Kevin Love Rumors: Heat 'a Front-Runner' to Sign PF After Cavs Buyout; 76ers Linked

The Miami Heat are reportedly favored to sign veteran big man Kevin Love following a buyout of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, teams with interest in Love believe that if he picks the Heat, it will be because they can offer him a "defined role and playoff positioning."

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed the Heat's status as "a front-runner" to sign Love on Saturday, and reported that Love and the Cavs had completed a buyout. Love to Miami isn't a done deal, though, as Wojnarowski noted that Love plans to talk to the Philadelphia 76ers as well.

ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst previously reported on the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast (h/t HoopsHype.com) that the Heat were "very interested" in Love, and the Phoenix Suns also had interest.

On Friday, Windhorst appeared on the Dan Patrick Show (h/t RealGM) and added that the Los Angeles Lakers were "definitely kicking the tires" on Love as well.

Windhorst reported Thursday that Love had requested a buyout from the Cavs on Wednesday.

If the Cavs do buy Love out, they will part ways with the last remnant of their only championship team in franchise history, which came in 2015-16.

The 34-year-old Love has spent the past nine seasons in Cleveland. He was acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014 to play alongside LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.

That trio won a championship together and went to three straight NBA Finals, plus a fourth consecutive Finals after the trade of Irving to the Boston Celtics.

Love was named an All-Star in his third and fourth seasons with the Cavaliers, but he has been more of a role player in recent years, and his spot in the rotation has diminished significantly this season.

In 41 games, including just three starts, Love is averaging a career-low 8.5 points and 6.8 rebounds, plus 1.9 assists and 1.7 three-pointers made.

His 20 minutes per game are a career low as well, and he is shooting just 38.9 percent from the field, which is the worst mark of his career in a season in which he played at least 25 games.

Love is still shooting 35.4 percent from beyond the arc this season, though, and since that number is solid for a 6'8" big, he could have value to a contending team.

The Heat made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, and while this season has been more of a struggle, as evidenced by their 32-27 record, they are still seventh in the East and just a half-game out of the final playoff spot that would avoid the play-in tournament.

Aside from star center Bam Adebayo, the Heat don't have much in terms of frontcourt talent or depth, which perhaps creates an opportunity for Love to slide in as a starter.

Although he is more of a wing at 6'5", Caleb Martin has 49 starts for the Heat this season, primarily in the power forward spot alongside Adebayo.

Miami has a solid group of wings and guards led by Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, Max Strus, Victor Oladipo and Gabe Vincent, but there is no question that Love fills a need.

While the fit makes sense for both sides, Windhorst said Friday on ESPN's Pardon The Interruption (h/t HoopsHype) that the Cavs may try to "negotiate some parameters" in Love's buyout that would prevent him from signing with an Eastern Conference team.

The Cavaliers are almost certainly playoff-bound, and if they allow Love to sign with the Heat, they may have to deal with him during the postseason.