Heat's Kevin Love Says He Doesn't Want to Retire Ahead of Contract Option Decision | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Veteran power forward Kevin Love is in the twilight of his career, but he's not ready to call it quits just yet.

Love, who holds a $4 million player option to return to the Miami Heat next season, recently told Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel (h/t HoopsHype): "I don't want to retire. I would like to keep playing."

Love has appeared in all four games of Miami's first-round series against the Boston Celtics, averaging 1.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in 7.5 minutes of action. The Heat face a 3-1 deficit, and their season could come to an end in Wednesday night's Game 5.

During the regular season, Love played in 55 games, his most since the 2021-22 campaign when he was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He averaged 8.8 points and 6.1 rebounds while mostly playing with the second unit.

Love was reflective of his career winding down, adding that the early playoff exits of star players like LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant indicate a changing of the guard.

"I remember when I was in Year 10, or just finished Year 10, and Kevin Durant had finished Year 11," Love said. "We were at USA Basketball in Vegas at the Wynn, and we were, 'Damn, even if we play 20 years, we're like both already over the hill.' So now in Year 16, the end is still a ways away, but certainly you can see it a lot more than even 10 years, 12 years in, 'cause it is coming to, I guess, the last final chapters of an era where it was LeBron and KD and Steph and those type of guys."

The 35-year-old said that's what helped him cherish his current run in Miami, which included a trip to the NBA Finals in 2023. He tries to teach the younger players on the team to enjoy every moment.

"So, yeah, these are just conversations and questions that happen. So I think my message to the guys was like, 'Take advantage of the time we have together,'" Love said. "Even last year, too, I felt like we did that and that run is something that will stick out in my mind forever. I think it will for all Heat fans and players that were a part of it."