Kevin Love completes buyout agreement with Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, has completed his contract buyout with the team. The Miami Heat, per Wojnarowski (as well as The Athletic’s Shams Charania), are the favorite to land Love, but he’ll also talk to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Love was first reported to have asked for a buyout earlier this week with cleveland.com reporting that he asked for it before the Cavs played in the 76ers in their last game before the All-Star break. He had not appeared in the previous 12 games after being dropped from J.B. Bickerstaff’s rotation.

The move will give the Cavs an open roster spot and some wiggle room under the tax line if they elect to fill that roster spot. Any player they sign would need to come on the pro-rated veteran minimum. If said player was waived by another team, they’ll need to sign by March 1 to playoff eligible.