NBA Rumors: Miami May Get Boost With Kevin Love Upgrade Upfront

KEY POINTS

Justise Winslow's injury could come back to haunt the Miami Heat this season
Kevin Love could be a big upgrade for the Heat up front
Miami will benefit with another NBA All-Star in their playoff push

The Miami Heat are surprising a lot of people with their good start this NBA season. For a team that most felt would struggle, the South Beach squad has so far made critics look bad. Jimmy Butler has been proving himself worthy of being the franchise's new leader, working well with several young guys on the roster.

Currently sporting a 19-8 win-loss record in the NBA Eastern Conference, the Heat should make the playoffs if they stay the course. To make sure, they need to make decisions on their personnel. The likes of Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Derrick Jones Jr., and Chris Silva are providing the necessary aid to Butler but there are some who have been underperforming.

Their showing has more than made up for the absence of Justise Winslow. The 23-year-old missed his missed five games in a row due to a lower-back strain. It would be best to note as well that this is a recurring injury that has been slowing him down, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported. Unless he finds a way to stay healthy, Miami may want to explore other options. One player brought up is Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Love is one of the top NBA names expected to be traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers soon. It could happen by the trade deadline or probably extend up to the summer. With the Cavs bent on retooling for the future using young players, the 31-year-old NBA All-Star could be a valuable addition. However, the Heat may take a hit since it would hamper their salary cap flexibility.

With Cleveland targeting young players, the Heat could deal away some of their younger stars moving forward. These are players with potential that could be included in the deal. But the real meat of it would be future picks -- ones that align with the Cavs plans for the future, as pointed out by Adrian Wojnarowski.

As early as now, the Heat need to figure out if Love could boost their chances at an NBA playoff spot. Miami has been dealing with salary budget issues since the summer but Love could be an investment that may reap dividends.