Kevin Love wanted to join the Cleveland Cavaliers immediately after he received a call from LeBron James about the possibility of playing together.
"LeBron signed to come back and a few hours later he called me and I said 'I'm in,' " Love said Tuesday at a news conference. "That had a lot to do with my decision. It means a lot to be a part of this organization ... everything in my entire life for the last six years had led me up to this opportunity."
Love said Tuesday he currently has no plans to sign an extension with the Cavs. Love signed a four-year, $61 million extension in 2012, but the 2016-17 season, worth $16.7 million, is a player option. Love is also not planning to pick up that option either and will play out the final year of his contract with the Cavs.
Love did say he plans to be with the team long-term.
"[An extension] hasn't been talked about," Love said. "I'm committed to this team and committed long term to the end goal, which is to win a championship."
The Cavaliers pursued Love even months before James re-signed.
"This is culmination of a year and a half of conversations to trade for [Love]," Cavs general manager David Griffin said. "This is a player that, quite frankly, fits us as well as any player could have. LeBron makes a great deal of these things possible by his presence alone. That piece had a great deal to do with Kevin's comfort with joining us. Hopefully we'll (have) him for a very long time."
