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Kevin Love Breaks Silence After Miami Heat Trade
Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Miami Heat, Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers made a three-team trade on Monday centered around multiple role players.

The Heat will receive veteran guard Norman Powell from the Clippers, while Los Angeles will receive John Collins from the Jazz, and Utah gets veteran forwards Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson and a 2027 second-round pick from the Clippers, according to NBA insider Shams Charania

The deal might have given each team more depth and leadership. Meanwhile, Love is entering his 18th season in the NBA after averaging 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game last season with Miami. 

Furthermore, the deal benefits Miami because they are under the first apron of the league luxury tax at $195.9 million, while the tax threshold is $187.8 million, according to ESPN writer Bobby Marks.

Miami’s issue was that since they exceeded the tax threshold and entered the first apron, they had to deal with heavy restrictions, such as not being able to make sign-and-trade deals and signing players off of waivers. 

However, Love was on a two-year contract worth $8 million, which is why trading him was viewed as beneficial by Marks who took the Heat’s financial situation into account because they have used the expanded trade player exception to add Powell.

However, the Heat’s decision might have puzzled Love, who shared a humorous reaction to the trade on X. “Never thought I’d be a math problem,” he wrote. “Welcome to the NBA.”

With Love joining the Jazz, he could add more depth and serve as a mentor for many of their younger players such as Walker Kessler and Ace Bailey. Meanwhile, Powell is joining a Heat roster composed of All-Stars Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro.

Collins, on the other hand, is joining the Clippers, who are led by All-Star veterans James Harden and Kawhi Leonard.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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