Kevin Love is uninterested in a buyout with the Cavaliers at this point, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
“There have been no talks with Cleveland on a buyout, nor is there any interest from Kevin in doing a buyout,” Love’s agent Jeff Schwartz told Wojnarowski.
Wojnarowski writes that Love remains open to a trade, and that the Cavs have explored the market for him periodically, but have yet to find a deal to their liking.
Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com tweets that any buyout discussions will have to be initiated by Love, who would have to give up a significant portion of his remaining salary, which is currently $60.2MM over the next two seasons.
Love has only played in 103 games over the last three seasons, though he’s still been productive on the offensive end in that time, averaging 16.2 PPG, 9.4 RPG and 2.8 APG while shooting nearly 37% from three. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, will be paying Jarrett Allen and Lauri Markkanen (deal still pending) a combined $35MM+ this season, while also trying to develop number three overall pick Evan Mobley, which will likely leave Love on the outside of the rotation.
Love is thought to have interest from teams, including contenders, should he reach free agency, but it’s unlikely the Cavs will be able to trade him outright without sacrificing assets to do so.
How about making a good trade?
Horford
Hield
Hayward
Harris – Tobias
Westbrook
John Wall
Rockets want to rebuild the Wall. Cavs can do the rebuild for Rockets
If you last names start with H, you have a chance to sign huge contracts
Why would they want wall when they have two talented PG . Makes no sense . Cavs are going young why you think they want love out
When I read before that they were talking about a buyout, I was surprised (considering it from Love’s point of view). I don’t think many people feel he would be offered anywhere near what he’s guaranteed by Cleveland for the next two seasons, especially considering his recent injury woes. I guess it would depend on how much money Love would have been expected to forfeit, balanced against the chances of either recouping that amount with another team or ring chasing.
As far as ring chasing, he probably knows his body better than anyone. He might be clued into the fact his body is hurting, he’s not as fast as he once was, so he may think he’s not able to contribute to a championship team? He may think he’s slipped down that Hill a little too far so he’s going to take this entire 60 million dollars.
He’s not like Blake Griffin who can contribute quite a bit still and actually earn a new contract for the next season with his hustle and play and effectiveness.
Long story short…no one is interested in Kevin Love unless it is a minimum contract.
If he knows he can’t be healthy than he’s right to sit on his current contract.
Agreed.
Also, RE: ring chasing—he won one already. So giving up 15-20m to sign a vet min and be the 10th man on BK might not be incredibly appealing to him regardless of health.
Might just be for leverage also. I mean Cavs could stretch his remaining 60 to get out of it. If they think Love wants out then the question is how much will he sacrifice to go. If he plays it like he wants to stay he may get the 60M and be released before mid season, since I dont see him performing well enough to justify a team dealing for him.
Seems like Cavs need his min and roster spot, so dude will slow play it till they offer a good deal.
Looks like this guy wants to collect ALL that money. 60 million dollars is 60 million dollars !! 40 million or 50 million is not. LOL. He’s no dummy.
Any team looking to acquire Kevin Love will not pay more than a veteran minimum salary which is around two million dollars or so? That means Cleveland would buy out Kevin Love for 58 million dollars? Cavs are not doing that. So here we are.
Exactly. Players get a decade or so. They should grab all they can. Even though as a fan it really sucks when it happens to your team.
Luol Deng anyone?
Mitch Kupchak’s middle finger to Laker fans on his way out.
Mozgov was the other hand.
Monday… count my money. Tuesday… count my money. Wednesday… count my money. Pretty sure that’s how his calendar looks, you know in between rehab workouts and doctor visits.
Sounds like a pretty good work schedule to me.
Plus one of those days of the week, he can polish his championship ring.
What’s up with Cavs FO leaking so much bad info? First Brooks/Anderson with the Grizzlies and now this?
@17
We usually have no idea where these rumors come from. There’s no benefit to the Cavs front office letting it be known they’re working on a buyout. Most of us know he has a very small to zero trade value but it would absolutely kill any and all trade discussions if magically existed.
Cavs played 65 gms in 2019-20 season. Love played in 56 gms avg 32 mins.
In 2020-21 season Love played 1/3 of Cavs gms. He played 25 gms. He’s never had a serious injury. Only when he fractured his hand in 2018. He’s had mental and conditioning issues. Calf injury all yr last yr is conditioning. So meaning at 32 yrs old. If he gets in top shape. He should be the all star player He Is. Most of you here have short memories. I would recommend Prevegen. Love can help Cavs young bigs. And can benefit by playing next to them. He will be more attractive to trade at TD. Or even cheaper to buyout then. I really don’t understand how finicky fans give up on players so quick.
link to foxsports.com
Honestly asking your opinion… Had Love been a free agent before this season, do you think he could have signed any length contract for $30MM AAV?
Kevin Love was an All-Star with the Wolves, and maybe his first three seasons in Cleveland, but since then he has fallen off every year. Those of us who are not completely obsessed with bigs can see that he is no longer the player he once was, regardless of having memory issues.
Wow, you are not obsessed with something. Who knew.
Why do you live in past. Or could have would have should have. He’s never had a serious injury. The Cavs suck. He’s never wanted to play here after Bron left. You don’t remember his sit down with Kobe. You guys base his demise on him not playing for his contract. KD didn’t play a whole yr for his contract and got a raise. So did Kahwi. OK so you guys don’t believe in Love. That’s your problems not Loves lols.
Just look up his stats. Imo he is healthy and in condition. He’s a starting 4 in this league. On the right team. He can help a lot.
I remember 90% if this board saying how Griffin was finished. Now he’s had serious injuries. Yet he showed he can still help a team off bench. It’s on all of you that you do t believe in Love. Just like 2yrs ago 95% of this board was killing Randle. Must I go on .
The guy is 32. Why is all you want is failure. Why is all you see is failure. Why don’t all you wait and see what he gives. He’s not retiring or giving up his starting spot. It was a Freakin CALF. Not a tendon or a disk. He’s out shape and wants out of worst place in USA. 32 yrs old got plenty in the tank. He’s never had great athleticism to lose. He just needs to get in shape and get hungry. I gotta apologize for wanting him to do well.
@Knicks
A calf muscle strain is NOT a conditioning issue. It’s a muscle strain that if not completely healed can turn into a muscle tear. Ya kinda need that healthy to….ummm… walk let alone perform anything athletic. He hasn’t been able to get into playing condition because he really can’t do anything at 100% capacity other than weight lifting and “soft shooting” because you need your calf muscles to elevate for a shot, run and pivot/cut. Yeezus.
Now Love can jump. Why are you still here sunny. What exactly don’t you like about Love. Cavs suck he’s never wanted to be here. Kobe had to encourage him to stay.
link to my.clevelandclinic.org
You talk when you should be reading. You don’t believe in Love . I DO now go away
@Knicks
I get it. Your’e special. As in short yellow bus kind of special. I love Love. When healthy he’s a great player and I always felt that he was underappreciated because he sacrificed his game to be a 3rd option behind LBJ and Kyrie. He’s also one of the best outlet passers. That being said, he’s not healthy. He missed 2/3of the season and pulled out of the Olympics because of it. He’s also missed over 100 games in the last 3 years. That’s not an opinion. It’s a fact. I hope he can recover but it’s not looking good. If he stays then no gripping. Grab some pom poms and be the best mentor possible.
Totally understand this move by Love. Who willingly throws away 60 million?
Stick a fork in him.
Well… keep the fork already in him there.
This is what everyone has to say to make a trade happen. He will be traded for another bad contract or 2 and get them some draft picks. Scan the horizon for overpaid players on contending teams who get season-ending injuries for matching contracts.
There aren’t too many multi-year bad contracts out there that could match Love’s even when you add more players. For example, DeAndre Jordan’s remaining contract is about 2/20, not 2/60. Even if a team had some space available, no team has that much space.
Cavs have no other solution than paying him almost all of his money and figure it is a big loss. No team is going to trade for him unless its a disabled player getting the same amount of money so why do it. I would not rule out his injuries are much worse than what is being said so he knows he couldn’t even get a job at the league minimum amount.
Cavs could have Wall and Rockets could have Love lol. Both will get paid on the injured list and watch their team suffer on the court drink margarita’s.
Wall is no longer on the injured list. They will be shopping him mid season, and he has quite a bit more value than Love at this point. There really arent many players making similar money with such a question mark on health and effectiveness.
Makes sense as he has been a champion so he does not need to ring chase. Why give up millions of dollars because the team does not want you anymore? The ball is in Cleveland’s court not Love’s.
I get it if you don’t like Love. But do it for real reasons. Not because it’s what they all do. The reason he can’t be moved is his contract. Because he hasn’t fulfilled it by playing last few yrs. Or so that’s what they write and tell you to believe. But I doubt most of you even bother to look up his stats. So someone has to do it for you. AGAIN
2017-18 season in 59 games. Was an All Star. Missed 23 gms fractured hand.
28.0 mins, .458% FG, .415% 3PT, .880% FT, 9.3 reb, 17.6 pts
2018-19 season in 22 games. Had toe surgery missed 60 gms. Same stats as All Star yr
27.2 mins, .385% FG, .361% 3PT, .904% FT, 10.9 reb, 17.0 pts
2019-20 season in 56 games. Bubble season team played 63 gms. Love chose to opt out of his $25.5 million salary for the 2019-20 season to sign his new deal, per ESPN’s report, which will pay him an average of $30 million per season 4yrs. Love stats are better than his All Star season 2017-2018
31.8 mins, .450% FG, .374% 3PT, .854% FT, 9.8 reb, 17.6 pts
2020-21 season in 25 games. In this season’s preseason opener, Love suffered a calf injury that limited him to only 25 games during the 2020-21 campaign. All yr hence was never in shape. Cause you can’t really work out with this injury. Hence no Olympics.
24.9 mins, .409% FG, .365% 3PT, .824% FT, 7.4 reb, 12.2 pts. This the only yr his stats dropped off.
So let’s Sum It Up. He was an All Star in 2017-18. In 2018-19 he had toe surgery. Still put up good numbers. In 2019-20 the Bubble yr. He put up better stats than his All Star year. In 2020-21 season he got hurt again calf, only played 25 gms 1/3 of shortened season. So two yrs he puts up All Star numbers. Two other yrs he’s hurt and out. But not career threatening injuries. Yet he’s FINISHED for most of you. Just cause he signed a contract he deserved. Most of you don’t know Ball or Love. Only hate and failure. You should look in the mirror for help. Love only needs to play 75 gms to prove himself. And he should play that this yr. He didn’t play Olympics cause he never got in enough shape, gm shape. So you don’t risk injury by playing. He did the right thing to be ready for the season. At 32 he only needs to be healthy to have a solid yr. Cause that’s all he does is put up stats when he plays. The STATS are right here. Cause we all know you WON’T look it up. He is not coming back from major injury. There is no reason to believe he can’t put up stats he did in 2019-20.
the stats are the easiest thing to see. no one is doubting his abilities. what they doubt is his ability to stay healthy. you’re the only that doesn’t get it. you’re the only one insisting a calf strain that’s lingered this long isn’t an issue. HE asked to be added to the Olympic team. HE decided he wasn’t fully recovered from the injury nor in game shape. That could change. I hope so. Cavs had to protect themselves in case he isn’t. No one said he hadn’t been a great player in the past. im sure he’ll get chances to prove himself worthy of a starting position.