Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers dribbles in the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York City, January 24, 2023. /CFP
Five-time NBA All-Star forward Kevin Love plans to join the Miami Heat after reaching a contract buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to ESPN.
Love was in the final year of the four-year, $120 million extension he signed in 2018. He has played over eight seasons in the Cavaliers and began to come off the bench since the 2021-22 campaign.
In his prime time in the Minnesota Timberwolves, Love was able to drop a double-double of 26+ points and 12+ rebounds per game. He used to be a productive scorer both in the paint and at the 3-point line, but since Love joined hands with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving in 2014, his role gradually grew into a stretch-four instead of the team’s first or second offensive option.
Kevin Love (#0) of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots in the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York City, January 24, 2023. /CFP
Love has kept a 3-point rate of 35.4 percent per game this season and could make 1.7 triples on average. He played 20 minutes every night to contribute 8.5 points and 6.8 rebounds for the Cavaliers.
Love should get a role on the Heat's regular rotation with his 3-point shooting ability, but it is hard to imagine that he will appear in the team's clutch-time squad because of his poor defense. Love may be able to tussle with big men in the low block thanks to his 2.03-meter height and 113-kilogram weight, he doesn't have much to contribute in rim protection. Moreover, the opponents' guards will for certain attack his slowness via screen plays.
Bam Adebayo (L) of the Miami heat guards Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers inGame6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 12, 2022. /CFP
The Heat have been counting on 2.06-meter-tall Bam Adebayo as their starting and only trustworthy center for more than one season. That gives the team the NBA-top ability to switch on defense, but also makes them one of the worst rebounding teams in the league, especially on the defensive glass. The Heat are especially vulnerable when they have to face giant monsters like Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers or Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.
Love should be able to help the Heat by adding more muscle to keep Embiid from dominating the paint, but the team cannot count on him to be their only option. That's probably why they are also planning to sign free agent center Cody Zeller, according to ESPN.