Suns, Heat Reportedly Potential Landing Spots For Fading All-Star; Lakers Make No Sense

Kevin Love appears to be in the same boat as other All-Stars who are looking for new homes.

The five-time All-Star has discussed a possible buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers, an unnamed source familiar with the situation told the Associated Press. International Business Times could not independently verify this information.

Love is in the final year of his four-year, $120 million deal with the team and has been dropped from the Cavs' rotation.

Nothing has been finalized yet, but this has not stopped NBA teams from getting linked to the 2011 NBA Most Improved Player.

Teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns and the Miami Heat have been mentioned as potential landing spots. However, based on the current rosters of these teams, there is a high possibility that the one-time NBA champion could end up coming off the bench and getting little playing time.

According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Suns or the Heat could be a plausible destination.

Unless he can come up with something that would merit a starting job, all signs point to Love following the route of other stars like Russell Westbrook who have come off the bench. The 2017 NBA MVP, despite a diminished role, made a good account of himself with the Los Angeles Lakers before Westbrook was eventually let go.

Although he is far from the player that most remember him to be, Love can still be of use, particularly on defense and hitting it from beyond the arc.

Both the Suns and the Heat could use a good sixth man off the bench if their starters fail to hit their stride.

But this may not make sense with the Lakers. Los Angeles has a handful of young players who play practically the same position as Love.

Although a reunion with LeBron James would be great, playing time could be a problem for Love. Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and Mo Bamba appear to be the future of the purple and gold so Love may end up just mentoring them or playing spot minutes.

Hence, it all boils down to what Love wants. A starting position does not appear to be plausible if the teams mentioned are his options.

The situation is different if he goes to teams that are sorely lacking in talent. But that move would mean lowering his chances of winning an NBA title.

At 34 years old, that is perhaps one motivation that Love may consider. However, joining contending teams would require him to make a sacrifice. That is outside the fact that any deal is likely to be short-term.