Sources: Heat’s Love declining $4M player option

Miami Heat forward/center Kevin Love is declining his $4 million player option, but both sides are enthusiastic about negotiating a new deal in the opening days of free agency, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Teams can begin signing free agents July 6.

Love, who will turn 36 in September, averaged 8.8 points and 6.1 rebounds across 55 games for Miami this past season, shooting 34.4% from 3-point range.

The 2016 NBA champion, five-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA Second Team selection has played 16 NBA seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers and the Heat, whom he signed with midway through the 2022-23 season after agreeing to a buyout with Cleveland, where he won that 2016 title and spent more than eight seasons.

He then helped Miami make it to the NBA Finals last year, before the Heat lost in the first round to the Boston Celtics this spring. Even at this stage of his career, he remains a strong rebounder and floor spacing big.

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps contributed to this story.