I am scared to death

[BloopOracle]

about Love being able to opt out after next season, just sick to my stomach.....to think we had a player of his caliber pining for us to lock him up for 5 years makes me sad.

[KiwiMatt]

You can thank Mr David Kahn for that one!

[WildWolf2813]

Locking him up for 5 years would just delay this conversation 1 year (and given this organization) would have had MUCH less urgency to do what they're doing now

[Lipoli390]

Wild --

Actually, locking Love up for 5 years would have delayed the conversation by two years because of the 3rd year opt-out Kahn gave Love to get him to accept the 4 year deal. Otherwise, I essentially agree with you.

Bloop --

Replacing Kahn with Flip clears out the personal baggage that might have driven Love away. Now it's just a matter of whether Love thinks we have a chance to compete for a championship two or three years down the road. We start with a several advantages over other teams. First, we can offer Love a 5-year deal while other teams can only offer him 4 years. Second, Love likes and likes playing with Pek; and we have Pek locked up for the next 5 years. Finally, we have the League's best passing PG and Love really likes playing with him. If Love knows or suspects that Ricky will sign an extension here, then it will very hard for any other team to entice Love away.

Interesting and perhaps ironically, Kahn's refusal to offer a 5th year to Love may ultimately give Flip the edge he needs to keep Love because Flip will be free to give Rubio a 5th year, which could keep Ricky from leaving and, as a result, keep Love from leaving as well.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Wild --

Actually, locking Love up for 5 years would have delayed the conversation by two years because of the 3rd year opt-out Kahn gave Love to get him to accept the 4 year deal. Otherwise, I essentially agree with you.

Bloop --

Replacing Kahn with Flip clears out the personal baggage that might have driven Love away. Now it's just a matter of whether Love thinks we have a chance to compete for a championship two or three years down the road. We start with a several advantages over other teams. First, we can offer Love a 5-year deal while other teams can only offer him 4 years. Second, Love likes and likes playing with Pek; and we have Pek locked up for the next 5 years. Finally, we have the League's best passing PG and Love really likes playing with him. If Love knows or suspects that Ricky will sign an extension here, then it will very hard for any other team to entice Love away.

Interesting and perhaps ironically, Kahn's refusal to offer a 5th year to Love may ultimately give Flip the edge he needs to keep Love because Flip will be free to give Rubio a 5th year, which could keep Ricky from leaving and, as a result, keep Love from leaving as well.

I don't think Love's affinity for a sub 35% shooting PG will have too much to do with his decision, considering he'll be able to pick-and-choose his running mates elsewhere. In fact, who's to say he's still not a bit upset or confused why that lofty Max deal was saved for the inconsistent PG.

Many of us said it the day it happened: Kahn's refusal to offer the max deal to Love could potentially set the franchise back several more years. In fact, we were probably a bit more direct about it.

It was mind-numbingly stupid, and that's not revisionist history. The Wolves were just getting out of a stretch where they were the worst team in the L. But a surprise star emerged (DESPITE Rambis' and Kahn's best efforts). That star WANTED to play for the worst ORGANIZATION in the L.

He begged for it. So, how should he feel after being spurned by the worst organization in the league. Sure, Kahn got his comeuppance... sort of. But, Taylor is still here. And, Love has options. As much as it sucks for Wolves fans, you can't blame the guy for keeping every option open and seeking the best deal/place for his career.

And all because of that ear-wax-eating David Kahn.

[60WinTim]

My biggest fear is Denver gives away Faried, and San Antonio finagles a way to get him...

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

My biggest fear is LA somehow finding a way to get Love and Westbrook. I know Westbrook is guaranteed to be in OKC for at least 2 years past Love's opt out, but I could definitely see them colluding to play together in their back yard in LA. Love to Houston won't work because they would have to dump everybody but Harden and Dwight just to afford Love and then they have a big 3 and only minimum and exception room to fill out the roster. He's not going to NY if Melo stays. Chicago won't have the money because again, they would have to fill out the roster with minimums and exceptions and their owners never want to go into the luxury tax. Brooklyn won't have any cap space available. Dallas and Boston (didn't count the Clippers because Griffin would still be signed at that point) are the only other two "big market" teams left and they don't have anybody else that is good guaranteed to be there, so he would be going there by himself and hoping someone joins him which would just be a step back. I think the only real danger is LA and possibly Dallas if they can get someone to go there with him, but LA will depend on how this offseason goes if they even will have the room to sign him after next season. We aren't going to trade him because most teams won't be able to afford him at the max price anyway. I think there is a strong chance he re-signs here as long as we continue to get better because we can offer him the most security and money and we have a solid supporting cast around him locked up.

[Lipoli390]

Abe --

To say that Love's affinity for Rubio won't have much to do with Love's decision is silly. Regardless of his shooting percentage, Rubio is already the best playmaking PG and one of the best defensive PGs in the League. Rubio's playmaking prowess makes him the perfect PG for a PF like Love who generally doesn't create his own shot. Kevin Martin said he signed with the Wolves for two reasons - Adelman and the chance to play with a pass-first PG named Ricky Rubio. Love has the same incentive to want to play with Ricky. And it's not as if there are a lot of young PGs out there who will be with a team that has the money and potential to contend to attract Love. Ricky's presence on the Wolves will at least be a factor in Love's decision.

It's also pretty silly to think that Love will give up a 5th year (over $15 million) because of some assumed residual anger towards Glen Taylor.

Love's decision will likely be driven primarily by the money and his desire to win. The Wolves have a big edge on the money factor. The key will be whether the Wolves are a winning team next season when Love can decide whether to extend. Rubio will likely be a secondary factor, but an important one in two respects. First, Ricky helps makes the Wolves a winner. Second, Ricky complements Love's game and the two have already established on-court chemistry.

[TAFKASP]

Abe --

To say that Love's affinity for Rubio won't have much to do with Love's decision is silly. Regardless of his shooting percentage, Rubio is already the best playmaking PG and one of the best defensive PGs in the League. Rubio's playmaking prowess makes him the perfect PG for a PF like Love who generally doesn't create his own shot. Kevin Martin said he signed with the Wolves for two reasons - Adelman and the chance to play with a pass-first PG named Ricky Rubio. Love has the same incentive to want to play with Ricky. And it's not as if there are a lot of young PGs out there who will be with a team that has the money and potential to contend to attract Love. Ricky's presence on the Wolves will at least be a factor in Love's decision.

It's also pretty silly to think that Love will give up a 5th year (over $15 million) because of some assumed residual anger against Glen Taylor.

Love's decision will likely be driven primarily by the money and his desire to win. The Wolves have a big edge on the money factor. The key will be whether the Wolves are a winning team next season when Love can decide whether to extend. Rubio will likely be a secondary factor, but an important one in to respects. First, Ricky helps makes the Wolves a winner. Second, Ricky complements Love's game and the two have already established on-court chemistry.

Love isn't going to sign with a rebuilding Lakers or Knicks team unless they are on the verge, not after spending all these years waiting to finally do what the Wolves are doing now. The odds of another Miami like situation with Love is small, and the odds another contending team with quality pieces will have the dollars is also small. So long as the Wolves can continue what they've shown early this year and be competitive then Love would have to be a frigging moron to start over somewhere else. Even his love for SoCal won't be enough for him to sign onto another rebuilding project IMO.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Abe --

To say that Love's affinity for Rubio won't have much to do with Love's decision is silly. Regardless of his shooting percentage, Rubio is already the best playmaking PG and one of the best defensive PGs in the League. Rubio's playmaking prowess makes him the perfect PG for a PF like Love who generally doesn't create his own shot. Kevin Martin said he signed with the Wolves for two reasons - Adelman and the chance to play with a pass-first PG named Ricky Rubio. Love has the same incentive to want to play with Ricky. And it's not as if there are a lot of young PGs out there who will be with a team that has the money and potential to contend to attract Love. Ricky's presence on the Wolves will at least be a factor in Love's decision.

It's also pretty silly to think that Love will give up a 5th year (over $15 million) because of some assumed residual anger against Glen Taylor.

Love's decision will likely be driven primarily by the money and his desire to win. The Wolves have a big edge on the money factor. The key will be whether the Wolves are a winning team next season when Love can decide whether to extend. Rubio will likely be a secondary factor, but an important one in to respects. First, Ricky helps makes the Wolves a winner. Second, Ricky complements Love's game and the two have already established on-court chemistry.

Agreed with everything you said except one itty bitty detail that I've bolded. K-Mart came here for three reasons. 1) Adelman. 2) K-Mart said he had to play with a superstar. K-Love is that. 3) Ricky Rubio. Said he's never played with a pass-first point guard. Rubio has that allure.

So all in all, you were spot-on with everything you said. Well written Lip! :D