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Los Angeles Lakers: Why Kevin Love is bound to be a Laker soon

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 13: Kevin Love #0 of the Cleveland Cavaliers hugs LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers after a game at Staples Center on January 13, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 13: Kevin Love #0 of the Cleveland Cavaliers hugs LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers after a game at Staples Center on January 13, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off a massive trade for Russell Westbrook on the day of the 2021 NBA Draft and now every Laker fan is wondering what is next with the team and how Rob Pelinka is going to build out a roster.

Westbrook, LeBron James and Anthony Davis take up over $120 million of the salary alone and the rest of the roster is going to have to be minimum contracts and (hopefully) the re-signed Alex Caruso and Talen Horton-Tucker.

The team can’t even use the mid-level exception as that would put them over the tax apron, which they can’t do if they use the MLE.

All the potential free-agent targets are cheap options and there is one cheap option that makes a lot of sense for the Lakers: Kevin Love. It may sound crazy, but all signs are pointing to Love being a Laker in no time.

Why Kevin Love will soon join the Los Angeles Lakers:

1. Kevin Love is likely going to get bought out 

It might be this offseason or it might be after the trade deadline. The question really is not if, but when.

Kevin Love does have two more seasons under contract in Cleveland but as we saw with Detroit and Blake Griffin, a two-year buyout is definitely possible. With Evan Mobley now on the roster, Love is only taking minutes from the young core that is the future of the team. He does not help Cleveland at all anymore.

The Cavaliers are not going to find a trade partner that is willing to take on Love’s contract. They could not find one for Andre Drummond and it is the exact same thing with Love. They may hold onto him until the deadline hoping someone will be desperate, but it won’t happen.

So in reality, there is a chance that we don’t see Kevin Love in the purple and gold until February/March. But we can be certain that he will actually be in the purple and gold when the buyout does happen for two more specific reasons.

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