OT: Minnesota Timberwolves

[Fishy]

I'm convinced that this may be the stupidest group of people on the planet.

Forget the losing, the personnel mistakes, the lunacy of drafting two Syracuse players in the lottery, etc., how do they not offer Kevin Love a five-year max deal?

He's six months away from being 24 and he's averaging 25 and 14. He's already led the league in rebounding and is about as reliable as a player can get.

And now, in three years, he can walk away.

Amazing.

 

[61cygni]

I don't exactly how the NBA contracts negotiations works, but I was under the impression Love was pretty insistent that he had an opt-out clause. The article I read said he backed off the 5-year deal, so I guess he thought the opt-out 4 year was preferable. Guess he puts championship aspirations ahead of max money.

 

[Fishy]

He wanted a max deal - the Wolves did not want to offer him one. From there, he insisted on having the opt-out because he had leverage.

"I was willing to make a commitment for five years. They thought otherwise."

Now, the Wolves have two roads. They either watch Love walk away for nothing in three years or they have to resign him after three years to a much, much more onerous contract.

 

[Walker11]

I came into this thread with the intention of defending the Timberwolves, but after reading a little about his situation, it is basically impossible. He wanted the 5 year deal and the Wolves would only offer 4. Love insisted that if he were to take 4, the 4th year would be a player option. (Edit. Looks like it took me more than 3 minutes to write my post) Its so far in the future but I believe that the Wolves will be a good team in 3 years and he will end up resigning again, but the fact that they could lock him up for 5 yrs. guaranteed and opted not to is insane. Now, if they continue to suck/be mediocre, he will bolt in a heartbeat.

It is somewhat of a coup for the T Wolves to retain Love in the first place (I never thought he would resign before the year) but I believe all the credit goes to Rubio. Rubio is simply awesome and has made that club very attractive. They have some great players to rely on for the future and some solid trade chips so that they can hopefully get some veterans to complement Rubio, Love and Williams. Trading Beasley while his stock is somewhat high should be a priority. If you couldn't tell, I really enjoy watching this team and if you have the opportunity to catch a game of theirs, do it.

From what I understand, you can only offer 1 player a 5 year extension from their rookie contract so they are likely saving it for Rubio, but still, inexcusable.

 

[61cygni]

Ouch, in that case, how the hell does that even happen? Cheap and stupid is a bad combination.

 

[traitor71]

But, but, but..the big market teams..it's all their fault! No, some of these teams just don't seem to get it and will always be trailing the better run organizations.

 

[Ronpatz11]

Fishy, you should know the answer to this one....

KAAAAAAAAHHHHHHNNNNNNNNNNN.

 

[Walker11]

Kahn has made some terrible moves, and it looks like you and Simmons have similar opinions of him, but he has managed a couple of brilliant trades which should be mentioned. Rubio for Randy Foye and Mike Miller and O.J. Mayo for Love were absolute gems.

Getting Beasley for a 2nd round pick was nice as well, even though any team could have gotten that if they wanted.

 

[Fishy]

It is somewhat of a coup for the T Wolves to retain Love in the first place (I never thought he would resign before the year) but I believe all the credit goes to Rubio. Rubio is simply awesome and has made that club very attractive. They have some great players to rely on for the future and some solid trade chips so that they can hopefully get some veterans to complement Rubio, Love and Williams. Trading Beasley while his stock is somewhat high should be a priority. If you couldn't tell, I really enjoy watching this team and if you have the opportunity to catch a game of theirs, do it.

From what I understand, you can only offer 1 player a 5 year extension from their rookie contract so they are likely saving it for Rubio, but still, inexcusable.

You had to figure they would be able to sign Love just because of the way things are structured - they would have been able to match whatever offer he received as a free agent after this year and there was no way Love was going to play for the exemption next year in order to become an unrestricted free agent.

Now, in three years, they will be facing having to give Love a monster deal to keep him AND offering Rubio a max five year deal....I dunno, I think you lock up the 26 and 14 guy now and then deal with Rubio when you have to. If you have to match his deal, you match it.

They are exciting to watch, but part of me thinks that they just put a premature expiration date on their future.

 

[Walker11]

I didn't realize Love was a RFA. I wish it was a brain fart but I just didn't realize that rookies had team options, or the ability for the team to match built into their initial contract. How does that work? Love could sign an offer sheet with another team which the T Wolves could match, or what? Love could decline both and play out the last year in order to become unrestricted?

 

[Fishy]

Here's how I understand it...

The Wolves had until today to sign Love to an extension. If they failed, Love would have had the option of becoming a restricted free agent* at the end of the season or playing out the last year of his deal next season and becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2013.

* Wolves would have the right to match any offer that Love received.

 

[Gurleyman]

It's the curse of Ray Allen - they've been snakebitten since dealing him for Marbury.

OK - maybe that's a stretch.

 

[Burnsbros23]

They must think Minnesota is a attractive place for upcoming free agents. Kevin Love wanted the 5 year deal they should of given it to him instantly and been happy he is willing to stay there.

Im not sure where Derrick Williams fits with this team I dont see him ever becoming a 3 and thats what they seem to be doing.

 

[superjohn]

It's insane, Kevin Love wakes up in the morning brushes his teeth and gets 20 and 10, actually he gets 25 and 15 most nights. Seems the T'Wolves are ready to max out Rubio after 12 games. I love Rubio's game but Love has to be priority #1, keep both of them. Just waiting for Donald Sterling to ruin the Clippers.

 

[Waquoit]

Remember when Love got there, Rambis didn't even think he was good enough to start.

 

[UofCT]

The T Wolves organization is really stupid. Before the 2010 draft the Pacers offered the T Wolves their 10th pick for J Flynn and they declined! Pacers ended up drafting Paul George and T Wolves essentially cut Flynn.

Wolves could have had a trio of Love, George, and Rubio moving forward.

 

[suzyq]

"I was willing to make a commitment for five years. They thought otherwise.".[/COLOR]

That's not a statement you want to hear from your star.

 

[caw]

The T Wolves organization is really stupid. Before the 2010 draft the Pacers offered the T Wolves their 10th pick for J Flynn and they declined! Pacers ended up drafting Paul George and T Wolves essentially cut Flynn.

Wolves could have had a trio of Love, George, and Rubio moving forward.

The 2009 draft (excluding Rubio) was a horrid draft for them. They had 6 draft picks (4 first rounders) and ended up with 1 starter. They could have had Stephen Curry, Ricky Rubio, DeJuan Blair, and Taj Gibson. That basically would have given them a starting team to go with Kevin Love. Instead they got Jonny Flynn, Ty Lawson (traded) and Wayne Ellington.

Heck they could have gotten AJ Price in the second round instead of Nick Calathes. No clue what they would have gotten in 2010 or 2011 with those draft picks but let's say 10th in each:

PG: Ricky Rubio, AJ Price
SG: Stephen Curry, Jimmer Fredette
SF: Taj Gibson, Paul George
PF: Kevin Love
C: DeJuan Blair

All on rookie contracts. Maybe not a championship team but a better one then they have now.

 

[aceboon]

Taj Gibson is a PF, not a SF, but yea their draft wasn't very good. Lawson has turned into a legit starter and one of the better young PGs in the league while Flynn will be lucky to be in the league a couple of years from now.

 

[caw]

Taj Gibson is a PF, not a SF, but yea their draft wasn't very good. Lawson has turned into a legit starter and one of the better young PGs in the league while Flynn will be lucky to be in the league a couple of years from now.

You are right, I was just going off the top of my head.

 

[joober jones]

I thought Thabeet was going to be playing for the Timberwolves this season. What happened with that?

 

[UofCT]

What the Wolves did in 2009 was a disgrace. Where do they get off drafting 2 point guards in the top 10?