Future Hall of Famer eyeing buyout, should Nuggets sign him?
originally appeared on The Sporting News

A future Hall of Famer is considering a buyout of his current deal. Should the Denver Nuggets take a run at him if he hits free agency?

Denver has replenished its depth after a pair of second-round playoff exits.

It's clear that there is a new front office mandate for the Nuggets to make the most of three-time MVP center Nikola Jokic's remaining prime years.

Should Denver bring in some bonus former All-Star help?

Veteran power forward/center Kevin Love was offloaded from the Miami Heat to the Utah Jazz earlier this summer, necessary contract collateral in the three-team deal that landed Norman Powell in South Beach.

BREAKING: The Clippers, Jazz and Heat have agreed to a trade that sends Norman Powell to Miami, John Collins to Los Angeles, and Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson and a 2027 Clippers second-round pick to the Jazz, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/o0FkV0o2l8

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 7, 2025

Last month, Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported that the 6-foot-8 UCLA product was pondering a buyout of his $4.2 million expiring contract, in an effort to link up with a new team this fall.

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A former five-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA honoree, and 2016 NBA champion, the 37-year-old Love is far removed from his Minnesota Timberwolves/Cleveland Cavaliers-era prime. Love has been in Miami for the past two-and-a-half seasons. He had his least productive season ever in 2024-25, and was toggled in and out of head coach Erik Spoelstra's lineups on a 37-45 team.

Still, he's a career 36.9 percent 3-point shooter on 4.8 triple tries per, and made 35.8 percent of his 2.9 long range takes a night. He's a great rebounder, and even last year he averaged 13.5 boards per 36 minutes with Miami.

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Love is anticipated to link up with a contender should he agree to a buyout, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post.

Durando proposes that it might behoove Denver to explore a possible Love deal. New Nuggets head coach David Adelman served as an assistant coach during much of Love's tenure in Minnesota.

The Nuggets are actually pretty deep in the frontcourt. Behind three-time MVP center Nikola Jokic, power forward Aaron Gordon, and newly-acquired small forward Cam Johnson, Denver boasts reserve center Jonas Valanciunas, and two rising wings who can log significant small forward minutes in Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther.

But what about a floor-spacing backup four?

Durando observes that backups Zeke Nnaji, DaRon Holmes II, and Hunter Tyson are fairly young and raw, and notes that the veteran presence of Love could help steady the roster and add some extra insurance.

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