Getty Kevin Love
The Los Angeles Lakers‘ level of interest in signing Kevin Love has been revealed.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN believes the Lakers “are definitely kicking the tires” on Love, who is finalizing a buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“I think the Lakers are definitely kicking the tires there and looking,” Windhorst said on The Dan Patrick Show. “I don’t think it’s the best fit for him. Certainly, Miami would be a good fit because they need size and shooting. I don’t know if the Cavs are gonna allow that as part of the buyout. That’s part of what I think is under discussion.”
Love and Lakers superstar LeBron James were teammates on the Cavaliers from 2014-15 to 2017-18. The two All-Stars played in four straight NBA Finals and won the 2016 title together over the Golden State Warriors in seven games.
“Love was acquired by the Cavs in the summer of 2014 shortly after LeBron James returned to Cleveland,” Shams Charania and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic wrote on February 15. “James personally called Love and recruited him to join together in Cleveland in pursuit of a championship. Love is the last remaining piece to the Cavs’ 2016 title team. He agreed to a four-year, $120 million extension in the weeks after James left for Los Angeles in 2018. He is earning $28.9 million this season in the final year of that deal.”
The Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns are also interested in Love, who hasn’t played since January 24 against the New York Knicks.
The Lakers Are Considered a Landing Spot for Kevin Love
CBS Sports’ Brad Botkin believes Love can help the Lakers, who are in 13th place in the Western Conference standings with a record of 27-32. Love not only has a strong relationship with James, but he also has a rapport with Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy.
“The Lakers have made just 10.4 3-pointers per game so far this season, the second-lowest mark in the league,” Botkin wrote on February 16. “Love, who is just a season removed from shooting 39 percent from deep on over six attempts per game, helps that, and we know he’s comfortable in a LeBron-led system as a shooter/rebounder from the success they had together in Cleveland.”
Love is averaging 8.5 points and 6.8 rebounds this season while shooting 38.9% from the field and 35.4% from beyond the arc. James and Love went 176-76 together with the Cavaliers. James averaged 25.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists in 252 games with Love, while Love put up 17.0 points and 9.9 rebounds per game alongside James, shooting 37.8% from 3-point land.
LeBron James Would Welcome Kevin Love on the Lakers
James would welcome Love on the Lakers, sources told Heavy Sports. Love is a career 37.2% shooter from deep and the Lakers need as many shooters as they can get around James and Anthony Davis.
Love, 34, has career averages of 17.2 points and 10.5 rebounds with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Cavaliers. He’s a five-time All-Star who has appeared in 63 postseason games. Love has playoff averages of 15.3 points and 9.7 rebounds.
Players have to be waived by March 1 in order to be playoff-eligible with a new team.