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East Notes: Cavs, Kevin Love, Bulls, Pistons, RJ Hampton

Originally posted on Hoops Wire | By Sam Amico | Last updated 2/22/23

There likely was little market for power forward Kevin Love ahead of the trade deadline, wrote Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com. Sources told Hoops Wire the Cavs did indeed make him available.
Love took $7 million of the $8.5 million he was owed in the buyout, per Pluto and several other outlets. Love was just 11-of-48 shooting ion 3-pointers in January.
The Cavs intend to fill the vacant roster spot created by Love’s departure. Not surprisingly, they are in the market for another reserve big man, sources said.
I discussed Love’s addition at great length on the Five on the Floor Podcast with longtime Miami reporter Ethan Skolnick. You can listen to the entire thing here or in the box at the bottom of this post.

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— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) February 21, 2023

The Bulls have officially signed forward Terry Taylor to a two-way contract and waived forward Malcolm Hill from the same type of pact, per the NBA transactions log. Taylor was one of three players waived by the Pacers at the trade deadline.
The signing of guard Patrick Beverley is also official, as is the waiving of center Tony Bradley. You can read more on Beverley here and Bradley here.
In case you missed it, the Bulls also ruled out guard Lonzo Ball for the rest of the season. That was to be expected, of course. Ball hasn’t suited up in more than a year.
Should the Bulls go into taking mode? Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune asks that and other questions in her breakdown of the team heading into the stretch run.

The Pistons intend to sign guard R.J. Hampton, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Hampton was officially waived by the Magic after being only a minor part of the rotation.
Hampton is an athletic guard who is remarkable around the rim and could see an increase in minutes in Detroit, wrote Aaron Kellerstrass of Fansided.

This article first appeared on Hoops Wire and was syndicated with permission.

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