Jarrett Allen joked Thursday about former teammate Kevin Love's recent departure from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
#Cavs center Jarrett Allen was asked if he knew Kevin Love asked for a buyout before he left Philly after last Wednesday’s game.
— Danny Cunningham (@RealDCunningham) February 23, 2023
“I was told he was going for milk and cigarettes and he never came back.”
"K Love's" nine-year career with the Cavs ended last week after the two sides agreed to a contract buyout. The five-time All-Star signed with the Miami Heat earlier this week and could debut with his new team when the Heat come out of the All-Star break against the Milwaukee Bucks at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday.
Neither Love nor Allen spent their early NBA days in Cleveland, as the former played with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the first six seasons of his career and the latter suited up for the Brooklyn Nets for three-plus seasons from 2017 until he was traded the Cavs in January 2021. The pair of rebounding machines shared the frontcourt over the last two years, but the emergence of 2021 third overall pick Evan Mobley relegated Love to the sixth man role last season.
The 34-year-old UCLA product thrived off the bench last year, averaging 13.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and posting his best three-point shooting numbers (39.2%) in four seasons and finished second in the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year voting. His struggles this season, however -- plus a hefty contract -- contributed to the post-Valentine's Day breakup for Love.
Now in Miami (32-27), the former rebounding champion finds himself with a team that is in seventh place and five games back of Cleveland (38-23) in the Eastern Conference standings, but still very much in the playoff chase. Not only will Love be playing under one of the best (and more underrated coaches in the league) in Erik Spoelstra, but his role should increase in a less crowded frontcourt.
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