After coming to an agreement on a buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kevin Love is reportedly intrigued by the prospect of playing with the Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald noted how the Heat could use Love, who was in the midst of his ninth season with the Cavaliers.
“A source close to the situation says Love, 34, is intrigued by the Heat because of the possibility for consistent and significant playing time and the opportunity to play alongside the leading duo of center Bam Adebayo and wing Jimmy Butler,” Chiang wrote.
Love was recently removed from the Cavaliers’ rotation and reportedly asked on Wednesday for a buyout from the team. While the veteran still has the potential to deliver a double-double on a regular basis, injuries have limited his overall effectiveness.
Even though the Heat are currently considered the favorites to sign Love, they could be in competition with the Philadelphia 76ers, as the veteran reportedly plans to talk to them before making a decision.
One of the reasons why adding Love would likely offer the Heat a boost is because of his flexibility. Love has the size to play at power forward alongside Adebayo or take over for him at center when he needs a brief respite.
Over the course of his career, the five-time All-Star has shown that he can offer his team a big man who can shoot from beyond the arc. During his career that began in 2008 with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Love has connected on 37.2 percent of his 3-point attempts.
The prospect of playing with Butler might potentially cause some players to look elsewhere, given his hard-driving approach to the game.
Yet, Love is more than familiar when it comes to dealing with a personality like Butler’s. During his first four seasons with the Cavaliers, Love teamed with former Heat superstar LeBron James to lead the team to four consecutive Eastern Conference titles.
In 2016, the Cavaliers captured the franchise’s first and only NBA title with a historic comeback in the NBA Finals over the Golden State Warriors. While Kyrie Irving connected for the game-winning shot in Game 7 and James was named Finals MVP, Love provided his own invaluable contribution.
During the final minute of play, Love harassed Warriors guard Stephen Curry and forced a missed shot, with the Cavaliers soon after clinching the victory.
There’s currently no timetable as to when Love will make his final decision. The Heat won’t be taking the court again until Friday night against the Milwaukee Bucks.
