CLEVELAND — While Kevin Love's impending buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers has yet to be completed, a suitor for the five-time All-Star has already emerged.
According to Shams Charania and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, the Miami Heat are expected to pursue Love once the 34-year-old becomes a free agent after his expected buyout from Cleveland is finalized.
Early Thursday morning, Charania and Lloyd reported that the Cavs and Love were negotiating a contract buyout, which bring an end to the UCLA product's nine-year stint in Cleveland. While the 2022 NBA Sixth Man of the Year runner-up had entered the season as a key member of the Cavs' bench and the veteran leader on a team looking to make a playoff push, he had recently fallen out of Cleveland's rotation and has not played since going 0-for-1 shooting in 12 minutes in the team's Jan. 24 loss to the New York Knicks.
But while playing time with the Cavs may have no longer been available following Dean Wade's return to the rotation, Miami is currently in the market for a big man to back up All-Star Bam Adebayo. Laying claim to a 32-27 record, the Heat currently sit in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, and could potentially play Cleveland (38-23) in a playoff series.
Originally acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves following LeBron James' return to Cleveland, Love was a key cog in the Cavs run to four straight NBA Finals, including the team's 2016 championship. In nine seasons in Cleveland, Love made two All-Star games and ranks ninth in franchise history in points, sixth in rebounds and second in 3-point shots made.