Agent Dan Fegan — who represents Kevin Love — was courtside at Staples Center Friday night to watch his star power forward. Timberwolves GM David Kahn also was seen walking around the building.
Rick Adelman would like the two to get together and talk.
They have until next Wednesday to reach a deal for an extension to Love’s rookie contract, but the sides reportedly are $20 million apart. Adelman is too savvy to step in the trap of what is a far deal, but he was happy to talk about how he wants to see it get done.
“I think from a coaching standpoint he’s really important — he’s crucial to us,” Adelman said before his team took on the Clippers. “I’m hoping that is going to happen for his sake. He came out with a great start and hopefully they are going to come to some resolution.
I don’t know what would happen if it didn’t… It certainly would help him and that would help us. Not to have it hanging over there.
The Wolves reportedly are set to offer him four years, $60 million — which matches what other teams could offer but is short of the max deal of five years, $80 million that could be offered. What Love’s teammate at UCLA Russell Westbrook just got from the Thunder.
If no deal is reached by next Wednesday, the Wolves would extend a qualifying offer to Love ($6.1 million next season) and he would be a restricted free agent. Meaning he could go seek out other offers from other teams, but the Wolves could match it. And they would — no offer would be higher than what the Wolves have already put on the table.
The concern for Minny — Love signs the qualifying offer, plays for one year then becomes an unrestricted free agent.
It is likely the Wolves are trying to get Love to take less than the max, but there are questions about if he would. Or should. He is already one of the best power forwards in the game and the guy that is the face of the Wolves marketing. He puts butts in seats.
Adelman just likes what he sees on the court — and wants to keep that.
“He really came in (to camp) in terrific shape,” Adelman said. “I’ve known him a lot of years and he is so much more active right now. He’s moving better, he’s running better, just everything about him is much quicker. But he’s been consistent in his rebounding, he’s relentless at both ends of the court, he’s shot the ball really well. With the point guards we have it’s really good for him, it can open up a lot of things for him on the pick and rolls and he gets a lot of shots that way.
“He’s just a guy you center (your franchise) around.”
Sounds like a max guy to us.