Kevin Love is reportedly pursuing a buyout from the Utah Jazz and has eyes on Los Angeles, with both the Lakers and Clippers being possible landing spots.
Kevin Love's stay in Salt Lake City could be short-lived. After being sent to the Utah Jazz in a recent three-team deal that also saw Norman Powell land in Miami and John Collins stay put in Utah, speculation quickly swirled that Love was headed for a buyout.
Kevin Love
Kevin Love
Position: PF
Age: 36
Height: 208 cm
Weight: 118 kg
Birth place: Santa Monica, United States of America
According to Marc Stein, the five-time All-Star is “actively exploring” a way out of Utah — a move that feels inevitable given the Jazz’s current direction and Love’s desire to contribute to a playoff-caliber roster. A trade seems far-fetched at this point, leaving a buyout as the most logical path.
Sources say the veteran forward is eyeing Los Angeles as his preferred landing spot. While there were initial murmurs linking Love to the Knicks, there’s reportedly no traction there — meaning it’s down to the Lakers or Clippers if Hollywood is indeed his target.
Both L.A. teams have one roster spot available, but salary cap gymnastics could complicate things. The Lakers are just $1.1 million below the first apron of the luxury tax and would need to move a contract to sign Love outright. The Clippers face a nearly identical situation, sitting $1.2 million under the same threshold.
Love began his career in Minnesota and remains a beloved figure among Wolves fans. Now that Luka Garza has left in free agency, the Wolves have an open roster spot and a need for veteran frontcourt depth. With raw but promising young bigs like Joan Beringer, Rocco Zikarsky, and Leonard Miller still developing, Love could offer a stabilizing voice and championship experience.
Two other win-now teams — Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors — also have open roster spots and could benefit from Love’s leadership and floor-spacing, although no active talks have been reported between either team and the player.
Wherever he ends up, Love’s departure from Utah appears all but certain.
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