Kevin Love is reportedly nearing a buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers. When that becomes official, Love will be a free agent with no shortage of suitors.
NOTE: Everything you’re about to read with regard to how Love, specifically as a 3-point shooter, can still provide value is only true if he’s healthy. He fractured his thumb back in November and struggled to shoot when he came back. He fell out of Cleveland’s rotation largely because of this, and of late hasn’t played at all.
But teams will do their research. They won’t sign him if he can’t shoot. Assuming he does still have some game left in him, below is a look at seven teams, in no particular order, that would make varying levels of sense as a Love landing spot.
The Lakers addressed their shooting deficiencies with the trade-deadline additions of D’Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley, and to a lesser extent Mo Bamba, but they still need all the capable marksmen they can get to space the floor around LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The Lakers have made just 10.4 3-pointers per game so far this season, the second-lowest mark in the league. Love, who is just a season removed from shooting 39 percent from deep on over six attempts per game, helps that, and we know he’s comfortable in a LeBron-led system as a shooter/rebounder from the success they had together in Cleveland.
The Knicks could use a shooting big and they have open roster space. Jalen Brunson would make great use of a spacing/popping shooter like Love. The Knicks are a high-volume 3-point shooting team, but do not confuse that with being a good 3-point shooting team; only six teams connect from deep at a worse percentage.
The possible issue here? Tom Thibodeau loves defense and he tends to rely heavily on his top-rotational guys. Seated toward the deeper part of the bench, would Love get enough minutes to satisfy him in New York?
Not trading for Love during his prime was one of the best moves the Warriors never made, deciding to instead hang on to Klay Thompson, and a dynasty ensued. Obviously Love…
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