NBA Rumors: Timberwolves hired Flip Saunders to keep Kevin Love

The Minnesota Timberwolves and president Flip Saunders finally found a new head coach on Thursday when they decided to make Saunders their head coach.

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Although Saunders has a new gig, he has the same problem as he did before – he has to figure out what to do with star power forward Kevin Love. Love’s agent is telling teams that he will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2014-2015 season even if he is traded. Still the Timberwolves believe they can keep Love and according to Baxter Holmes of The Boston Globe, the Timberwolves hired Saunders in an attempt to keep Love.

"On Thursday, Timberwolves president Flip Saunders hired himself to coach the team, a move viewed by many as an effort to prevent Minnesota’s All-Star forward, Kevin Love, from leaving.“It was the only thing Flip could do to keep Love,” one league source said. “He put all his chips on the table.”If the Timberwolves reach the playoffs next season, there is always the chance that Love decides to stay instead of opting out of his contract next summer.But league sources doubt anything will keep Love in Minnesota. “Gone,” another league source said of Love.So Saunders’s main issue very likely remains the same: Either trade Love between this offseason and the February trade deadline or risk losing him without receiving any compensation in return."

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.

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