Is it that crazy to say Love will still be on the team next season?

[ace [enjin:6598567]]

You can call me crazy if you want, but I don't think it is. All along, Kevin has said he just wants to play for a winner. He has even said that he really likes Minnesota. Read this quote from Woj about the current situation:

"Saunders is going around discussing deals that won't happen, so he can go back to Love and his agent and say 'we tried, see you in training camp,'" he said. "They're looking for a one-sided deal, and Golden State is a team that can give them that. But I'm told by my sources in Golden State that they're not desperate for Love."

Flip is only going to trade Love this offseason if he can rob another team blind. If not, he's taking Love into camp and trying to make a run at the West next year. I would bet that near the deadline, Flip sits down with Kevin and asks him if he likes what is going on with the direction of the team. If Kevin says yes, Flip rolls the dice and tries to resign him. If not, he'll dump him at the deadline for the most he can get. I said it in my prediction thread, and I'll say it again; I think Love will be in Minnesota next year.

[BloopOracle]

I think Love being traded by the end of the month is a foregone conclusion

[Mstermisty [enjin:6864008]]

I don't think it's out of the question that Love is on the team to start next season, but consider this:

Love does not believe in this team. Otherwise why would he be doing what he's doing. In the interviews he never once mentioned staying with Minnesota as an option. Not once. Instead he referred to Minnesota as if he had already left the team.

But, for sake of argument, lets assume we don't trade him. How are his teammates going to receive a guy who wanted out? Of course winning may cure everything but...

What if we are 15-15 after 30 games? Now you have a real problem. You have done nothing to convince Love to stay, and now either you must trade him before the deadline, or face the disaster scenario: letting him walk for nothing. At this point you are back at ground zero and very well might lose Ricky as well.

For me the course of action is clear right now: you be patient and wait for the right offer, which I think is coming, and you pull the trigger.

And I'll say one more thing. Love no doubt is a self-entitled douche bag, but he is one helluva basketball player. That being said, he is not a closer. Yeah, he can hit a big shot now and then, but he's not a guy who carries you through in the 4th quarter. If he had closing ability, like a Lebron, Durant, Mello, Harden, CP3, etc., I'd keep him at all costs. But he is better off being a 2nd or even 3rd banana on a great team, and I don't know if he can do that if he stays here.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

At this point, Love wants out and he is as good as gone. Short of making the Western conference finals, I see no way of that attitude changing. It has become an organizational hatred, not a lack of winning hatred. Flip is being a baby and a bad GM for not going all in on a rebuild in the best draft in a decade. Flip becoming the coach was the worst possible outcome from the standpoint that he is a veteran guy who wants nothing to do with a rebuild even if it is best for the franchise. If he keeps Love, half the teams drop off as good trade partners because picks mean nothing in the middle of a season. Especially when you give the other team a guy who will make the pick a mediocre to bad one.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Nope, not crazy at all. There are a lot of smart guys on this board, and 10 out of 28 voted Minnesota in the poll predicting where Love will play this year. And Woj certainly doesn't see it as crazy.

It's not crazy, but it's not likely to be good. The posts above me are correct...Love has written the Wolves off and is trying to force a trade. And I don't think he really cares where he gets traded, because he will have a year to evaluate that team and if he's not happy (which I don't think he will be) he can leave in free agency for a team he thinks has a chance to win.

I'm still hoping that I am wrong, but frankly the deal rumors seem to be getting worse (Love/Martin/13 for Lee/Thompson...please) and there are only 5 days until the draft.

It will be difficult to be optimistic if no deal happens. What I will be hoping for is that the Wolves improve enough that Love has a change of heart, and decides that the combo of an improved team and the extra $26 million is relatively attractive...a long shot, but not inconceivable. And certainly a better outcome to hope for than just watching him walk for nothing but cap space.

[Coolbreeze44]

Love will not be on the Wolves Friday morning.

[Papalrep]

Love played here 6 seasons. He has a right to say, he wants to move. I am not bitter. He is really good, but flawed, and self centered. He owes nothing. I just want Flip to make a smart move.

[60WinTim]

Love played here 6 seasons. He has a right to say, he wants to move. I am not bitter. He is really good, but flawed, and self centered. He owes nothing. I just want Flip to make a smart move.

Ditto!

[foye2smith [enjin:6593248]]

I wouldn't be surprised either way but am surprised at some posters confidence in a deal being done by draft night. Tough to find another example of a star entering their prime bring traded on draft night. As much as we like to say this is when a team could get the most value it'd be the first trade of it's kind. If a deal happens I'll tip my hat to Flip but I wouldn't be surprised in the least if he isn't traded draft night. The Wolves aren't a trail blazing franchise. Maybe if several other teams had already done it I'd be confident in the Wolves playing copy cat. I just think Flip will do what several other GMs have done recently and wait until the last second.

The little crowd the target center will have will be ugly if Love is on the team and they stumble out of the blocks.

[Coolbreeze44]

The reason I think the deal will be done by draft night is because Flip realizes we need as many high draft picks as possible and this is the draft to capitalize on. I hope we do a deal with Cleveland for #1, but if not, we should grab as many picks as possible from Boston.