[Wojnarowski] ESPN Sources: Miami Heat F/C Kevin Love is declining his $4M player option, but both sides are enthusiastic about negotiating a new deal in the opening days of free agency. The five-time All-Star has played the past two seasons with the Heat.
NewsI do too; some of my favorite moments of Miami bball has been Kevin Love's unhinged, manic, bursting of joy when the younger guys and undrafted dudes have good games or shooting nights.
He’s so proud of their accomplishments more than any of his and when he’s just jumping out of his body on the bench in excitement for them, it’s so palpable. He’s got such a good sense of self awareness and what he can and can’t do at his age but loves bball and just wants to do the things he does and wants to do them well. No ego, no “I’m a champion” - just like knows his place, knows what he can contribute and just wants to do that. I love him.
ETA: formatting
One of the most underrated primes too. Maybe just under talked about but dude was a beast
People still love to devalue that 2014 season. He statistically had the third best season that year after KD and LeBron, and yet people will say that he was putting up inflated stats on a bad team. Btw, that so called 'bad team' finished 40-42, had the 9th ranked offense and 12th ranked defense, and had an expected W/L of 48-34. So they really weren't that bad of a team. That's with Love's best teammates being Ricky Rubio, and Nikola Pekovic (who only played 54 games). For reference, Kevin Love's BPM that season was 8.9 (second in the league behind only KD, and ahead of LeBron). The second best mark on that team? Rubio at 1.2. Pekovic was third with 0.6.
Pekovic
Man, I always make this swap lol. I couldn't tell you why. Thanks for pointing it out :)
That entire team just fed him all game every game as if he was the lone option.
Love, Love.
Gotta get him to do a jersey swap with Gradey
Wish he was like that most of his contract here rather than sulking if he didn't play when he wanted to or when he was injured
“when he was healthy”
As a Cavs fan, I get that
I kind of want the nuggets to pick him up on a minimum. He could be a huge contributor off the bench in the playoffs
The Nuggets do NOT have the defensive personnel to make him playable in the playoffs lol
For a few minutes, AG/KLove would be big rebounding presences and Jokic/KLove would rebounding, passing, and shooting threats. He's maybe not the best choice, but I think he's a decent, experienced one for 8 minutes a game in the playoffs. And with their financial situation, they need a vet min guy (although it looks like Love might not want just a min)
His most valuable asset is his playmaking.
The dude has the vision and patience of a prime CP3 lol.
Idk he was even on the heat.
He’s a serviceable backup pick and pop big
Most impactful 15 mpg I've ever seen lol
I remember he went OFF in the game @ Sacramento this season
Sigh
The Per 36 numbers are incredible: 19/13/5.
Crazy good backup, he a 36 god
Probably a good mentor to Ware too
I can’t wait to see Ware dominate. Go Hoosiers!
Spo is gonna turn him into a MONSTER. Can’t wait to see it.
He's not leaving Miami. This is either because he wants to take less money to help Miami out, or Miami wants to show they value him by offering him slightly more money and an additional option year out of our TPMLE
Bro he played in Minnesota and Cleveland.
He’ll take the vet min to finish out his career in paradise.
When you put it that way
Are we still talking about Florida?
Tell me you’ve never lived in South Florida without telling me you’ve never lived in South Florida. 🙄
Yeah I have no reason to think he's leaving Miami. If he didn't have a ring I could understand maybe going somewhere else to chase one. .
Low taxes, great weather although the tax burden would be pretty mild for him since this isn't a massive salary based on his career earnings.
He would fit in somewhere great like Boston or Phoenix but he already has a ring.. everyone else seems to think he's going to LA which makes very little sense to me
KLove unironic excellent fit next to AD/Bron in LAL
By gods thats Bostons music
I think Joe would have an aneurysm watching him attempt to play defense
I feel like he took a bunch of charges from Giannis in 2023 playoffs. Celtics would love that
Yeah but even then he wouldn't he be like 9th guy in the rotation. I just don't see it since he already has a ring would you rather just stay in Miami where the weather is nice.
He needs to go to LAL!
Miami loves Love
Miami girls show me Love like I was Kevin
THATS A BAR
He’s a very good bench player when he’s on. Still got the football pass and can nail the open 3. Elite rebounder too
lot of teams will be interested. he's prob gonna be expensive
Why can’t he just come to Denver and win a few more rings.
I don’t think there is a more perfect fit in the NBA.
Next to Jokic? Or as his backup?
As his backup ideally, he’s probably the closest thing to Jokic in the NBA as far as basketball IQ and passing from a big man.
Dont know if he’s the closest, but if he was a rookie, yeah Jokic would be a good player comp haha
Sengun?
Come home, old friend.
you guys will have to get below the 2nd apron for that to happen lol he won't do a vet min
Right lol. One can dream
He'd be a great pick-up. Highly unlikely, though.
That’d be insane actually
Didn't watch too many Heat games but I feel like Love still has so much to offer for winning teams. Not just as a mentor, but as a player. Ofc he's much more flawed now due to age, but still, hopefully he sticks around a little longer.
All signs point to him coming back for Miami for less money but at least another player option after this season, so more money guaranteed
Feels like no one in here read the whole headline here which says they both are enthusiastic about a new deal? (Not saying you didn’t)
for real and he had a whole speech about how he didnt have much time left before the playoffs
Scoop him Lakers. Not the Kevin Love of old but knows LBJ and can back up AD to give the man some rest.
Need him in San Antonio just for the full court outlet passes
Outlet alley oopd to Wemby standing in the other three point line
Love outlet => Alien grabs => Dunk => Repeat
Literally unstoppable
I’m still confused why the cavs bought him out he seemed like the perfect bench big for the twin towers
He wanted out because he wasn’t going to start or play a ton of minutes. Cavs didn’t want to drop him
User deleted comment
8d
Yes but in Miami. It’s Miami vs fucking Cleveland lol.
That and he did start during Miami’s run to the finals
but culture
But had a better shot at a ring going with Miami at least
So he ended up in Miami where he...didn't start or play a ton of minutes.
Rather be in Miami than Cleveland.
I’ve never heard anyone say I’m going to Cleveland on vacation
He’s been a valuable contributor and plays plenty.
He was playing bad/hurt, they wanted him to play less until it got closer to the playoffs. He waited until right after the trade deadline to say he wanted to leave. So the Cavs do right by a guy whose jersey will be in the rafters, despite it really screwing them over, and get clowned for it.
He was playing terrible for the Cavs at that time and they expected Dean Wade could handle that workload. Wade got injured and Love became productive again
He wanted out to play more minutes along with he seemed to be in a rut and the Cavs were doing right by him
Still a great back up big. Unfortunately the Heat had to give him a lot of minutes at center but hopefully he comes back with Ware now on the roster he can full time play back up 4.
I kinda think Jovic Ware and Bam are getting 35 minutes each Bryant can fill in the love minutes. Could see some Robinson minutes if love walks
There’s no way Ware get 35 minutes. Spo isn’t going to play any rookie for 35 minutes unless he has no other options.
Ware isn't getting 35 minutes this year. Spo and staff rarely give rookies such heavy minutes during their rookie year. Jaime is the only rookie still on the team in the Jimmy era who has started 20 games and played more minutes than Tyler in their rookie year, but only averaged 28 per game.
Not even Bam started more games and played 10 less minutes.
Jamie played 31 minutes as a rookie
Because we were constantly injured
Correct and with Martin walking you have minutes that need filled at PF they are better off letting the young guys play as many minutes as possible
Highsmith will more than likely be replacing Caleb minutes if he stays. Jaime is going back to the bench because him and Jimmy can't start together because they play the exact same role in offense and defense, and Ware will be playing backup minutes for Bam because we don't have anyone else on the roster to replace Bam minutes other than Kevin Love.
They are going to run Terry Duncan jimmy jovic bam Tyler Richardson Highsmith Jamie and Ware. Love should not be playing every game. They already have to hide him with zone
What about when everyone was healthy?
That’s not a thing
He only played 31 in the playoffs after everyone got injured. During the regular season he averaged 28 and that was because he got to start because Jimmy got another ankle injury playing against the Knicks and then Jimmy had that death in the family which caused him to miss more time. Jaime was the only guy on the roster who could replicate regular season Jimmy minutes. If it weren't for those two things, he'd have far fewer minutes.
Ware is 100% gonna be playing bench minutes for Bam as he learns to play C at a professional level.
Right now they don’t have a back up C or back up PF because Bryant opted out. Love should not be playing every game if they bring him back.
Right now they don’t have a back up C or back up PF because Bryant opted out.
Wait, Bryant opted out? Who tf is gonna pay him more than the min? We've been abysmal at the 5 for years, and Bryant had to pry 10 minutes out of Spo's hands after Kevin Love got injured. His two biggest highlights was becoming a 3pt sniper for like 2 games and getting dunked on by Wemby and looking confused after. GREAT personality tho. Dude is a great 6'10 bench cheerleader.
Love should not be playing every game if they bring him back.
Lmao, nobody on the Heat plays every game during the RS, but Ware is gonna get about 20 minutes at most this season unless something happens to Bam. He can't start next to Bam because Love is our only backup C and can only go 15 a game.
Pat literally said that he wants guys to play everyday they will play the young guys heavily. Bryant opted out for more play time. He was losing minutes to Orlando Robinson here
Pat literally said that he wants guys to play everyday
What Pat says and what's realistically gonna happen are 2 different things. Kevin is old, Miami is injury prone, and he loves to take charges. He's gonna miss time eventually. Ware is gonna get playing time, but he's not gonna break 20 minutes this season. Bam may miss a game here and there and Ware will start in his place, but I doubt Ware will be able keep even close to amount of minutes Bam plays in the RS.
Whose going to get the minutes. I am looking forward to see Jamie jovic ware tyler play 70 games to go along with bam. I know jimmy is going to miss 20 games.
surprised he wouldn't consider going to the Lakers to play with Lebron again
I have very much enjoyed his time in Miami. Great vet that still has a really positive impact off the bench.
I love the positivity and vibes that every body has for Love. Good dude. Great player.
Somebody get this man a plane back to Cleveland
LA calls to you
What's thr market actually for Kevin Love like? I know he's been decent but with his age I feel like that contract was pretty on par with the expectations for him moving forward
Very possible 2/14 or something, 2/20 max even
He's not going anywhere. His wife is a model and loves Miami and they just had a kid and love living there. He is very good in the locker room and a mentor to all the younger players.
Go away kev
Idk how he got so washed at 35.
As a Celtics fan I love Kevin Love whenever he’s on the court
TIL Kevin Love is still playing. I assumed he aged out a few years ago
By the way, home's Miami now.
He stay.
He could finally go back to LA (Lakers) and be a backup for AD. Would help their team more than the other backup bigs they have, plus the Lebron connection.
Utah? Joke all you want, apparently he has a house here, and Utah needs vets. 1 year 8 million wouldn't be bad. Utah does have a lot of capspace too. He can mentor Kyle
Kyle already has his vet mentor.
Damn
She diddy ain't no damned mentor. They needa get that man on SVU asap
Come to Philly
Would be such a solid get.
Also nice username lmao. I'll never forget the short-lived stretches of Shake's dominance.
Solid 15 20 minutes a game back up can’t play against Boston really shocked he opted out
Such an On-Court Presence and the stability he’s found in his Career. Proud of him for sticking to these Militant Teams with lessened Roles and harder work. Keeps him right. Great Signing for Miami if so.
Bring him home
I’m a homer, but I would have loved to see how he’d fit on Boston. He’d be a perfect relief player behind Horford.
He would be awesome off the bench in OKC. We need a guy that can rebound like him, he can shoot and he can pass.
By the way, since it didn't get its own post, he re-signed on a deal that got him 1 more year and provided cap relief for this year.
All I'm saying is you got not 1 but TWO Lebron James in Lakers.
Jump sides! You're not winning shit there, man!
Come home K Love
Come back home Kevin!
Love KLove. Took a back seat for the chips. Doesn't he have a 30 rebound game?
Anyway, those snipe assists from full court were always impressive!!
Stretch big and can still whip up a mean outlet pass. Good keep if he stays
He’s a good fit there, obviously nowhere near what he was but it’s a good situation for both sides for him to stay
He's going to Cali to play with LBJ Or WB Again
The most hilarious timeline would be K love signing with the Lakers while the Lakers trade for Kyrie. It would be fucking hysterical to see. It wouldn’t be that great now a days but it’d be so funny to see a Let’s get the band back together team for a season
Come on home Kevin.
3 missing replies
I hope we bring KLove back, he was a really solid 3P shooter and rebounder when he was healthy