At this point, there's no denying that Kevin Love is already nearing the end of what has been a memorable NBA career. The Miami Heat veteran is currently in his 17th playing year, and while he has been relatively healthy over the past couple of seasons, it's only a matter of time before Love walks away from the game.
The 36-year-old marked a special occasion on Wednesday as he returned to his former stomping ground at Rocket Arena. The Cleveland Cavaliers hosted the Heat in a game that saw the league-best Cavs assert their dominance against Miami, 112-107.
Love got the start, but it wasn't exactly a vintage performance from the five-time All-Star. He finished with 10 points, six rebounds and two blocks in 16 minutes of action, and it was far from enough to help lead the Heat to victory.
Either way, it was an emotional homecoming for Love, who still vividly remembers his time in Cleveland -- including their iconic LeBron James-led title run in 2016.
In his return to his former city, Love revealed that the Cavs have a big plan lined up for him in the future. This report comes via Tom Withers of the Associated Press.
"Love said he's been told his jersey will one day be retired to hang in the rafters in Rocket Arena," Withers wrote.
After playing the first six years of his career with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Love was traded to the Cavs in a blockbuster three-team deal in 2014. The 6-foot-10 big man would then spend the next eight and a half seasons in Cleveland, where he produced averages of 15.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 489 games played.
As it turns out, Love had such a big impact on the organization that they now plan on retiring his jersey after he calls time on his career. From that point on, no other Cavs player will be able to wear Love's No. 0 jersey.
Related: Jimmy Butler Reveals Truth Behind Unexpected Decision After Warriors Trade
Copyright 2025 Athlon Sports. All rights reserved.
This story was originally published March 6, 2025 at 3:40 PM.