Minnesota Sports Forum

I agree with SJM that the Wolves should absolutely NOT make any further moves built around Love because it is highly likely Love will be elsewhere after next season. Any further moves should be ones Flip would make regardless of whether Love is here this season or not. I think that is Flip's mindset. The fact that Flip drafted LaVine, a very young, high upside project of sorts, confirms that Flip is not focused on building around Love. I think Flip is intent on adding the best talent possible - players who will add value long term regardless of whether Love is here this upcoming season or beyond. I agree with Flip's approach and trust he'll continue that approach.

Love's attributes and faults have been rehashed over and over again. He is an elite scorer, rebounder, and long-distance passer, and plays hard most of the time. On the other hand, he's a poor defender, a poor leader, not effective at clutch time, has permanent foot-in-mouth disease, and isn't well-liked by his teammates.

But there is really one thing that bugs me most about Love...he doesn't seem to care about the Wolves nearly as much as I do.

Why should I be emotionally invested in him like I am in the Wolves?

All those negatives u mentioned about him were never a concern 4 months ago . Fans , much like players have a change of heart.

"But there is really one thing that bugs me most about Love...he doesn't seem to care about the Wolves nearly as much as I do."

Yeah, I'm sure he really enjoys not making the playoffs. (Love's POV) Thanks team-who-drafted me for caring enough to surround me with talent that isn't good enough. I really appreciate playing on a team for six years who topped out at 40 wins.

We finally put a worthy starting lineup around him for the first time last year. Still didn't have a bench, though, and it cost us big time.

The face of a guy who doesn't care? I disagree. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsm05cQDalI

Camden wrote:"But there is really one thing that bugs me most about Love...he doesn't seem to care about the Wolves nearly as much as I do."

Yeah, I'm sure he really enjoys not making the playoffs. (Love's POV) Thanks team-who-drafted me for caring enough to surround me with talent that isn't good enough. I really appreciate playing on a team for six years who topped out at 40 wins.

We finally put a worthy starting lineup around him for the first time last year. Still didn't have a bench, though, and it cost us big time.

The face of a guy who doesn't care? I disagree. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsm05cQDalI

I think you're missing my point here, cam. Of course Kevin wants to win...who doesn't? But I believe Kevin wants to win because it makes Kevin look better and he can shake the title of "guy who can't get to the playoffs", not because he cares passionately about the Wolves like I do. I wish he was more like Rubio, who I think represents our team much better and really wants the Wolves to be good.

Love just isn't my kind of guy, and I have said that on this board for a long time. I love to watch him play and appreciate his contributions, but I cringe every time he opens his mouth. If you know much about his dad or his Uncle Mike, it's a lot easier to understand why Love behaves the way he does...it's true that the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree.

Why do so many fans continue to give Kevin a pass for his failure to get to the playoffs? Why do they continue to say that we should feel sorry for Kevin because the Wolves haven't surrounded him with players who can take him to the playoffs, rather than blaming him as the "superstar" for not taking his teammates to the playoffs like a true superstar should? Compare the players surrounding LeBron when he led the Cavs to the conference finals to the players Love got to play with last year, and I conclude that Love's supporting cast is stronger. But Kevin needs to pout and blame it on someone else, rather than taking the LeBron approach of making the best of what he is given. I am so tired of making excuses for our superstar.

I think we're just not going to agree on Love's character, and that's fine...I just don't like him, and I don't feel that way about many players. I will always see him as a petulant, immature bad teammate, and I can't wait to see him going out the door.

longstrangetrip wrote:

Camden wrote:"But there is really one thing that bugs me most about Love...he doesn't seem to care about the Wolves nearly as much as I do."

Yeah, I'm sure he really enjoys not making the playoffs. (Love's POV) Thanks team-who-drafted me for caring enough to surround me with talent that isn't good enough. I really appreciate playing on a team for six years who topped out at 40 wins.

We finally put a worthy starting lineup around him for the first time last year. Still didn't have a bench, though, and it cost us big time.

The face of a guy who doesn't care? I disagree. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsm05cQDalI

I think you're missing my point here, cam. Of course Kevin wants to win...who doesn't? But I believe Kevin wants to win because it makes Kevin look better and he can shake the title of "guy who can't get to the playoffs", not because he cares passionately about the Wolves like I do. I wish he was more like Rubio, who I think represents our team much better and really wants the Wolves to be good.

Love just isn't my kind of guy, and I have said that on this board for a long time. I love to watch him play and appreciate his contributions, but I cringe every time he opens his mouth. If you know much about his dad or his Uncle Mike, it's a lot easier to understand why Love behaves the way he does...it's true that the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree.

Why do so many fans continue to give Kevin a pass for his failure to get to the playoffs? Why do they continue to say that we should feel sorry for Kevin because the Wolves haven't surrounded him with players who can take him to the playoffs, rather than blaming him as the "superstar" for not taking his teammates to the playoffs like a true superstar should? Compare the players surrounding LeBron when he led the Cavs to the conference finals to the players Love got to play with last year, and I conclude that Love's supporting cast is stronger. But Kevin needs to pout and blame it on someone else, rather than taking the LeBron approach of making the best of what he is given. I am so tired of making excuses for our superstar.

I think we're just not going to agree on Love's character, and that's fine...I just don't like him, and I don't feel that way about many players. I will always see him as a petulant, immature bad teammate, and I can't wait to see him going out the door.

Love and Rubio are big time competitors. Each have their flaws, but both want for the Wolves to be good. One just happens to take more flack for the result of not making the playoffs.

I don't see a problem with how Love acts or talks. Pretty smart guy who handles the PR well and gives his honest opinion a lot of the time, even though this is frowned upon in today's sports market. This is where we differ, LST, along with what you'd accept in a trade to see him gone.

Why do so many fans continue to give Kevin a pass for his failure to get to the playoffs? Probably because there are legitimate reasons as to why he hasn't gotten there. From historically bad decisions from the front office to a coach who hated him (Rambis) to a missed season due to injury and then a coach (Adelman) who was completely disinterested. This is the Minnesota Timberwolves, where incompetence begins at the top and trickles downward, like a poison entering the human body.

Comparing LeBron to Love is like comparing Tim Duncan to Blake Griffin; you probably shouldn't do it. LeBron can impact the game off the dribble AND he's the most athletic person in sports ever, no disrespect to Bo Jackson. Oh, not to mention he has an argument for top-five player of all-time. It's just not a fair comparison even if your point was to compare star to star.

No, you're right Cam...you can't compare LeBron to Love, and my post did lean in that direction. LBJ is a historically great player.

But that's also why I have a hard time understanding why we think Love should bring back four very high draft picks in return, or even three. If the Cavs give in, I'll be the happiest Wolves' fan in the world, because I see enormous potential in the guys Flip wants. I just don't think it's going to happen. But man do I want to be wrong on this one!

To the point of Love not making the playoffs,

First 2 years he came off the bench

Next year he became the starter and the cast was probably the worst in the NBA

Next year was the lockout and were on their way until Rubio went down

Next year was the hand injury

Last year was last year

Ill ask this, Whose the All Star that Love has gotten to play with? Whose the elite rim protector? Lockdown defender? Elite 3 point shooter? Someone who can make clutch shots? A good coach?

Love hasn't gotten any of these things. Quite shocking when you think about it.

Also Long, Lebron made the best of what he was given in Cle by leaving, same as Love. Also Love isn't in Lebrons league.

Can't get over how Rubio is sincere about wanting to win, but Love's is somehow fake? Didn't Rubio come out and say that he wouldn't want to be here if they rebuild? Isn't that the same is what Love is doing?

CoolBreeze44 wrote:

Volans19 wrote:http://www.awolfamongwolves.com/2014/07/shakespeare-and-love/#more-2544

I enjoyed him as much as anyone. Many nights he was the sole reason I turned on the game. But my makeup is that once you have no use for me, I have no use for you. The fans aren't making him leave, he's choosing to turn his back on the franchise. In a sports context, I think it's reason to hate him going forward. And realize people, I said in a sports context. I have no personal ill will to Love at all.

Everybody thought Love was going to LA after his first deal. Turns out he wanted to stay in Minny for 5 years. Wolves didn't let him of course. He's been here 6 years. If the Wolves had a player for 6 years and never developed and was a constant screw up, you'd want the the Wolves to get rid of him. It's the exact same situation reversed.

Can anyone name a superstar that has been dragged through the mud as much as the Wolves have with Love?

Back to the current situation and the question posed in this thread. I think it's nearly certain that Love plays for the Wolves this upcoming season. Since I think it's even more certain that Love will leave as a FA next summer, I've indicated that Flip should not make any moves to build around Love. But here are some moves the Wolves could make in conjunction with keeping Love:

1. Sign Turner with all or part of the MLE

2. Bid the whole LLE ($2.1 million?) on Boozer.