2012 NBA Free Agency: Why Kevin Love Should Re-Sign with Minnesota

Kevin Love is a top-five power forward in the NBA. The Minnesota Timberwolves are lucky to have him.

But they’re on the verge of losing him. They need to sign him to a five-year $84 million by Jan. 25 or he becomes a restricted free agent this summer and an unrestricted free agent the summer after that.

At 23 years old and only three years of NBA experience he’s averaging 24.7 points and 14.5 rebounds per game through Minnesota’s first 15 games—not too shabby.

And Love would be smart to sign that extension and sign the contract extension with Minnesota. It's of benefit to both parties to keep Love a Timberwolf for the foreseeable future.

Ricky Rubio

It’s clear that Minnesota’s rookie point guard is going to be a star player in the Association for many years to come. At 21 years of age and only 14 games into his NBA career, Rubio’s averaging nearly a double-double: 10.6 points and 8.1 assists per game.

And it’s not just the stats that forecast Rubio as a star, it’s evident by watching his decision making. He’s comfortable on the floor and makes everyone around him better—including Kevin Love.

Love can benefit from playing with a player like Rubio for the next five years. Love and Rubio in the pick and roll with Love stepping back for a three-pointer is a deadly combination for the opposition.

It would be in his best interest to keep this combination going.

Rick Adelman

Minnesota hired Rick Adelman this offseason as its coach with a nice three-year contract with a team option for a fourth year.

Adelman and Love have history: Adelman’s son, Pat, and Love played high school basketball together in the Portland, Oregon area.

While Adelman was a top-tier candidate, based upon the resumes of coaches on Minnesota’s radar, I believe what vaulted Adelman to the top of Minnesota’s list was his history with Love. Love was comfortable with Adelman so Minnesota was comfortable with Adelman as its coach.

The two have a strong repertoire together which should help make Love the best player he can possibly be and put him in the best scenario possible to progress.

Become a Franchise Player

Love has played his entire NBA career with Minnesota. The Timberwolves acquired him draft night in 2008, and they haven’t looked back. He bleeds Timberwolves green, blue, gray and black.

He’s grown up a Timberwolf and it’s to his advantage to stay.

Fans love it when a player remains with one team. They respect him for it because it’s a rarity in today’s sporting world.

Players jump ship as soon as there’s one down year. Look at Kobe Bryant. Look at Paul Pierce. Both have played their entire careers with one team, but both have asked for trades from their respective team at one point or another because they were down on the franchise’s future.

This is his team. There is no debate.

But if he goes the Chris Bosh route and seeks to team up with another “superstar” on the team that player has been with his entire career, then he loses the right to proclaim that HE is the reason for all the team’s successes. That right belongs to the superstar whose team he joins.

In Minnesota he can claim any successes the franchise has if he signs that five-year extension.

Money

The Timberwolves can offer Love more money than any team in the league.

Minnesota can offer Love a max-contract: five years, $84 million with yearly raises of 7.5 percent annually. If he tests the water as a restricted free agent, other teams can only offer a four-year contract with 4.5 percent annual raises.

He may decide that money isn’t the end all factor in where he signs long-term, but since this is his profession it should, at the very least, be on his radar.

Minnesota's on the Rise

Through the first 15 games the Timberwolves are 7-8. They do not have any overly impressive wins with victories over Dallas, San Antonio and New Orleans. These three teams were all 2011 playoff teams, but are all worse in 2011-2012.

But Minnesota has never been blown off the floor like it was last year.

They have played the three teams expected to compete for the 2012 NBA crown—the Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder and Chicago Bulls—and lost those three contests by a combined 17 points (5.67 points per game).

With players like Ricky Rubio, Derrick Williams, Michael Beasley and J.J. Barea, the Timberwolves have compiled pieces that they can use for the next five to 10 years to make a contender.

Mix in a little Love and you got something very special brewing in Minnesota.