ESPN.com · Feb 16, 2023
Sources: Cavaliers, Kevin Love working toward possible buyout
Kevin Love and the Cleveland Cavaliers have started discussions on a buyout and the sides could come to separation terms during the All-Star break, sources told ESPN.
Love, who has played nine seasons in Cleveland and is the last remaining player from the 2016 championship team, formally requested to be bought out Wednesday, sources said. He is in the final year of his contract with a $31.2 million salary but has been out of the Cavaliers' rotation for most of the past month, not playing in the team's last 12 games.
The Cavaliers have found success in that stretch, going 9-3 with the No. 1-ranked defense. That made it unlikely Love would return to the rotation soon unless there was an injury.