Kevin Love’s stint with the Utah Jazz may end before it truly begins. League observers told The Denver Post that Utah is expected to trade the veteran forward or negotiate a buyout prior to the start of the 2024-25 NBA season.
Love, 37, landed in Salt Lake City on July 7 as part of a three-team deal that sent Norman Powell to the Miami Heat and John Collins to the Los Angeles Clippers. The five-time All-Star is on an expiring $4.15 million contract.
Utah is coming off a league-worst 17-65 record, a situation that appears mismatched with Love’s current stage of his career. Entering his 18th season, the forward has embraced a mentor role but still finished second in voting for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award in 2021-22.
Contenders Monitoring Situation
If Love reaches free agency or is moved, contenders are expected to line up. One team mentioned as a possibility is the Denver Nuggets, thanks in part to Love’s long-standing relationship with Nuggets head coach David Adelman, who was an assistant in Minnesota during Love’s early NBA seasons.
Denver’s frontcourt rotation behind Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. leans heavily on younger players such as Peyton Watson, DaRon Holmes II, Zeke Nnaji and Hunter Tyson. While that depth chart does not guarantee interest, executives around the league are keeping tabs on Love’s status as training camps draw near.
For now, Utah and Love continue to explore their options, with a resolution expected before the regular season tips off.
Source: Hoops Wire
