Kevin Love Blasts Minnesota Timberwolves Teammates; Concerns About 2015 Free Agency Growing
- Paul John Rivera
- Jan 10, 2014 01:05 PM EST
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Kevin Love blasted his teammates on Thursday after the Minnesota Timberwolves absorbed a disappointing 104-103 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
ESPN reported that the team cancelled their practice on Thursday to have a film viewing of their loss to the Suns. Love reportedly vehemently hit his teammates, particularly two of his teammates, for showing poor body language due to lack of playing time.
Love did not call out names, but it is widely believed that the All-Star power forward was frustrated with J.J. Barea and Dante Cunningham.
"We can't have two guys sitting at the end of the bench that play good minutes just sitting there and not getting up during timeouts," Love said. "We all need to be in this together. That kind of pisses me off. We're supposed to be a team."
Both Barea and Cunningham were reportedly not present when Love made the comments, but reports said that tension within the team could grow, considering how Barea reacted when Love criticized their second unit for lack of contribution earlier this month.
Timberwolves fans and executives are worried about the contract status of Love, who could opt out of his deal in 2015 or ask for a trade to a team that could give him a better chance of winning a title -- or at least a team that could give him his first-ever playoff appearance.
Several teams, who are looking forward to the 2015 free agency, have expressed their interests in acquiring Love. The Knicks are reportedly waiting for Love to hit the free agency market. Previous rumors also suggested that the Los Angeles Lakers could also make a run for the former UCLA standout.
Love's comment on Thursday certainly won't ease the growing concern about his future in Minnesota despite the fact that Timberwolves president Flip Saunders previously vowed to keep Love happy.
The Timberwolves are currently 10th in the Western Conference with their 17-18 record, but Ricky Rubio, who was asked to comment on Love's tirade against their teammates, is confident that they can still turn their season around.
"Everybody has to believe," Rubio said. "Of course somebody maybe is frustrated because he didn't have the minutes that he wanted or he's not in the game in late situations. But something happened, and no matter what, it's coach's decision. You have to be with the team."
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