NBA Rumors: Heat, Precious Achiuwa, Jazz, Kevin Love, Nets

The Heat have been in talks with free agent big man Precious Achiuwa, per Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Achiuwa, 26 later this month, began his career in Miami before being dealt to Toronto in the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade. He spent the past year-and-a-half with the Knicks.

The Heat are searching for frontcourt depth behind Bam Adebayo, who has made it clear he’d prefer not to log heavy minutes at center. Internal options include second-year big Kel’el Ware and rookie Vladislav Goldin, along with Nikola Jovic and Keshad Johnson.

Miami has also been linked to free agent bigs such as Kai Jones and Trey Lyles, while former Heat center Thomas Bryant remains unsigned.

One wrinkle: adding a minimum contract would push the Heat into the tax. Winderman reports the team has even discussed waiving Terry Rozier, whose partially guaranteed $26.6 million contract would save about $1.7 million.

Buyout talks with Rozier haven’t gone anywhere, but the possibility of cutting him before the Jan. 7 guarantee date gives Miami another lever to pull.

Love and the Jazz: As we relayed earlier, Kevin Love’s time in Utah appears to be short-lived. The 37-year-old veteran, acquired in July’s three-team deal that also moved Norman Powell to Miami and John Collins to the Clippers, is “widely expected” to be traded or bought out before the season, according to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post.

Love is on an expiring $4.15 million deal and no longer fits with a Jazz team coming off a 17-65 campaign. Marc Stein previously reported that Love has been exploring “pathways out of Utah,” with contenders expected to circle if he becomes available.