LeBron James' Lakers and Top Options for Kevin Love After Cavs Contract Is Bought Out
A new name might have leapt to the top of the buyout market with Kevin Love likely on his way out with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Athletic's Shams Charania and Jason Lloyd reported Thursday the two sides are working toward a buyout. Love is in the final season of his four-year, $120.4 million contract.
The five-time All-Star is averaging 8.5 points and 6.8 rebounds and shooting 35.4 percent from beyond the arc. He has fallen out of the Cavs' rotation, with his last appearance a 105-103 loss to the New York Knicks on Jan. 24.
Love's best days are behind him, but he figures to have a few suitors based on his track record and skill set.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers have overhauled their roster on the fly, so why not line up a reunion between Love and former Cavs teammate LeBron James?
Acquiring Rui Hachimura, Mo Bamba, D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt addressed their two biggest issues: size and floor-spacing.
Lakers fans got to see the squad at full strength Wednesday, and Russell dropped 21 points in a 120-102 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Love would fit nicely alongside James and Anthony Davis in the frontcourt, and he could be a good small-ball 5 for stretches to give Davis a break.
During the Lakers' 2020 championship run, Markieff Morris averaged 5.9 points and shot 42.0 percent from beyond the arc in the postseason. He signed with the team after getting bought out by the Detroit Pistons and made a noticeable impact in a limited role.
Maybe Love could do the same.
Miami Heat
Charania and Lloyd reported the Miami Heat are expected to pursue Love.
Trading for Dewayne Dedmon was the Heat's only move ahead of the deadline. It looked like Kyle Lowry might get dealt, but nothing got across the finish line.
Miami couldn't land the shooter it clearly needs. The team ranks 18th in average three-point makes (11.6) and 28th in three-point percentage (33.4).
Duncan Robinson has been a disappointment. The 28-year-old is knocking down just 32.9 percent of his threes, well below his career average (40.0). He has also been limited to 29 games after undergoing finger surgery in January.
Love could be an alternative to Robinson at the 4 off the bench.
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns swung the biggest trade at the deadline and did so without giving up the farm.
Parting with Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, Cam Johnson and four first-round picks was a steep cost but one you pay when the return is Kevin Durant, with T.J. Warren also coming back in the deal.
Still, the Suns might do well to improve their depth for the stretch run, especially considering Durant is still nursing an MCL sprain. Josh Okogie has played extended minutes in the last three games and started two contests following the landscape-altering trade.
Although Love isn't a like-for-like replacement for Johnson, he could be a reasonable enough facsimile to occupy a similar place in the offense.
New Orleans Pelicans
Speaking of teams that need healthy bodies.
Zion Williamson hasn't played since Jan. 2, and the Pelicans announced Sunday the All-Star forward is out for multiple weeks more after he aggravated his hamstring injury.
It's a minor miracle New Orleans is 30-29 even though its two best players (Williamson and Brandon Ingram) have logged 53 combined starts.
Trey Murphy III has taken nice strides forward in his second season. He's averaging 12.9 points and knocking down 39.7 percent of his threes.
Until Williamson returns, Murphy and Herbert Jones figure to be the Pelicans' starting forward combo. Adding Love would give New Orleans an experienced vet off the bench to potentially help stabilize play-in tournament odds.
Golden State Warriors
Could Love pull an Anderson Varejão? The Cavs traded Varejão to the Portland Trail Blazers in 2016, and the Brazilian big man signed with the Golden State Warriors after getting waived by Portland.
The Warriors are tied for 19th in rebounding rate (49.5 percent). Even the current version of Love could help Golden State on the boards.
The 6'8" forward is also the kind of piece who should seamlessly fit into the offense if he's signed. He could keep his feet firmly on the three-point line and wait for his opportunities, or he could play off Stephen Curry for pick-and-pops.
In Love, the Warriors could get a more experienced backup to Draymond Green compared to Jonathan Kuminga without throwing Kuminga's long-term development off too much.
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