-old has missed considerable time in recent seasons. He played in only 25 games last year because of a calf injury, and he averaged only 12.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. His points were the fewest he's averaged since his rookie season, while his rebounds were a career-worst mark.

He also played only 22 games in the 2018-19 campaign due to a foot injury. He's played through back issues in recent years as well. 

Love was put on the USA Basketball roster for the Tokyo Olympics, but the calf issue had lingered enough that he was forced to withdraw from the team. 

"I am incredibly disappointed to not be heading to Tokyo with Team USA, but you need to be at absolute peak performance to compete at the Olympic level and I am just not there yet," he said in a statement in July.

Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reported at the time that it "became painfully obvious Love wouldn't be able to help the Americans."

He added: "He received limited action in two of the three tune-ups. His play was worrisome, struggling at both ends of the floor and looking old and slow, unable to create space to get clean looks at the hoop while finishing with more fouls than points. He looked completely out of place—the least effective player on the team."

Love's struggles to stay healthy—combined with the Cavaliers building around young players like Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, Collin Sexton, Jarrett Allen and Isaac Okoro—might spell the end of his time in Cleveland soon enough.

Look for starters Mobley and Lauri Markkanen to see even bigger minutes while Love is sidelined.