The Los Angeles Lakers made certain roster moves this offseason but very significant was the departure of LeBron James. They did add some veterans like Kevon Looney, but the addition of another vet may be essential to fully put a stamp on their summer.
There have been various speculated links and several veterans who can impact the roster. One option is former James teammate Kevin Love.
According to Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes, in the world of unsigned veterans, Love is an option that could catch the fancy of teams looking for veteran stars around the league.
“Kevin Love’s All-Star peak is a decade behind him, but many of the skills that once made him one of the most complete offensive bigs in the game have predictably aged well,” Hughes wrote.
Veterans like Love will cost almost nothing. He won’t be bringing his peak Cleveland Cavaliers game but can still offer something in the rotation. His game time has reduced in the past couple of seasons but he is still managing double digits in minutes per game.
Lakers Emerged as Speculated Suitor for Kevin Love
Love spent the 2025-26 season with the Utah Jazz. He joined the Miami Heat and played 37 games for Utah. It wasn’t the most glamorous stint because the franchise had a losing record but at his age, he didn’t look out of place on an NBA roster.
“In spot duty with the Utah Jazz last year, Love shot 37.3 percent from distance while averaging 12.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists per 36 minutes,” Hughes added. “He’s obviously not going to touch that much playing time at age 38, but his per-minute production remains legit.”
“If anything, the veteran forward was a little too helpful for the tanking Jazz last season,” he continued. “Maybe he would have played more if Utah hadn’t been 3.2 points per 100 possessions better overall and with him in the game.”
Before James decided to walk in free agency, there were some rumblings that Love could team up with him in L.A. It was nothing concrete but the former Cavaliers teamed up for golfing as James launched a new golf-themed YouTube channel.
The Lakers can use a veteran exception to get Love but they will have to address their current roster problem first. There are 16 active players on their standard payroll and the league requires 15. Love is an unrestricted free agent and won’t cost any piece to sign. The franchise may be forced to cut some players.
Can Love Still Play at This Level?
Love won the NBA championship with the Cavs in the 2015-16 season. In his prime, he was one of the league’s dominant rebounders and a decent scoring option as well.
“Reliable shooting, intelligent ball movement, dominant rebounding and championship savvy play anywhere — even if only in an end-of-bench capacity,” Hughes added.
Love’s future remains unknown at the moment. The Lakers are an option only if the interest gets serious. The Jazz taking a chance on him last season was one thing, but L.A. is a different ball game entirely
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