Comments on: Report: Minnesota will offer Love four years, $60 million

By: Kurt Helin

Kurt Helin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:00:48 +0000

We don’t know exactly what the max for four years is. But Love’s camp will tell you he deserves the five-year deal and it’s hard to argue. The four-year deal being offered is basically what other teams can offer.

By: glink123

glink123 — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:10:09 +0000

this is clearly a mistake. what would be the point in offering the max annual ($14.5 million) for 4 years, but not for 5 years? what is the point in a 4-year $60 mil deal versus a 5-year $75 mil deal? unless Love believes he will be worth way more than $15 mil in that 5th year, and maybe he asked for only 4 years?

By: dremmel69

dremmel69 — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:28:09 +0000

Was intrigued by this until I saw that the referenced article was by Charlie Walters….. He is the LEAST connected columnist in the Twin Cities. Can’t believe a word he writes.

By: chitownbulls

chitownbulls — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:20:18 +0000

I thought it was a 5-year deal for Rose at $94MM…
–ct

By: goforthanddie

goforthanddie — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:16:43 +0000

It’s a bit late to avoid “years of mediocrity” (and that phrase is me being very polite). It’s not too early to go right back to being crap, which they risk if they piss Love off.

By: vongrapenstein

vongrapenstein — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:26:57 +0000

If you’ve read enough, you’d realize Love is ASKING for one less year.

He’s still not sold on Minnesota.

By: manwithpizza

manwithpizza — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:26:53 +0000

Nope. The author made a mistake about Rose’s contract extension. It is 5 years at $94 mil. Love’s 5 year max would be 5 years for about $84 million. So the Rose exception gives Rose a bump of about $2 mil per season on average.

By: inaccuratevernacular

inaccuratevernacular — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:08:52 +0000

60.8 million is the MAX for 4 years.

Each team only has one 5-year contract to offer. That’s how you can get to 80 million.

Please be more careful when you write things like, “He can get up to four years, $80 million (which is the max for him).”

You made it sound like MN was low-balling him.

By: genericcommenter

genericcommenter — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:33:57 +0000

Winning the MVP once raises the max $7-8 million per season?

By: Kurt Helin

Kurt Helin — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:18:01 +0000

No, 2008. That has been corrected.

By: qwertify

qwertify — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:00:28 +0000

Wait, D.Rose and K.Love were drafted in 2004?

By: sharp4a9

sharp4a9 — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:47:22 +0000

In markets like Minnesota you cannot EVER overpay. Overpaying for a second-tier star can work in baseball where there’s no salary cap, but in basketball? Doing so only ensures you’ll never go far.

By: emerson12345

emerson12345 — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:43:37 +0000

“One way to screw that up is to go cheap and drive players away. Love deserves a max or near max offer” kurt

on the 4 year 60 mill deal
“In money per year, this offer is pretty close to the max. However, it is one year less,” kurt

which is it kurt?

i may be wrong but if you give him a max i heard that you can not give another player (rubio) a MAX deal… if so i would take rubio

yes LOVE can hit the open 3…and grab boards…but he shure as hell cant get his own shot or play any D

By: seanb20124

seanb20124 — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:37:45 +0000

Markets like Minnesota have to overpay at times.

By: aboogy123456

aboogy123456 — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:36:20 +0000

Yea, a huge improvement and I agree with most of what you’re saying, except maybe that Love is one of the best players in the league. He is a hard worker but I just don’t see how much higher his ceiling can get. He does everything well already, but his lack of athleticism is going to hurt his defense and that’s not something that will just come with hard work.

As horrible as the wolves have been, this is an extremely important time period for them. They have a lot of great assets, and if they are smart about dishing out the money, they could build themselves a perennial playoff team. They should aim higher than just being mediocre, they’ve spent too much time building these assets. Look at the clippers, they didn’t settle for being mediocre.

By: buzzman2008

buzzman2008 — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:28:17 +0000

This article is not at all correct on multiple points. First Rose and Love are from the 2008 draft class – not 2004. Next, Rose’s contract was 5 years not 4 years at 94 million. Last – the Wolves can offer Love a four year or five year extension. The five year max would be 80 Million, the 4 year max makes more sense so they can keep Rubio, etc in house and not have another KG contract dilemma.

By: rooney24

rooney24 — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:26:26 +0000

Years of mediocrity would be an improvement compared to the last few years. While Love may not be perfect in every way, he is one of the top players in the league. He has also shown a desire to improve his game, getting in better shape in the offseason and working hard in games. If not a max deal, you at least need to offer max years. And, at that point, is it worth trying to save a couple million to risk alienating him?

The other thing we don’t know is if Love possibly asked for a shorter deal. Maybe he wants out after 4 years. Doubt it, but possible.

By: stadix093

stadix093 — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:24:12 +0000

I politely disagree with your assessment of this situation. He is arguably the best player in the world at his position. That sentence alone makes him a max contract player. The Minnesota Timberwolves are not exactly a premiere destination for free agents, so who the heck are you saving money for? You let Love go and the next superstar you get is your next great draft pick and who knows how long that takes? Plus if he leaves, why the heck would Rubio not follow? They just barely got that kid to come as is. The entire reason there is a max contract is so small market teams have the advantage of offering more to stay ahead of big markets from taking their great picks just like this. If David Khan is too stupid to use the tools provided to him, then this man should be fired. This is the same guy who drafted Johnny Flynn over Stephen Curry and Brandon Jennings though so I guess him doing the smart thing would be the surprise.

By: aboogy123456

aboogy123456 — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:49:47 +0000

I think it’s smart by the T’Wolves to not automatically give him a max contract. Love can be a great player, but if he’s the max contract on your team then you’re not gonna be one of the best in the league. The T’wolves have a lot of young talented guys, who hopefully will improve their play and demand contracts in the next few years. If the wolves want to avoid years of mediocrity, than it would be smart to keep Love, but not at a max contract.

By: The Baseball Gods

The Baseball Gods — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:34:00 +0000

“But here’s the risk: Love could just accept the one year qualifying offer the Wolves have to put on the table — $6.1 million for next season — then after that he could leave as a restricted free agent.”

I think you meant; then after he could leave as an UNRESTRICTED free agent.