Kevin Love, Utah Jazz Haven’t Moved Into Serious Buyout Discussions Yet

Kevin Love and the Utah Jazz haven’t moved into serious buyout discussions yet, according to NBA insider Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

The Jazz acquired Love from the Miami Heat.

“The Jazz and Kevin Love, I’m told, have not yet moved into serious buyout discussions despite reports to the contrary,” Stein wrote. “It is widely known in league circles that Love is determined to play for a playoff contender at this point in his career, but it is also customary for a buyout process to progress to an advanced stage once a post-buyout landing spot is assured.

“The search for that spot continues for the 37-year-old former All-Star forward, who was dealt to the Jazz in July as part of the three-team trade that landed Norman Powell with Miami and John Collins with the Clippers.”

Love appeared in only 23 games for the Heat last season. He averaged 5.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.2 blocks while shooting 35.7% from the field, 35.8% from beyond the arc and 69.6% from the free-throw line.

A five-time All-Star, Love wants to play for the Los Angeles Clippers or Los Angeles Lakers, sources told DallasHoopsJournal. Love has ties to the Clippers and Lakers.

Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue coached Love on the Cleveland Cavaliers, while Lakers superstar LeBron James was teammates with Love in Cleveland.

The 2015-16 Cavaliers won the championship against the Golden State Warriors in seven games.

The Clippers lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in seven games, while the Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round in five games.

The Timberwolves drafted Love with the fifth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. Love has career averages of 16.2 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.3 blocks in 952 games with Minnesota, Cleveland and Miami.