Kevin Love set to join Heat after Cavs buyout
Love has spent a good portion of his career with the Cavaliers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kevin Love is taking his talents to South Beach.
The five-time NBA All-Star who agreed to a buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers last week is set to join the Miami Heat once he clears waivers. Love’s agent Jeff Schwartz told ESPN of the deal Sunday.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love before the 76ers game at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Feb. 15, 2023. (Bill Streicher-USA Today Sports)
The center appeared to confirm the decision on Twitter in a reply to former teammate Tristan Thompson.
"Yes sir my brother!!! Thank you for letting me bounce all of this off of you. Heat Nation let’s go!!!" Love wrote.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.
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.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love warms up before the game against the Jazz at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Jan. 10, 2023. (Chris Nicoll-USA Today Sports)
In 20 minutes per game, Love has averaged just 8.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.
Love is expected to have an increase in minutes behind Bam Adebayo.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers before the 76ers game in Philadelphia on Feb. 15, 2023. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
In the midst of the All-Star break, the Heat are in the seventh seed and would be in the play-in tournament if the season ended today. The team is 32-27 and are just a half-game behind the New York Knicks for the No. 6 seed.
Fox News’ Joe Morgan and the Associated Press contributed to this report.