Kyrie Connection: Kevin Love Buyout OFFICIAL - Why Mavs Should Sign
Kevin Love is officially available as of Saturday. And the Dallas Mavericks officially have a need ... After entering the All-Star break on a three-game losing streak, the Mavericks have some questions that need to be answered.
Will having a week off be enough to get the team back on track? Will Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving finally be able to translate their stellar play as a star duo into wins? Will the much-anticipated return of Maxi Kleber be enough to fix Dallas' porous defense?
As we await the answer to those questions, the Mavs have already been active on the NBA buyout market looking to improve their depth. On Wednesday, Dallas officially signed 3-and-D wing Justin Holiday, who has yet to make his debut. That signing should help the Mavs on the perimeter, but they could use some extra juice with their big-man depth as well, especially since the JaVale McGee signing hasn't gone as planned.
Love should be a name the Mavs pursue on the buyout market next after he recently agreed to a buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers. If Dallas was interested in giving 37-year-old LaMarcus Aldridge a workout on Tuesday, then it should definitely be interested in adding Love, who is three years younger that Aldridge.
The five-time All-Star already has chemistry with Irving, as they won a championship together in Cleveland. That said, this wouldn't just be a chemistry signing for Dallas, as Love would provide an instant boost to the team's rebounding situation.
Through 41 games with the Cavs, Love averaged 8.5 points and 6.8 rebounds in just 20 minutes per contest while shooting 35.4 percent from deep. That rebounding average would instantly make him the Mavs' third-leading rebounder. Dallas is dead last in the league with a team average of 38.7 rebounds per game.
Love is still capable of pouring in points every now and then as well, as he's scored 15+ points five times this season. The Cavs were 4-1 in those games. His best performance of the season came on Oct. 30 when he put up a season-high 29 points in just 23 minutes of action in a win over the New York Knicks.
Love is said to be a target of the Heat and Sixers and others. But ...
Given Love's connection with Irving, his rebounding abilities and his still-respectable 3-point shooting, it wouldn't hurt for the Mavs to at least give him a call to see if a potential fit is there.
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