(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The Miami Heat fell short of their goal this season.
Late-season injuries stood in their way, and they couldn’t find the same success they found in the prior campaign when they won the Eastern Conference.
Now, they’ll have to wiggle and dig deep into the market to revamp their roster.
Notably, veteran F/C Kevin Love will opt out of the final year of his contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
ESPN Sources: Miami Heat F/C Kevin Love is declining his $4M player option, but both sides are enthusiastic about negotiating a new deal in the opening days of free agency. The five-time All-Star has played the past two seasons with the Heat. pic.twitter.com/uXU3bR8xPP
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2024
Per Woj, Love will decline his player option, which is worth roughly $4 million.
However, he adds that both parties are optimistic about getting a new deal done to get Love back on the team for a third season at the very least.
Love is clearly not the player he used to be in his prime.
Nonetheless, he brings NBA championship experience and is a respected veteran in the league, and the Heat organization values those traits more than any other team in the league.
Love can still give them valuable minutes off the bench, particularly on offense, as he’s an outstanding shooter who can stretch the floor.
His days of grabbing 20 rebounds are far behind him, but he’s still a strong presence on both ends of the glass.
The Heat also have a decision to make regarding Jimmy Butler, who’s reportedly looking to get a very lucrative contract extension.
Butler’s name has been floated around in trade rumors for months now, and it’ll be interesting to see what Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra have going on in their minds right now.
The post Kevin Love Has Made A Decision About His Contract With Heat appeared first on The Cold Wire.