Minnesota T-Wolves Blog – Page 60 – NBA Blog

No big Timberwolves trade expected

Pau Gasol

Was in Wolves-related rumors

The NBA trade deadline is March 15. Don’t expect a major deal, Timberwolves’ basketball president David Kahn says.

“The likelihood of us doing something dramatic is miniscule,” Kahn said after the Wolves’ victory over Charlotte on Wednesday night at Target Center that moved them to within two games of a playoff spot.

“That doesn’t mean that maybe we do something minor. But the last thing I want to do is send a message to our players that they should be looking over their shoulders right now.”

The Wolves (14-16) are just three victories away from their total of last season. A rumor that has resurfaced is the Lakers trading Pau Gasol to Minnesota. The Pioneer Press reported last month that the Lakers offered Gasol to the Wolves as part of a proposed trade for Kevin Love before Love signed a $62 million contract extension. The Wolves never considered the deal.

— Reported by Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press

Kevin Love returns from 2-game suspension

Kevin Love

Beats suckers down

Kevin Love’s return from a two-game suspension means the Minnesota Timberwolves are regaining their leading scorer and rebounder, and losing a 6-foot-9 cheerleader.

Love was suspended for stepping on Rockets forward Luis Scola last weekend. He missed a win over Sacramento on Tuesday and a loss at Memphis, reducing the two-time All-Star to a role he wasn’t used to playing while he watched the games from his couch at his downtown Minneapolis home.

“I felt like I almost needed some pom-poms I was cheering so loud,” Love said on Friday morning after the team’s shootaround in preparation for the game against Dallas on Friday night.

Love is averaging 25 points and 13.7 rebounds this season. He also leads the NBA with 39.4 minutes per game. Rookie Derrick Williams started in Love’s place the previous two games and delivered two solid performances, but certainly not to the level the Wolves expect from Love.

— Reported by Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press

Kevin Love may participate in 3-point shootout at All-Star

Kevin Love

Wants to do it all

Western Conference coaches on Thursday invited Timberwolves forward Kevin Love to his second NBA All-Star Game, one year after Commissioner David Stern named him as an injury replacement for his first.

“It definitely feels different,” Love said on Thursday evening.

It feels different because his team has won more times in 24 games during this lockout-shortened season than it did in the first 48 games a year ago.

It feels different because he had an “inkling” coaches would select him and because he was invited Thursday morning to appear on TNT’s announcement show hours later that night.

He’ll also soon accept an offer to participate in All-Star weekend’s three-point shooting contest.

— Reported by Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune

Kevin Love suspended two games for incident with Luis Scola

Kevin Love

Cleaned sole of shoe in improper fashion

Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves has been suspended two games without pay for driving his foot into the upper body and face of the Houston Rockets’ Luis Scola as Scola was lying on the floor, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations.

The incident, which has been upgraded by the league office to a Flagrant Foul Two on Love, occurred with 8:34 remaining in the third quarter of the Timberwolves’ 100-91 win over the Rockets at Target Center in Minneapolis on Feb. 4.

Love will serve his suspension Tuesday, Feb. 7 when the Timberwolves play the Sacramento Kings at Target Center and Wednesday, Feb. 8 when Minnesota plays the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum.

Love today released the following statement regarding his two-game suspension: “I want to publicly apologize to Luis Scola and the Houston Rockets,” Love said. “My intention is to never hurt another player on the basketball court. I’ve always had the utmost respect for the game of basketball and all of my opponents. I also apologize to my coaches, teammates and our fans for the consequences of my actions.”

Kobe Bryant is a Ricky Rubio fan

Rubio has been a revelation for the Timberwolves as their rookie point guard, with Lakers coach Mike Brown pointing out that the athletic NBA game with fewer zone defenses to expose Rubio’s shaky jumper is well-suited for him.

Rubio had flashes Sunday night but shot 2 of 13 from the field, finishing with five points and eight assists.

Kobe Bryant has been impressed by Rubio in the NBA.

“He’s fantastic,” Bryant said. “He has great court vision, great poise.”

About Gasol, though, Rubio had this to say to Joan Niesen of Fox Sports: “A lot of people say that Pau is soft. I can tell you, he’s not. I practiced with him a lot this summer, and he’s tough. I mean, he plays hard, and one of the best things is, he’s a leader. A leader can’t be soft because if not we couldn’t win or get to the silver medal in the Olympic Games.”

— Reported by Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register

Kevin Love signs Timberwolves extension

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced that the team has signed forward Kevin Love to a four-year contract extension. According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the deal is worth $62 million and gives Love the option to opt-out after the third season.

“We are pleased to have signed Kevin to a contract extension,” said Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations David Kahn. “Kevin has improved every year that he’s been in the league, to the point where he’s now one of the top players in the NBA. In Kevin, we have a core player that we can build around as we continue to improve our team.”

“I’m excited to be staying with the Timberwolves and playing in front of our fans. They have been great to me and my teammates during my years here and I thank them for their support,” Love said. “I like the direction our team is going, and I feel that big things are ahead of us. I look forward to being a part of this team as we continue to develop and grow.”

Love was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player last season after averaging 20.2 points and a league-leading 15.2 rebounds per game. He became the first NBA player since Moses Malone in 1982-83 to average 20+ points and 15+ rebounds. This season, Love is averaging 24.9 points and 13.9 rebounds. Love leads the NBA with 16 double-doubles and also ranks fourth in scoring, second in rebounding, second in free throws made (122) and first in minutes per game (39.4).

Love was selected with the 5th overall pick of the 2008 NBA Draft out of UCLA by the Memphis Grizzlies and traded to the Wolves later that night. He averaged 11.1 points and 9.1 rebounds during his rookie season in 2008-09. In 2009-10, the 6-10 forward upped those averages to 14.4 points and 11.0 rebounds. Last season, Love recorded 64 point/rebound double-doubles, including a franchise record 53 consecutive double-doubles. For his career, the 23-year-old is averaging 15.8 ppg and 11.9 rpg.

Report: Timberwolves, Kevin Love agree to 4-year, $62 million deal

Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star forward Kevin Love has agreed to a four-year, $62 million contract extension and is expected to sign the new deal Wednesday afternoon in Dallas, a person close to the situation told the Pioneer Press.

Love, 23, and the Wolves are in Dallas to play the defending NBA champion Mavericks on Wednesday night.

Love, who is earning $4.6 million this season, needs to sign an extension before 11 p.m. Wednesday, or he will become a restricted free agent after the season.

— Reported by Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press

Timberwolves, Kevin Love still negotiating contract extension

We’re now not much more than a day away and counting on the NBA deadline for the Wolves to sign Kevin Love and the Wolves have yet to reach a deal on a contract extension with him.

One team source told me tonight that the Wolves are closing in on a five-year maximum contract deal that would pay him more than $78 million and despite such a forthcoming deal, David Kahn hasn’t won any brownie points with Love in this negotiation.

Another said that as of Monday afternoon, the team still hadn’t moved off its four-year, $61 million offer.

I still believe the Wolves will reach a deal with Love by 11 p.m. Wednesday and it will be that five-year “designated player” deal with Love.

— Reported by Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune Blog

Timberwolves may offer Kevin Love a maximum-salary contract

Six days before the league deadline, the Timberwolves are prepared to pay All-Star forward Kevin Love a maximum-salary contract, a league source said Wednesday.

Unresolved is whether it will be a four-year contract approaching $61 million or a maximum five-year “designated player” deal surpassing $78 million.

The NBA’s new labor agreement allows every team one designated player — a player ending his rookie contract who receives a five-year maximum-salary contract extension — on their roster.

The Wolves prefer to save that designated-player slot for the future — to re-sign Ricky Rubio in three years, perhaps — but their negotiations with agent Jeff Schwartz might depend on what deals Oklahoma City reaches with Russell Westbrook and New Orleans reaches with Eric Gordon.

— Reported by Jerry Zgoda and Kent Youngblood of the Minneapolis Star Tribune

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Trail Blazers agree to sign forward Craig Smith

The Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to terms with forward Craig Smith. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. We’ll post contract details here tonight.

Smith, 28, has averaged 8.8 points and 4.2 rebounds in five seasons with Minnesota and the L.A. Clippers.

“Craig is a guy who will bring us some interior scoring and toughness around the hole,” said Trail Blazers Acting General Manager Chad Buchanan. “He is a player who is hungry to experience the playoffs and we hope that Craig can help us get back to the postseason again this year.”

A Los Angeles native, Smith (6-7, 265) spent the past two seasons with the Clippers, posting averages of 5.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 2010-11.

Originally selected by Minnesota with the 36th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft out of Boston College, Smith was a member of the 2006-07 NBA All-Rookie Second Team along with fellow Trail Blazer LaMarcus Aldridge.