:quality(85)//cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/34YIQZLZTDPIF3IQCD63ZXG6CU.jpg "AP source: Love, Cavs finalize contract termination 1")
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Kevin Love was Cleveland’s last tie with the championship team in 2016. Now he’ll be looking elsewhere for another title.
The five-time All-Star and the Cavs have agreed to a contract buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Love is considering signing with the Miami Heat, two people with knowledge of the situation confirmed on Saturday.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because Love, who has been with Cleveland since 2014, has yet to claim his rights before signing with another team.
Other teams should seek out Love, who had a salary of $31.3 million this season before finalizing the decision, one of the people told the AP.
“Hopefully he decides to bring his shot to 305 to end the season on a high note,” Heat guard Tyler Herro said, referring to the Miami area code.
Unhappy to have been left out of the Cavs rotation, the 34-year-old asked this week to be removed. He didn’t play the last 12 games with Cleveland before the All-Star break, and his reps approached the Cavs asking for a buyout.
Love believes he can still play at a high level and his playoff experience makes him an attractive player for contenders.
“He knows how to win,” Miami center Bam Adebayo said. “He took part in those battles.”
Love’s nine seasons with Cleveland have had their ups and downs, but he will be remembered for his role in helping the Cavs rally from a 3-1 deficit to shock the Golden State Warriors in the Finals. the NBA seven years ago. title drought of the year for the city.
This season, he averaged 8.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 20 minutes per game. But in 15 NBA seasons with Cleveland and Minnesota Love is averaging 17.2 points and 10.5 boards. He also has a 37% 3-point average and has helped the United States win gold medals at the Olympics and the FIBA World Cup.
Love was in the final year of a four-year, $120 million contract extension he signed in 2018.
Miami created the flexibility to acquire at least one player in that situation by trading Dewayne Desmond to San Antonio this month for cash considerations.
Cleveland entered the weekend fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 38-23 record. Miami is seventh in the East with a 32-27 record, half a game behind New York (6).