Miami Heat favored to land Kevin Love after Cavs' buyout: report
Love will also speak with the Philadelphia 76ers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kevin Love will have multiple suitors after the five-time All-Star and the Cleveland Cavaliers agreed to a buyout.
The Miami Heat have emerged as the front runners to land Love, but the NBA champion will also speak with the Philadelphia 76ers before making a decision, according to a report by ESPN.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) celebrates after making a 3-point basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Nick Cammett))
Love and the Cavs completed their contract buyout Saturday morning, according to the report.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CELTICS REMOVE INTERIM TAG, NAME JOE MAZZULLA HEAD COACH FOLLOWING OFFSEASON SUSPENSION OF IME UDOKA
Love is in the final year of his contract, which pays him $31.2 million this year, but the veteran has dropped out of Cleveland’s rotation, failing to appear in the Cavs' last 12 games.
Love, who has been with the Cavaliers for the last nine seasons, was a member of the 2016 NBA championship team in Cleveland.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In his career, he’s averaged 17.2 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game, but his numbers have dipped significantly this season.
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In 20 minutes per game, Love has averaging just 8.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kevin Love, #0 of the Cleveland Cavaliers, looks on before playing against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on February 15, 2023, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Cleveland has been revitalized since acquiring four-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell in the offseason from the Utah Jazz.
The Cavs head into the NBA’s All-Star break in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 38-23.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Miami will head into the second half of the NBA season in seventh place in the East at 32-27, which would qualify them for the NBA’s play-in tournament.
Kevin Love, #0 of the Cleveland Cavaliers, walks across the court during halftime against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on February 5, 2023, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
"We've got 23 to go to get to where we need to get to," Heat star Jimmy Butler said after losing to the Brooklyn Nets before the break. "It’s all about being healthy, which is what going into this break is going to do for us, come out swinging for the fences in the right way."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.