The Heat announced that they had signed five-time All-Star Kevin Love. Per club policy, the terms of the deal are not made public.
Love, the 2016 NBA champion, has appeared in 41 games (three starts) for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season. Love is averaging 15.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in his three starts while shooting 38.9% from the field, 39.3% from the three-point range, and 87.5% from the free-throw line. On Nov. 4 in Detroit, he scored 21 points, dished out ten assists, and grabbed eight rebounds, becoming the first player in Cavaliers history to record at least numbers off the bench in just 23 minutes and 26 seconds.
Love averaged at least 12 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists this season as a starter and made at least 40 percent of his three-pointers, becoming the first player to average at least these points in his first ten games since the 1979-80 season. The total number of players averaged less than 21 minutes per game during the season. He grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds against Chicago on Jan. 2, scored 29 points against New York on Oct. 30, and made eight career triples. Three-pointers, including five in the fourth quarter, had the most 3-pointers in the final inning of his career. In addition, the Heat have 57 rushes this season, second in the NBA, and Love joined the team with 17 rushes, fourth among all players in the league this season.
The 15-year National Basketball Association (NBA) veteran has career averages of 17.2 pts, 10.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, & 30.4 minutes while shooting 43.9 percent from the field, 37.2 percent from three-point range, and 83 percent from the free-throw line. He made at least 36 percent of his 3-pointers in 11 different seasons and is one of four players in NBA history to shoot at least 35 percent from 3-point range and average at least ten rebounds per game in NBA history. After nine seasons in Cleveland, he led the Cavaliers in field goals made (second), defensive rebounds (third), total rebounds (sixth), free throws made (eighth), and rebounds per game (third). Eight), scoring (ninth), and field goals (tenth).
Love would wear jersey number 42.