The Miami Heat made their first move of free agency on Sunday, June 30, by bringing a former NBA champion back to their bench.
Miami re-signed big man Kevin Love to a short-term contract after he opted out of the final year of his contract over the weekend.
“Free agent F/C Kevin Love is finalizing a two-year, $8 million-plus deal to return to the Miami Heat, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium,” Shams Charania reported on June 30, the first day of free agency.
Love’s new deal is similar to his old contract in terms of compensation. Miami owed Love $4.99 million in 2024-25, which is slightly less than what he will make for that campaign on his new deal. The difference is that there is an extra year for an extra $4 million for the soon-to-be 36-year-old the season after, which makes the total value of the contract roughly $3 million higher.
Tim Bontemps of ESPN reported that there are no options on Love’s new contract, meaning neither the team nor Love has the option to terminate the deal one year early.
Kevin Love Has Played Meaningful Rotation Role for Heat Over Past 2 Seasons
GettyKevin Love of the Miami Heat.
Love was a meaningful contributor in the Heat’s rotation last season, averaging 8.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 16.8 minutes per night, according to Basketball Reference. He appeared in 55 regular-season games for Miami and connected on 34.4% of his 3-point shots on 4.4 attempts per outing.
The 6-foot-8, 251-pound Love won a title alongside former Heat star LeBron James in 2016 while the two were members of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Love has earned trips to five All-Star Games and spots on two All-NBA Teams (both second-team selections in 2012 and 2014) across his 16-year professional career.
Love joined the Heat for the 2022-23 campaign following the end of his time in Cleveland. He put up 7.7 points and 5.7 rebounds across 21 games for Miami that season and was part of a roster that played its way into the NBA Finals as the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference before falling to the Denver Nuggets in five games.
Kevin Love Will Back Up Heat Big Man Bam Adebayo After He Inked Max 3-Year Extension With Miami
GettyBam Adebayo of the Miami Heat.
Love will now recline back into a backup role behind Heat star big man Bam Adebayo, who recently inked a max three-year extension to remain in Miami. Adebayo agreed to the $166 million extension that will keep him with the team through the 2028-29 season.
He averaged 19.3 points, 10.4 rebounds 3.9 assists and 1.1 steals for the Heat across 71 games played in the 2023-24 campaign. Adebayo turns 27 years old in July and has never played with a team outside of Miami since joining the league in 2017.
Securing Adebayo is a big deal for the Heat, though a major question mark remains in the form of superstar forward Jimmy Butler. Miami and Butler will not come to terms on a contract extension this season, which sets up the chance for Butler to opt out of the final year of his deal next summer and become an unrestricted free agent.
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