Kevin Love has developed into one of the best players in the NBA, but he’s getting sick of all the losing in Minnesota and says he may want out if things don’t turn around there.
“My patience is not high,” Love told Yahoo! Sports. “Would yours be, especially when I’m a big proponent of greatness surrounding itself with greatness? All these (Team USA) guys seem to have great players around them. It’s tough seeing all these guys that are young and older who have all played in the playoffs. When they start talking about that, I have nothing to talk about. If I don’t make the playoffs next year I don’t know what will happen.”
Love has averaged a double-double the past three seasons, and he finished fourth in the NBA in scoring with 26.0 points per game and second in rebounds with 13.3 last season. It’s no surprise that he wants the Timberwolves to match the improvement he’s made. He also made his comments at a time when he’s around other players who have won championships.
Of the 12 players who made the Team USA final roster, Love is the only one who has yet to play in a playoff game. The other 11 have appeared in 700 combined. The T-Wolves have been nowhere near the .500 mark since they drafted Love in 2008. Losing Ricky Rubio last season was unfortunate, but there’s no saying whether or not he could have led Minnesota to the playoffs.
“I would say it’s coming down to it for sure (next season),” Love said. “It’s no secret I was willing to commit to Minnesota for five years. I’m very happy with my contract. I’d love to be in Minnesota. But like anybody else, I want to win.”
The Timberwolves recently signed Brandon Roy to a two-year deal, but there’s no telling how he will bounce back after missing almost an entire year and contemplating retirement. Obviously Minnesota wasn’t completely sold on Love as evidenced by the four-year deal they gave him with an opt-out clause after the third. He’s one of the biggest superstars in the league, yet they chose not to offer him a max contract of five years. From the sound of it, Love may not even make it past his opt-out year if the ‘Wolves don’t do something to show they are committed to winning.
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