NBA Rumors: Kevin Love grew distant during season
Many believed the Minnesota Timberwolves would look for a new head coach to please star power forward Kevin Love in hopes of convincing him to sign a contract extension rather than becoming a free agent after next season, likely forcing the Timberwolves to deal him before the 2014 trade deadline.
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The Timberwolves hired Flip Saunders, the team’s president, as head coach and a report quickly surfaced that that move would not change Love’s mind. In fact, no coach could have changed his mind.
Steve Aschburner of NBA.com explains that Love grew distant during the season and the hiring of Saunders probably means he will take a hands on approach with whoever they get in return in a Love trade.
"Only it didn’t work. In fact, near the end of the regular season, as the Wolves were eliminated practically first and mathematically second from the playoffs, Love withdrew and unplugged. Saunders and others within the team, several sources have said, were disappointed. Over the past two months, they became convinced that Love intended to leave – the free look Love has next summer was a booby prize from former Wolves president David Kahn and owner Glen Taylor when they declined to give him a fifth year in his contract extension.So now Saunders is stepping in as coach, Wolves insiders say, to manage the return and impact of whatever package of players and draft picks Saunders the executive can get from an NBA trading partner."
Love averaged 26.1 points, 12.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game last season while shooting 45.7% from the field, 37.6% from three and 82.1% from the charity stripe.