Teams rarely become good overnight in the NBA. They build it up over time — think of the Thunder model, who took steps forward every season the past three years. What Miami did is the aberration.
Minnesota could be one of those teams on the rise, but Kevin Love wants management to speed up the process.
Love is in Las Vegas for Team USA camp and being around guys like that — many of them teammates — has Love frustrated, he told Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports.“My patience is not high,” Love said. “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.”
Nothing. That’s what will happen.
Next season you start your first deal after your rookie and you’ll make $12.9 million and $62 million total over the next four. Now, you can opt out after season three and you did that to keep pressure on Minnesota management — a smart move — but basing what you will do in three years off what happens next season is foolish.
And you should be on an improved team next year. Ricky Rubio will return from his knee injury (at some point) and you’ll have a star young point guard again. Chase Budinger provides some athleticism. Management added Brandon Roy, which has some upside. Derrick Williams should improve.
And you should be a borderline playoff team under Rick Adelman. If Love wants to make sure Minnesota makes the playoffs, he should spend this offseason improving his defense.
But speaking out now and again to keep pressure on management? Good strategy.
