Longtime Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love is working toward a buyout agreement with the team, sources inform Shams Charania and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic.
Love is currently making $28.9MM in the final season of a four-year, $120MM contract extension he signed with the team in 2018. The deal kicked in the following season.
According to The Athletic’s writers, the Heat are already said to be interested in procuring Love’s services. Given Miami’s issues with floor spacing and its lack of traditionally sized power forwards, this would feel like a natural fit.
The 34-year-old big man has been with the Cavaliers since he was traded to the club by the Timberwolves ahead of the 2014/15 NBA season.
Love, a five-time All-Star, won a title in Cleveland in 2016 alongside All-Stars LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. As Charania and Lloyd note, the former No. 5 pick out of UCLA was the only remaining player from that title team who was part of the exciting ’22/23 club that is currently the fourth seed in the East.
The 6’10” vet had fallen out of Cleveland rotation last month around the same time Dean Wade returned from a shoulder injury. Love played what could be his last game for the team on January 24, a 105-103 loss to the Knicks.
Even before that, Love had taken more of a backseat to Cleveland’s starting frontcourt tandem of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen this season. 6’7″ Cedi Osman has taken on more minutes as the team’s de facto reserve power forward of late.
Across 41 games while still in the team’s rotation, Love posted averages of 8.5 PPG and 6.8 RPG, with shooting splits of .389/.354/.889.
Frame 0 Heat need to be on this…
Edit: O lol, there they are in the article. Ya, that makes sense
Sorry Pat! Hey Kevin Bob Myers here!
Maybe…a floor spacing big might make sense there, and I think that would actually make Kuminga/Jamychal Green a little more effective, after losing the shooting they lost without Otto Porter at the 4/3. I’m not sure if that is the way they go though, as Draymond, Looney, and Jamychal green all play the 5 for them, and he doesnt necessarily change much in matchups against bigger bigs defensively, although he would bring those guys out on the other end b/c of the floor space…I feel like Ibaka fits better there
I guess I could see that option. Brooklyn makes arguably the most sense to me, and I could also see Portland and the Bulls as options
The perfect buyout for the warriors. A big man that can set screens. If the warriors can get him they can make it through the playoffs. Without a big man I don’t see the warriors getting through the first round.
He can shoot it and also that very valuable skill of setting screens. He’s also a good rebounder on the defensive end but I think the Warriors would see his defense as a liability.
In the playoffs that matters quite a bit so I would disagree with you. Warriors are not a destination for Kevin Love. The only problem with my argument is that the big man buyout Market is extremely thin this year.
He would make a good 2nd team center and big body. He is good at rebounding which the warriors need. Its all about match ups in the playoffs so when they go against a bigger team they will need the taller players to rebound.
Love would be a nice addition for the Warriors but he is going to have other opportunities with teams that are better positioned for the post season and where he won’t be asked to play the 5 which he prefers not to do (at least he hasn’t in the past).
@Sphinxter Better positioned? I dont know about that. GSW may enter with a worse seed, but the starting 5 won the finals last year. I wouldnt want to get matched with them in any round home court or not.
If Curry doesn’t return then the Warriors are going nowhere fast. Love would be a good fit if they also sign Westbrook but thats a lot for a team whose penalty payment is higher than their combined salary.
@formerlyz Jamychal has been shooting ok lately but if that goes he is unplayable. JG is pretty bad defensively so he has to put up some serious offense to be playable. I think Love would be more reliable from 3 with better consistency, and can probably play better team defense as well.
I actually think he’d be perfect to play alongside embiid.
He and Harris are functionally the same player.
My first thought was Phoenix. It’s close to his home in California. He grew up in Oregon so maybe Portland. He was born in California and went to UCLA. So warriors, Kings, Clippers possibilities. Lakers are probably full now and aren’t even a guarantee to make the playoffs
He grew up playing little league with Klay Thompson
Stick to something you know
All really good shouts. My mind straight away though Portland. Always said he’s love to play in Oregon. Teaming up with Dame. They also could fit him in as a back up big, floor spacer and rebounder. Then teaming up with LeBron and going back to Cali is also a great idea. Although they don’t really need a PF, they could always do with adding more talent especially Kevin who’s a great shooter and rebounder.
PHX is another good option, they don’t have much at the PF spot and he’d be a great floor spacer and fit. They’d rebound tremendously with Ayton and Love, CP3 is still an amazing floor general.
Miami is obviously, they need a PF but he doesn’t have any links to the area or any of the players there. Good odds at a deep playoff run tho.
Lastly GSW, however signing him for a cheap end of the season deal will still likely cost the team millions in tax money. He did play little league with Klay and is from Cali. Would be a solid bench option for them a good chance at another ring.
I’m sure he will have plenty of options
Jimmy Butler and Kevin Love are really close friends, if I recall correctly
He could even start for the Heat. That said he might want to join Westbrook his old college teammate with say the Clippers.
Another veteran Big to space the floor could help the Raptors in this years playoff push.
Koloko is the Future but needs time at the 905 facility
Precious is a PF not a C.
Jakob doesn’t shoot enough 3pt
Why would the Cavs want to lose this depth?
Just as a favor to Kevin Love for his loyalty. Yes the Cavaliers are playoff bound and could use him as insurance but the man wants to play and there’s plenty of teams that need a decent shooting big man who can rebound on the defensive end. Good on the organization to let him find somewhere with playing time.
Bickerstaff prefers guys who play defense. Dean Wade is seen as Love 2.0 with defense. Now that Wade is healthy Bickerstaff doesn’t thinki we need him. Also his thumb is injured which hurts his shot.
Come home Kevin. PDX could use you! Instant feel good story.
Why would Phoenix be “home”?
Edit: Oh that’s Portland …
Thats the Portland airport code.
That’s too bad, I know he started his career in Minnesota but he should retire as a Cav.
Wizards is a good fit
Gill, Todd, Gibson all sucks after loosing rui
Not sure who makes more sense for the Heat between Kevin Love and Ibaka. Neither guy is really a smallball 5, which is what they need, but both space the floor from that spot, which they also could use, and even though Dedmon shot well there for the most part, that’s more of an added element. With his injuries, I’m not sure if Ibaka is still the defender he was, while Dedmon is fine there, but struggled guarding pick and roll in certain matchups, and they had nobody that could help them against smaller lineups.
I’m also not even sure if either guy makes the most sense, of all the available players, but right now, I would lean towards 1 of them for 1 of the 2 roster spots (and if I had this option a couple of years ago, I would probably be shocked I would be choosing Kevin Love, but not only is his skillset a potential fit, he also arguably should have been 6MotY last season, and the Heat could use the help on the bench if they’re going to continue to questionably start Herro).
It might make more sense to grab someone at the 4 to move ahead of the guys they already have they’ve mostly refused to play all season b/c there are guys that are/have been available that would fit, as well as a couple of G-league guys I’d like to see them hold on to.
Definitely think it could be dependent on Yurtseven’s health, and if the Heat finally adjust their rotations after messing around the entire season, and Yurtseven also probably effects Orlando Robinson’s situation as well
Bucks please
Bad move cavs
Let’s get rid of the glue of the team. Really bad move unless he wants a ring so bad
The Lakers have one more roster spot, and could use more shooting. Make the call, Bron.
The Bulls would be smart to grab him if possible but they will not and why?
Those operating the team are as smart as a snail with Down syndrome!
I shouldn’t insult snails like that!
You shouldn’t make ignorant posts like that in general, in no way do you come across as clever or edgy. Trying to impress lil d and cade isn’t a life goal you should be proud of.
If I’m the Cavs GM, part of the buyout is an agreement not to go to any East contender. Cavs could well be meeting Miami in the playoffs. Imagine Love coming off the bench to drill 6 or 8 threes to deep six the Cavs. Cleveland would pay extra to avoid that possibility.
Good post that’s probably part of the agreement. Plus I would imagine that’s in a lot of the buyout agreements? You have to go to the other conference? Going to watch that moving forward.., at least for key guys.
I mean, they could still meet in the finals but I guess that’s a less likely possibility. You’re probably right though.
They can shake hands on something like that but could not put it in the agreement. It’s unenforceable under the terms of the CBA.
LAL, would be a good fit on the court. Not sure the standings would lead him there. They could get into the play-in and then the playoffs, but it’s 50/50 optimistically. Not sure what his purpose is, other than to play more.
Go to Sacramento, they aren’t that far away and biggest need is a backup big that can actually grabs rebounds
Sixers please
Mavs need him the most. Everyone else, back off!!!
I’m surprised no one has said the C’s he’s better then everyone else that’s not a starter