Kevin Love

Kevin Love requested a buyout from the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday and now plans to sign with the Miami Heat once he clears waivers.

The five-time All-Star completed a contract buyout with Cleveland on Thursday after 8 1/2 seasons with the team.

Love plans to sign with the Heat on Sunday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. Love fell out of the Cavaliers' rotation in February and reached a buyout ...

The Heat were consistently mentioned as suitors for the veteran forward's services, so the deal doesn't come as a surprise. In Miami, Love figures to operate as a rotational piece behind Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, and the expectation is that Love can play a sizable role for the Heat during a potential playoff push, per Wojnarowski. Love fell out of the Cavaliers' rotation in February and reached a buyout with Cleveland ahead of the All-Star break.

Miami had been considered the frontrunner to sign Love after he completed a buyout agreement with the Cavaliers on Saturday. However, reports at the time ...

Even after signing Love, Miami will have one more opening to either bring back Bouyea on another 10-day contract, promote [Orlando Robinson](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/robinor01.html?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&utm_campaign=2023-02-19_bbr) from his two-way deal, or sign someone else. [Caleb Martin](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/martica02.html?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&utm_campaign=2023-02-18_bbr) has been the de facto starter at that spot for much of the season, but the 6’5″ wing lacks the size to match up with stronger, more physical fours. Having been officially waived on Saturday, Love will clear waivers on Monday, so the Heat are in position to sign him before their season resumes on Friday in Milwaukee. Tucker](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/tuckepj01.html?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&utm_campaign=2023-02-18_bbr)‘s exit in free agency last summer. [on Saturday](https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2023/02/heat-emerge-as-leaders-to-sign-kevin-love-after-buyout.html). Love, who fell out of the rotation in Cleveland last month and played his last game as a Cavalier on January 24, can’t replicate what Tucker did for the Heat last season, since he’s not as stout or as versatile defensively. Miami has been on the lookout for power forward help for months, following [Twitter link](https://twitter.com/ByTimReynolds/status/1627351074863714306)), [Cody Zeller](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/z/zelleco01.html?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&utm_campaign=2023-02-19_bbr) – who recently [worked out](https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2023/02/cody-zeller-worked-out-for-heat.html) for the Heat – has emerged as a strong candidate to fill that final open roster spot. [Jamaree Bouyea](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bouyeja01.html?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&utm_campaign=2023-02-19_bbr)‘s 10-day deal with the team. Now, following that conversation with Philadelphia, it appears Love has made up his mind ( [Twitter link](https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1627350598634061825)). [Kevin Love](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/loveke01.html?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&utm_campaign=2023-02-19_bbr) intends to sign with the Heat after he clears waivers, agent Jeff Schwartz has confirmed to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski ( [Twitter link](https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1627349458865491973)). But the five-time All-Star will bring some size, scoring, and rebounding to a Miami team that ranks 26th in the NBA in offensive rating (111.1) and 27th in rebounds per game (41.4) at the All-Star break.

The Miami Heat have been the frontrunners to land the services of Kevin Love once he completed a buyout with the Cavaliers, and they have got their man.

[Caleb Martin](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/56188/caleb-martin) has been the Heat’s starting four for much of the season, with [Jimmy Butler](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/29711/jimmy-butler) playing some minutes there as well, and behind those two a group of rookie [Nikola Jovic](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/66353/nikola-jovic), [Max Strus](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/56107/max-strus), and [Haywood Highsmith](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/50273/haywood-highsmith) getting some run. Love — a five-time All-Star, NBA champion and Olympic gold medalist — is not his peak self at age 34, but he is a better fit at the four than any of the Heat’s other options, and he gives Erik Spoelstra some flexibility to experiment with. Martin likely continues to start at the four for now, but Spoelstra could try starting Love and boosting the Heat bench by moving Martin there. The Cavaliers, Suns, Lakers and 76ers all talked to Love and his representatives, but Miami was always going to be a tough situation to beat. Now that’s about to be a reality, he will sign with the Heat once he clears waivers from the buyout his agent confirmed to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Tucker](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/29214/pj-tucker) this season.

Kevin Love plans to sign with the Miami Heat once he clears waivers, his agent Jeff Schwartz told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski Sunday. Adrian Wojnarowski.

Though Zeller, who’s not a natural floor spacer, works best as the presumptive backup-5, filling in the second-unit along with Caleb Martin (if he goes back to the bench), Haywood Highsmith and Victor Oladipo, among others. Miami [held a workout for Zeller](https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2023/02/cody-zeller-worked-out-for-heat.html) earlier this week. The Heat, who had two open roster spots heading into Sunday, added to a frontcourt that desperately needs depth. [Portland Trail Blazers](https://www.blazersedge.com). He and the The terms of the contract Love and Zeller plan to sign — whether they’re sign the minimum (the most likely), bi-annual exception or the mid-level exception, all of which are available — have not yet been disclosed.

The veteran forward agreed to a contract buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday. Tim Reynolds | Associated Press. February 19, 2023 10:19 ...

Over parts of 15 NBA seasons with Cleveland and Minnesota, Love has averaged 17.2 points and 10.5 rebounds. He has averaged 8.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in 494 games with Charlotte and Portland. Both people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because neither contract had been signed.

Kevin Love has decided to sign with the Heat after having considered the Sixers, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported.

](https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/sixers/sixers-paul-reed-dwayne-jones-doc-rivers-dewayne-dedmon-nba?chrcontext=WMAQ) [Dewayne Dedmon](https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/sixers/sixers-sign-dewayne-dedmon-nba-buyout-market-2023-sixers-roster?chrcontext=WMAQ) was active Wednesday but stayed on the bench for the Sixers' win over the Cavs. [Cleveland's loss Wednesday to the Sixers](https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/sixers/sixers-vs-cavs-joel-embiid-james-harden-paul-reed-danny-green-nba?chrcontext=WMAQ) in the team's final contest before the All-Star break. [Eastern Conference standings](https://www.nba.com/standings). ](https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/team/16/lineups#tab-four_factors)Rookie Orlando Robinson has served lately as the Heat's backup center. [ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Sunday.

Kevin Love and the Cavaliers agreed to a buyout in his ninth season in Cleveland, where he went to four NBA Finals and won a title in 2016.

The Heat (32-27) currently stand as the No. That playing time wasn't going to get a boost anytime soon after Cleveland added veteran forward Danny Green. [agreement on a buyout](https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/sports/pro/cavs/2023/02/18/cleveland-cavaliers-kevin-love-complete-contract-buyout-heat-76ers-favorites/69918732007/).

"Kevin Love had an outstanding run with the Cavaliers, including memorable on-court moments, four NBA Finals appearances and an NBA Championship in 2016," ...

42), Brad Daugherty (No. 34), Nate Thurmond (No. 25), Austin Carr (No. 7), Zydrunas Ilgauskas (No.11), Larry Nance (No. 22), Mark Price (No. [Kevin Love](/nba/players/1622545/kevin-love/) has found a new NBA home.

The Cleveland Cavaliers completed a buyout of the 34-year-old power forward's contract on Saturday.

James Harden forced trades to the Nets and the Sixers in each of the last two seasons. “Why doesn’t anyone have the ability to ask for trades? “I don’t think it’s bad for the league,” Durant said. The Heat were considered the front-runners to sign him, the five-time All-Star spoke to the Sixers before making a decision. Irving forced a trade to the Dallas Mavericks on Feb. The 34-year-old power forward plans to sign with the Miami Heat after clearing waivers, a league source confirms.

Adrian Wojnarowski reported the news, then Love's former teammate Tristan Thompson and the 34-year-old center confirmed it on social media. “Just spoke to my ...

According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, he was in the final season of a four-year contract, with 8.500.000 dollars left on his deal at the time of the buyout. Thank you for letting me bounce all of this off of you. Heat Nation, let’s go!” Let’s go,” Thompson wrote, and Love responded, “Yes sir, my brother!!! This is a huge pickup for the Heat. “Just spoke to my brother Kevin Love.