The Cavs may not buyout Kevin Love out of fear he’ll sign with the Heat

Out of fear that he may sign with the Miami Heat, there’s a growing chance that the Cleveland Cavaliers don’t buy him out.

As the buyout market continues to work itself out, there is possibly one more big name that could hit the open market – Kevin Love. He is no longer a key piece for the Cleveland Cavaliers and it’s probably in the best interest of both sides to move on. That’s why a buyout agreement is on the table.

It would give the Cavs another roster spot to sign a player that would fit their needs better and it would give Love a shot to catch on with another team in hopes of playing a bigger role in the playoffs. At least on the surface, it seems like a win-win for both sides.

While the Cavs and Love are reportedly discussing a buyout, there could be one holdup. The Cavs don’t want Love to sign with the Miami Heat if he does become a free agent. I’m not really sure how buyouts work but I’ve never heard of a clause in which a team prohibits a player from signing with a specific team.

Could this be the first? If so, it would be somewhat odd.

Would Kevin Love make that much of a difference on the Miami Heat?

There’s a saying that generally holds true – players are bought out for a reason. And if that is true, should the Cavs really be worried about Love joining the Heat for a playoff run? I understand not wanting to help out a competitor, especially one that they could eventually see in the first round of the playoffs, but I can’t help but wonder – would Love really make that much of a difference for the Heat?

Sure, Love might be the perfect buyout candidate for the Heat. He fills the role of what the Heat need most – a power forward that can shoot. Those are the two biggest areas of weakness for Miami right now.

But Love is a buyout candidate for a reason. He’s only 8.5 points and six rebounds per game on 35 percent shooting from 3-point range. He’s far from the player that he was during his prime but could still offer some value. Especially to a team like the Heat.

It will be interesting to see how this all unfolds for the Cavs and Love. Will they still move toward a buyout? Will there be a clause where he can’t sign with the Heat? Will it even matter (perhaps a team like the Phoenix Suns is closer to the top of his preferred list)?