Kevin Love Reportedly Eyed by NBA Insiders as Potential Jazz Trade Candidate

Utah Jazz forward Kevin Love is seen as a potential trade candidate by rival teams, per Jake Fischer for the Stein Line newsletter, who noted that his recent preseason performance could have been a showcase for teams.

"If there is any trade situation to monitor at present in Utah, it's the future of veteran forward Kevin Love. The Jazz allotted a healthy 20 minutes of playing time to the 37-year-old in Wednesday's exhibition loss to Houston. As with the Knicks starting Pacome Dadiet in their first exhibition game of the new season in Abu Dhabi, Love's playing time led several rival teams to wonder if the Jazz were already showcasing him for potential suitors before the regular season even starts."

The 37-year-old Love arrived in Utah on a three-team deal that also included the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers. Utah added Kyle Anderson from Miami and a second-round draft pick from the Los Angeles Clippers. Norman Powell went from the Clips to the Heat, and John Collins is headed to L.A. from Utah.

Last year, Love played 23 games for the Heat, starting nine of them. He averaged 5.3 points on 35.7 percent shooting and 4.1 rebounds in 10.9 minutes per game.

Love was out of the Heat rotation for much of the year. He started as the team's backup center but ultimately ceded minutes to both rookie center Kel'el Ware and forward Nikola Jovic.

Still, head coach Erik Spoelstra gave much credit to Love's professionalism despite the demotion.

"A lot of vets don't really want to accept that kind of role and that kind of transition, and he has been able to do that gracefully," Spoelstra told reporters last March. "Those kind of guys are really necessary in this league. I wish there were more vets that would embrace that because with a younger league I think you do need that kind of mentorship, guys that can still do it, that can still play but then have that emotional stability to also pave room for a guy like Ware and Jovic.

"He sacrificed his minutes for their development, and that speaks a lot to his character."

Love, of course, has enjoyed a tremendous career that could land him in the Basketball Hall of Fame someday. Over 17 seasons, the former UCLA star has averaged 16.2 points and 10.0 rebounds per game for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers and Heat. He's a five-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA player who was the league's rebounding champion (and Most Improved Player) in 2010-11.

Love's best team success occurred in 2015-16, when he formed a great big three alongside LeBron James and Kyrie Irving to deliver the Cleveland Cavaliers their first-ever NBA championship. They did so against a Golden State Warriors team that won an NBA regular season-record 73 games.

The power forward is on the tail end of his career, but he could still be productive and beneficial for a team. He did fare well in Utah's 140-127 preseason loss to the Houston Rockets, posting 12 points on 3-of-3 shooting and six rebounds in 20 minutes, albeit committing four turnovers.

Still, Love could provide help off the bench for a team in need of another frontcourt player. Right now, he's on a rebuilding Jazz team that could very well finish with the league's worst record, so he's better off playing elsewhere. The question is whether another team is interested and if the Jazz can strike a deal.