With the Cavaliers making a bold move to acquire Bulls restricted free agent forward Lauri Markkanen via a sign-and-trade, Kevin Love‘s career in Cleveland may be coming to an end.
The Cavs are making progress toward a buyout agreement with Love, a source tells Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Love has two years and $60MM remaining on the four-year, $120.4MM extension that kicked in during the 2019/20 campaign. However, the talks could still fall apart and it’s not close to a done deal, Pluto cautions, adding that other sources have denied the two sides have made any serious progress.
With the pending addition of Markkanen to join re-signed center Jarrett Allen and lottery pick Evan Mobley, Love wouldn’t appear to have a clear rotation spot on a rebuilding club intent on going younger.
Love’s career has been marred by injuries in recent years, including a right calf strain last season that limited him to 25 games.
Love received an invitation to join Team USA prior to the Olympics but he was reportedly out of shape and departed the squad before it headed to Tokyo.
If the talks succeed, Love would be free to hook on with a contender looking to fortify its frontcourt depth.
Just a matter of time before he becomes a Laker just like he was in High School
He wants a ring its Warrior’s time.
Warriors are relying on klays bum knee and glass ankles curry to shoulder the load. Lmao warriors aren’t close to being a real contender. Curry took the cash and ran
Curry played more games than LeBron or AD last year.
@arc89
But only 5 games the season before. soooo… stay humble
curry alone almost beat the fakers lmao but ok dude
But they lost.
Basketball isn’t horseshoes or hand grenades.
Nah, Love to the Lakers AND Warriors get a ring. I’d rather have Milsap, Love is too much baggage….
Neither team is a serious contender in the West this year.
Vegas thinks so. Which means there is money to be made. Who do you have this year?
He has his Lakers and Warriors trolling this year. His team is not worth getting excited about so he comes on here to get a rise out of people so he can feel something lol
Funny a Rocket fan talking about competing.
The Rockets will be competing for a title long before the Warriors or the Lakers will be any time soon. Anyone betting on those two old teams this season to win a title are throwing their money away.
@Green
Where can we meet up to confirm this wager?
The only problem is..he is awful.
He’s significantly above average at basketball reference. I trust the advanced stats way more than the eye test.
He may be poor on ball, which would explain why he looks bad but the stats look better.
@weasel
he isn’t awful at all. just unable to stay healthy. that is the only reason the Cavs are seeking this buyout. if they had any reasonable expectations of him being available then I doubt they would pay him to leave.
Kevin is an awesome guy and deserves to play for a better team (as a role player)
Love has walked into Lakers training camp today
His agent takes care of money for him
He makes $120 last two years easily
No he doesn’t.
Ive always rooted for Love but it was absolutely stupid to give him that contract extension. Sucks that they have to buy him out just to watch him go play elsewhere. At least they didn’t do , as some suggested in attaching an asset (Sexton or 1st rnd pick) to move his contract. Good luck elsewhere dude. You really should’ve approached this change in your career in a more team first attitude but that’s in the past hopefully.
Ya but I’m sure the fans who own his jersey and had nothing else to look forward to after LeBron dumped them a second time were happy about it
@Freddy
I don’t think any Cavs fan would think he “dumped” them a second time. He left them with a chip. Job done.
Go Cavs!
Love wants to end his career in Portland, this has been known for a long time.
This guy WAS a top 3 PF and a bonafide franchise player 6-7 years ago. He’s fallen into irrelevancy and mediocrity just as quickly as one-time top PG Deron Williams. Here’s to ring chasing and avg 8 and 5 off the bench.
I wouldn’t say that.
He is more injury prone at this point than mediocre.
His injuries last year seemed to shelf him much longer than recovery rate. Wonder if that had to do with the Cavs being dog water?
Correct. He’s STILL GOOD. he’s just overpaid and injured a lot. Can move the needle in limited minutes. Any contender should want him if they have minutes.
Could be and Team USA was dog water also
8 and 5 with decent defense would help the Lakers GREATLY.
Kevin Love doesn’t even acknowledge there is such a thing as “defense.”
He didn’t offer decent defense in his prime.
So no team wants to trade for him?
2 years 60 mil
If I was Washington, I would try to trade Davis Bertans and an expiring for Love and maybe a prospect and/or pick. Bertans’ deal is far worse than Love’s in my opinion simply because it is longer and the upside is lower.
So why would the Cavs want it?
Bertans possible upside and saving the money of a Love buyout. Plus, while the total money owed Bertans is high, his yearly salary would make him not too difficult to trade in the future if needed.
Hello lakers!
they can’t all be hurt at once right?
…wait.. they really can’t be right??
getting hardship exemptions for daysssssss
Love will be 33 next week, maybe he would make the Lakers a younger team.
Correct. He’s STILL GOOD. he’s just overpaid and injured a lot. Can move the needle in limited minutes. Any contender should want him if they have minutes.
Have you watched him try to move laterally? He is washed
Go to Warriors. Show them how much game you have left. Bron abandoned him. Why would he go to Lakers.
Warriors, Blazers, TWolves. I’d take him on Knicks to backup Randle.
@Knicker
Love had a chance to walk as a FA since he signed his latest contract AFTER LBJ left for Lakers. My guess is he started because the contract was the most money on the table and MAYBE he liked kind of playing in a small market. But it was his choice. He wasn’t “abandoned”.
You know what I mean. He signed and Bron left. I’m sure he thought Bron would stay. Retire a Cav.
@Knicks
If he knew Lbj then im sure he didn’t think that. But he still could’ve chosen to leave the SAME SUMMER that Lbj left….15 days afterwards. He could’ve joined any other team once LBJ left. He stayed for reasons other than wanting to win as he knew the direction the team was headed.
Bron left in 2017. He became a Laker in 2018 as a FA. Love took contract in 2018-19 season. Cause he was Under contract till 2019-20 and opted out. A year after Bron left. He took the money. Cause he didn’t have max offers. So what exactly are you trying to say.
That lebron didn’t abandon him ! Love had the option to play out the last year of his contract or pressure the cavs into a trade ! He took the extension both bc of the most money and he believed he was good enough to be their best player while taking them to the playoffs as a low seed
@Knicks
correction. you are right. he had 1 year left. still. knowing LBJ was gone he decided to take the money and stay knowing the team should be rebuilding.
And again Bron left him. Was he suppose to go to Lakers. Who do you think made the trade for Love. Then Bron left cause without Ky there was no chance of winning. So he orchestrated another deal AD to Lakers. Keep up children. Does it bother you that much, that I’m always right.
Bron left in 2018, not 2017. He was a Cav in 17/18. Love took the extension BEFORE 18/19 AFTER Bron said leaving.
I think the rest of AL’s post has errors too. It is too terse to be right, especially with those broken sentences and vague pronouns. CavsNixFan had the one technical error; when Love extended in offseason ’18, it was to start in ’19 since his contract went through ’19.
The team broke down in ’18… LJ and the window drive took them to the finals anyway. it was not a surprise when he announced intent to leave, given how rough the year went, and with the FO cutting LJ’s support-group players. (LJ left MIA too when they did that.)
Nobody expected LJ back after the GSW loss. Gilbert wanted to keep winning (and sell tickets and stay prestigious). The plan was to insert Sexton for LJ, extend Love, and running it back until the veteran contracts ran out, except Love’s, who he extended. But it didn’t work out that way.
Really again, what it is about being right that bothers you so much. When it’s my opinion. I’m Always Right. That’s what opinions mean. When there are facts . Then it’s about the facts. If it’s rumors, then it’s all about opinions. Some of us base opinions on facts. This shot personal for you cause it ain’t for me.
Have any you actually even bothered to read the article. Cavs have denied it. Still it is a good rumor.
“Love’s contract was set to expire at the end of this season with a player option for 2019-2020. Now, the 29-year-old from Lake Oswego will be under contract with the Cavaliers until 2022-‘23. “ FACTS
He signed new Contract got extended in 2018-19 Season. But was under contract already with a player option for 2019-20. Hence he got abandoned. I know it’s hard to understand a real Baller. But if you just read. You might just get it. Instead of looking to prove yourself to me. I got it like that.
Bron left After 2017-18 season. You going to chk my draws next?? I said he signed in 2018-19 with Lakers. The post is not about the yrs. Those are numbers and facts. You guys are like children lol.
More Facts —— Kyrie left yr before Bron
“We know why Irving wanted to leave. He wasn’t happy being second fiddle to James and wanted the opportunity to expand his game somewhere else. … Kyrie didn’t just sign with the Cavs, he was actively trying to recruit other free agents to come here before anyone had a clue what James was going to do.Jul 11, 2018“
So again Cavs were done. So he abandoned Love and Cavs. To go save Lakers. Cause he knew AD was leaving soon. So he used his connections to get him to Lakers.
“How You Like Me Now”
Yes I got knowledge. And I got strong opinions. It’s cause I follow this game and study this gm. It’s cause I know all there is to know about this game. That’s how you do it when you want to be right. You follow it and research it. You don’t cry about a post. Show me how you work. Show me how smart you are. Don’t be like these idiots here. Who all they got is an insult.
This is for all who want it . ALL
Show Me. Don’t hide behind a Mute like the babies here. Show Me You Got Name.
I would rather skip that whole lot of crap, if it’s like the your previous post.
I am warning people about you & your facts, not proving anything to you.
If Love felt abandoned that’s his fault. They were not buddies.
Love will go back home, to the BLAZERS.
Home? He was born in Santa Monica california and played at ucla
Always considered, where one grew up, is where home is ……. Love grew up and had his formative years (sports included) in Oregon.
@Tatsumaki
He grew up in Lake Oswego, OR which is 8 miles outside of Portland. That’s also where his dad lives now. Coincidentally, his dad played for the Lakers too.
And his uncle is a beach boy
The crazy one with the sandbox? lols
Bout to be a laker or Net
Told y’all buyout and retire. On a scale from 0-10 his mental health is a negative 5. Needs to get away from the game or something.
Needs to get back in it! His mental health says: freedom!
Walker buyout lost $20 million on contract
Love buyout prediction
Lost $10 million on contract
I like it.
Cleveland is probably asking for 2x but Love has all the leverage after Cleveland signed Lauri and drafted Mobley.
Love could use this year to get healthier and get into better shape if an injury happens to a big.
If Cleveland keeps him.
In the end Cleveland gets to save $10 million and Love gets to play on a winners bench.
@crypto
Love has ZERO leverage. Cavs don’t really either. Cavs know he’s a sunken cost. Love knows there’s no market for him. he’s already been told he’d be coming off the bench. If he’s ready to be the Udanis Haslem of Cleveland then cool. If he still wants to play then he needs to be willing to leave some money on the table.
Love has all the leverage because he doesn’t have to sign a buyout.
This was obviously fake news leaked by the cavs to get Love to give up a bunch of $.
Love came out earlier today and shut this buyout talk down because he has the leverage.
Kemba didn’t lose $20M. His buyout was $20M less than what remained on his old contract and got $18M from NY. Do the math, he only lost $2M.
@Greenwood
he saved Charlotte $20 mil no matter how YOU want to view it. But I highly doubt anyone is going to give Love several millions this year with his health in question. maybe he can get a better deal next year if he proves himself tho.
Dude what health. He’s never had a serious injury. He’s 31. He’s got plenty gm left. Just needs a real team real fans.
@Knicker
Love? What are you talking about? He’s missed 118 of 219 games the last 3 years. He has a calf injury which kept him on the sideline for 47 games and the Olympics this year. Previously he’s had back issues going back to when he was with the Twolves
So is there any serious injury here. Why don’t you look it up. I’m tired of having to teach you sunny.
Wow!
Hey this can still play. As in he’s still GOOD. He was just way overpaid. So, he should be a huge boost to someone.
Not sure he play with a high transition offense. But his half court skills should still be there.
I saw the comments about the Lakers. Is that real? Or just a joke because all the old guys are ring chasing?
This is trade rumors, not many posts based on facts
Portland has been a destination of Love’s for a while. Portland still has their 5.9 million dollar MLE available. I think he ends up there.
Replacing Melo kind of. That could liberate Nurkic, if he can take advantage.
Melo was good for quick short runs… Or, in making the other coach call for a timeout! Well what I saw… I have not seen that trend written of actually. I am not sure he used to maximum advantage, but then he wasn’t the main act.
Love and LJ were not actually that friendly… but he does like LA too.
Wait… Nance is going to Portland, who would then not need Love. Much to consider.
Gilbert probably would not welcome him back at after writing a big buyout check wich in theory would not be necessary if Love stays. Also Pluto said not likely, and it’s his rumor.
Pluto also said Nance was 6-9 when he is more like 6-7. But he did note Nance was happy to leave LA for CLE! And now he’s gone. Bad trade if he stays healthy.
I feel bad for the writer, Terry Pluto, being demoted from our solar system. Glad to see Mr. Pluto plugging away with dignity. Hang in there, maybe a giant asteroid will collide with you and then you will be big enough to be a planet again.
Actually all Pluto needs to do is finish clearing its orbit of other planetoids. Simple!
Uh, there’s not going to be any buyout.
Did you forget this was Hoopsrumors and they’ve been wrong about Love thousands upon thousands of times. In fact, it’s what they’re most known for. Even Terry Pluto has already shat all over this ‘rumor’.
‘Hoopsrumors and they’ve been wrong about Love’
Hoopsrumors rarely, if ever, speculates. So no, ‘they’ haven’t been wrong about Love. They simply report what others are saying.
‘yes’ might be referring to the commenters, giving an impression.
Reporting on Rumors — means you will be wrong sometimes. I’d say 30-40% of stuff. That gets out out there by writers, reporters. Are false and just a narrative to help their agendas. Rumors are not facts. But help to sell the narrative. Yes some become true. But that’s what makes it fun. When it’s a good rumor.
Scrub. Signed a big deal and completely phoned it in afterwards. He sucks.
First Love need stay Healthy period. Best places for him, Bucks,Miami,philly, clippers. If he goes Lakers, Nets, he not getting much playing time. They already stack. I really disappointed star players buying out contracts then joining title favorites just receive ring,where pride in wanting play big roll. Look Barkley & Pippin in Houston or Mailman & Payton on Lakers, they didn’t win because chemistry wasn’t there.
First Love need stay Healthy period. Best places for him, Bucks,Miami,philly, clippers. If he goes Lakers, Nets, he not getting much playing time. They already stack. I really disappointed star players buying out contracts then joining title favorites just receive ring,where pride in wanting play big roll. Look Barkley & Pippin in Houston or Mailman & Payton on Lakers, they didn’t win because chemistry