Could you even blame Love for leaving at this point?

[BloopOracle]

what are we gonna do we don't have any high draft picks, no cap space, no quality tradeable assets

this is so depressing

[Coolbreeze44]

No you can't blame him. And you're right this is very depressing. Here's what sucks: I'm a dumb fan but if I was GM of this team beginning the night we drafted Rubio, here is what our starting lineup would be:

PG - Rubio
SG - Curry
SF - George
PF - Love
C - Pek

Yes guys, that's an NBA championship team today.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

No you can't blame him. And you're right this is very depressing. Here's what sucks: I'm a dumb fan but if I was GM of this team beginning the night we drafted Rubio, here is what our starting lineup would be:

PG - Rubio
SG - Curry
SF - George
PF - Love
C - Pek

Yes guys, that's an NBA championship team today.

Mine would have been a little different. That's assuming we still ended up in the lottery in 2009 and 2010. Keep in mind that Rubio came over for the 2011-12 season so we likely would have been bad even with those 2009/2010 draft picks combined with the strength of the Western Conference.

PG - Rubio
SG - Curry
SF - Parsons
PF - Love
C - Cousins

Pek off the bench or used as a trade chip.

[Papalrep]

No I won't blame him

[AbeVigodaLive]

In today's crazy NBA world, Kevin Love will get more criticism for staying than he would for leaving.

I've read so many people rip Kevin Garnett for staying in Minnesota all those years like he was wrong for showing loyalty.

I don't get it. I know it's easier to be more dismissive of random teams and players and fans like we're all watching a giant game of fantasy basketball... but there is a tenuous relationship between players and fans that seems to be vanishing for some.

For most, it's hard to be a fan if you're apathetic. We like to believe that we have some sort of connection with these players. Sure, we don't know them. But they're playing in our city, for the team we root for. And in that, there is a connection, a common goal. We show loyalty with viewership, message board ramblings (ahem, ahem), our hard-earned money... year after year. Personally, I feel all that is in jeopardy if the mercenary approach among players is too obvious.

Sure, we know that players are only playing here in most cases for money and opportunity. They don't know the difference between 15k screaming Minnesotans and 15k screaming people in Atlanta. They don't really care... which is fine.

But the moment they show they don't care... that fickle relationship is in jeopardy. Yet, more and more people are applauding athletes for making it more obvious that they don't care?

I guess it's easy to do if it's not happening to you and your favorite team.


[Note: In Love's case, it would be awesome if he said that he feels responsible for the malaise here over the years and wants to see things through. But, that's a very rare breed of athlete. The Wolves have given Love his "out"... it's there waiting for him. And the VAST MAJORITY would believe it's the wise move to make, especially since he'd be criticized for staying even more.]

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

I don't think I would blame Love if he decided to leave because he wanted to win. I might be bitter, but my animosity would be directed at the Timberwolves organization rather than Kevin. My appreciation for Love, while always high, has increased with his warrior performances in the past week, and it is imperative that the Wolves do everything they can to retain him.

[horatio81 [enjin:7751176]]

Couldn't agree with you more, Abe. I find myself caring less and less about sports as I get older because there's very little sense of community or comradery built up around the teams anymore. And it's so weird to see the fans become ever-less important in an "industry" that exists solely for the benefit of fans. Athletes and owners and media put out this vibe like they'd all be excelling and important in a vacuum without the paying fans. It's a disconnect, and it's sort of insane.

A big part of the "problem" is television. Everyone is staying home and watching sports in HD on 60 inch plasmas. No one wants to spend hundreds on bad seats and overpriced food when the far superior viewing experience is right in your living room. This puts the emphasis on a handful of "watchable" teams while the local clubs suffer, only no one cares about the local clubs because they aren't any more "real" to you than the big-market teams on your TV.

Honestly, I'd love either a hard salary cap or the elimination of a few teams. Even if ours is one of them. Maybe we should share a squad with Wisconsin...

[Lipoli390]

Cool and Cam -

You guys would have outdone me. I was on the record saying I'd take Wes Johnson at #4 in 2010 and I probably would have taken Williams in 2011 although I was intrigued at the possibility of trading the pick. But at least I would have taken Curry at #6 in 2009. I would have also taken Jordan Crawford at #23 in 2010 and Faried at #20 in 2011. I know these are picks we went on record saying we'd take at the time. Most on the ESPN board at the time would have taken Cousins.

Very sad when Rubes like us would have dramatically out-performed the Wolves front office.

[thedoper]

The blame game for all this crap starts and ends with Taylor. The guy is a complete doofus. Success selling wedding invitations does not guarantee success running a pro basketball business. The guy's solution has been to have Minnesota guys or complete pushovers below him. This down home, all in the family routine, is not working and Taylor is the common denominator. I would like to see one more owner before completely giving up on this team, but Glen's supposedly renewed enthusiasm because the return of Flip scares me. We need innovation, new blood. I am hoping we get one more opportunity before Taylor's ineptitude forces this team to move. A bad owner is the worst problem in sports. Nothing will ruin a franchise worse than having no recourse for bad performance. If Love leaves it is Taylor's fault. I have to believe that Kahn doesn't bare the brunt of the blame for not giving Love the 5th year. It reeks of Taylor. I am sure Love sees this and no you can't blame him for wanting out.

[Lipoli390]

I agree, Doper. You nailed it!