After reports suggested Utah Jazz veteran center Kevin Love's looming buyout over the summer, reportedly heading to the Los Angeles Lakers or the Los Angeles Clippers, talks have stalled according to a recent report. While both teams have an open roster spot, the Lakers and Clippers are under the first apron and would have to move off another contract, according to ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel.
Love will have to wait for a team that's in better position to sign him, as NBA insider Marc Stein points out.
“The Jazz and Kevin Love, I'm told, have not yet moved into serious buyout discussions despite reports to the contrary.
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,” Stein reported.
“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.”
It looks as if the chance of Love staying with the Jazz for the entire 2025-26 campaign remain slim ahead of the upcoming season.
Kevin Love wants Jazz buyout to end up in LA, sources say
Jazz veteran center Kevin Love, a Santa Monica, California native, reportedly wants to head home to finish out his career. The 16-year veteran could reunite with his former Cavs teammate in LeBron James or head to the Clippers and join future Hall of Fame veterans Kawhi Leonard, Chris Paul, and James Harden's pursuit for a championship.
Either way, Love is interesting in heading to Los Angeles one way or another, or the Knicks, as ClutchPoints' insider Brett Siegel noted.
“Word around the league surrounding Love is that he wants to end up in Los Angeles, sources said. There were some rumors that Love would want to go to New York, although there doesn't seem to be much interest brewing from the Knicks,” Siegel said.
“Both the Clippers and Lakers still have one open roster spot. But if the Lakers were to pursue Love and reunite him with LeBron, they would need to move off another contract since they are hard-capped at the first apron and just $1.1 million from this mark. When looking at the Clippers, they are basically in the same situation, as they are $1.2 million from their first apron hard cap.”
Love could make a move before the start of the 2025-26 campaign.
