Kevin Love, Cleveland Cavaliers expected to reach buyout agreement

Well, this is the end, beautiful friends.

Kevin Love, the last remaining member of the 2016 NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers, is expected to reach a contract buyout agreement with the team per The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Jason Lloyd. When Love clears waivers, he’s expected to sign with the Miami Heat per the report as well.

Love, who is averaging 8.5 points and 6.8 rebounds this season for the Cavaliers, had been recently demoted from the rotation in favor of forward Dean Wade according to head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. The move makes sense since Love is dealing with a nagging thumb injury and Wade is more part of Cleveland’s immediate future. Bickerstaff said that the conversations between him and the team’s most seasoned veteran were tough but both understood it was for the greater good of the team.

The news of a contract buyout come curiously enough after President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman seemed to somewhat shut down the idea of buying Love out at the end of the NBA Trade Deadline. At the time, Altman also said Love and his management had not approached him on the subject.

Well, now that the Cavaliers are heading into the All-Star break it appears that the conversation has begun for the end of Love’s tenure with Cleveland. Hopefully, the team follows suit by taking his number out of circulation.

Once the move is final the Cavaliers will have one open roster spot.