According to Marc Stein, Kevin Love is looking for a way to be traded away from the Utah Jazz.
Here’s what Stein said about Kevin Love:
“...five-time NBA All-Star Kevin Love is actively exploring potential pathways out of Utah after he was dealt by Miami to the Jazz as part of the three-team Norman Powell trade.”
Like Stein said, Love came to Utah as part of the Norman Powell trade. It appears that it was mostly dependent on his contract, which expires this season.
We’ve heard from other sources that Utah has set up its books so that Lauri Markkanen is the only long-term veteran on the team, which means there won’t be a chance for another contract. Hence, this news from Kevin Love. Yes, I know Jazz fans are quick to lament the “no one wants to be here” narrative. But if Utah was willing to give Kevin Love a contract, I’m sure he’d be tweeting about how much he loves Utah real quick. The fact is, Utah is acting with a lot of discipline and is keeping its books clean for after next season when it adds another strong piece in the draft.
Now, Utah may not win the draft and doesn’t come away with a core player, but they’ll have clean books for deals at that point. They can be open for business to move young players they don’t see as part of the future, or bring in money for more picks. Or maybe they can make a big move in free agency. Whatever the case, it’s smart for Utah to be financially ready for any potential move it wants to make.