August 07, 2026
The agent for five-time All-Star Kevin Love has "been in touch" with the Sixers since former teammate LeBron James elected to spend the final chapter of his career in Philadelphia, according to a report from Dave McMenamin of ESPN, which adds that Love "has interest in pairing with James to pursue a championship."
As he enters his age-38 season, Love is likely primed to provide a team with more off-court leadership than on-court production. He only logged 251 minutes for a young Utah Jazz team last season; Love's 18th NBA season was spent as a mentor.
Love and James, of course, won a title together with the 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers, and they remain close. But the Sixers adding him is not that simple.
As things stand now, the Sixers have a 14-player standard roster without enough breathing room below their hard cap at the first apron to sign another player.
The earliest they could sign a rest-of-season minimum contract, according to salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan, is the first week of December. So, perhaps the Sixers could sign Love then, or after the trade deadline in February.
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In order to sign Love this offseason, the Sixers would need to create room by shedding one of their 14 committed salaries. The most vulnerable player would be Jabari Walker, whose salary of just under $2.6 million only includes $250,000 guaranteed. But Walker is the best rebounder on this team; even if he does not currently look like a rotation regular, he is definitively playable while Love is likely the opposite at this juncture.
History suggests James' favorite former teammates always have pathways to reunions. One example: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope putting pen to paper on a deal with the Sixers this week after negotiating a buyout from the Memphis Grizzlies. Caldwell-Pope was the first of James' old friends to follow him to Philadelphia. He will likely not be the last, whether Love follows suit or not.
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