It's been evident from the jump that Kevin Love won't be on the Utah Jazz's opening night roster in October. While the situation technically remains fluid, it's a matter of when, not if. One of Love's most recent Instagram posts basically confirmed that Love won't be a Jazzman.
On August 17, Love shared a photo of himself along with a group of friends and family on his personal Instagram, which included LeBron James, Draymond Green, Rich Paul, and Adele, among others. The picture was taken in Ojai, California.
Professional Basketball Player, Kevin Love, posts a family picture on Instagram, which Includes Adele. š„¹ pic.twitter.com/rCfwp1cR2L
ā Adele Discord šŖ (@AdeleDiscord) August 17, 2025
It makes sense because Love is from California, but Love hasn't even so much as acknowledged Utah since the trade was made. Well, technically, he acknowledged the trade, but the point still stands.
Never thought Iād be a math problem. Welcome to the NBA.
ā Kevin Love (@kevinlove) July 7, 2025
To be fair, it's not like Utah is unaware of how this will end, as they haven't even officially welcomed Love to the team. Love's Instagram photo is not only more proof of his time in Utah ending soon enough. How it exactly happens is anyone's guess, but it's still happening.
More than that, it wouldn't be shocking if Love resumes (and likely finishes) his career in Los Angeles. He has his ties to James from their days in Cleveland, and LA needs more bodies in the frontcourt. Love isn't what he was, but the Lakers' frontcourt situation was so bad last year that there's a case that the current version of him was better than any of the traditional big men they put on the court.
Will there be more Kevin Love-types in Utah going forward?
Utah has no intentions of winning this season, which means they could be the ideal destination for teams trying to shed expendable salary in blockbuster trades. That's what Miami did when they agreed to ship him out for Norman Powell.
Utah has a pretty favorable cap situation this season, as the only long-term contract they have on the books is Lauri Markkanen, though Walker Kessler is expected to join him soon enough. It wouldn't be shocking if they acquire deals like Love's this season, but whether they do it beyond that is anyone's guess.
As long as they don't compromise their cap flexibility, there's not much harm in making trades like that. It also could explain why the Jazz technically haven't resolved the Love situation. By waiting until he can be aggregated in trades, they can acquire him for players who would likely be in the situation he is in now in Utah.
...Isn't tanking fun?