Dein erstes Forum » isappointing 40-42 and missed the playoff

MINNEAPOLIS -- Throughout most of last season, Minnesota Timberwolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders and owner Glen Taylor remained steadfast in their stance that they would not consider trading Kevin Love. They were determined instead to convince the All-Star forward that he should sign an extension to remain after next season. With the NBA draft lottery coming up this week and an increasing concern that Love will leave for another team after next year, that stance has softened, two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. The Timberwolves are now open to the idea of trading Love if the right deal comes along. The people requested anonymity because the team has not made any final decisions on Loves future in Minnesota. Love just finished the second year of a four-year deal that includes an option for him to opt-out in the summer of 2015. The contract terms were the first signs of strife for Love and the organization when former basketball boss David Kahn declined to give him the full five-year maximum deal that Love wanted. Kahn was fired in 2013 and Saunders has worked tirelessly to try to convince Love that he should stay in Minnesota where he can make about $26.5 million more than he can anywhere else. But the Wolves have not made the playoffs in 10 years, including all six of Loves seasons with the team, a lack of success that has one of the best power forwards in the game growing more and more impatient. Neither Love nor his representatives have gone so far as to ask for a trade, but as the NBA draft lottery approaches on Tuesday, the trade market figures to heat up. The Timberwolves are slotted to pick 13th in the first round. But they are holding out hope that they get lucky for the first time in franchise history in the lottery and jump up. Getting one of the top three picks in a strong draft could be an encouraging sign for Love. If that doesnt happen, the Wolves could look at making a trade if they felt it had a chance to make them better in the long run. Love has made three All-Star teams and helped Team USA win the gold medal at the London Olympics. He averaged 26.1 points, 12.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists last season, but the Wolves finished a disappointing 40-42 and missed the playoffs in the Western Conference. While there remains some question whether Love can be the best player on a championship-calibre team, there figures to be a long list of suitors to line up for his services via trade this summer or free agency next year. But Love would likely have to give any team that makes the Wolves an offer some kind of indication that he is open to signing an extension, much the way Chris Paul did when he was dealt from New Orleans to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2011. The uncertainty surrounding Love has also complicated the Wolves pursuit of a coach to replace Rick Adelman, who retired after the season. Saunders has been in the market for a proven, experienced head coach who can come and command respect right away while also handling what most assuredly would be a difficult season filled with constant questions about Loves status. Not surprisingly, most of the names near the top of Saunders list have been reluctant to entertain the idea of taking the job without knowing what is going to happen with Love. Some luck on lottery night could also make the job more attractive for an incoming coach. In the absence of any long-shot lottery luck, the Wolves will ramp up their coaching search after their draft position solidifies on Tuesday night. Names such as Lionel Hollins, Sam Mitchell and Scott Skiles will all get consideration. And return runs at Michigan States Tom Izzo, Floridas Billy Donovan or Iowa States Fred Hoiberg arent out of the question after all three gave them a tepid response early in the process. Jonathan Lucroy Angels Jersey .B. -- Canadas Rachel Homan opened the Ford Womens World Curling Championship with a 7-5 win over Russia on Saturday. Trevor Cahill Jersey . But Josh Bailey scored the shootout winner to lead the Islanders to a 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens in a battle of the Eastern Conferences two worst teams. http://www.baseballangelslockroom.com/re...-angels-jersey/. -- The road to the Masters got off to a bumpy start Sunday for Tiger Woods when he withdrew from the Honda Classic with what he said was a lower back injury. Brian Goodwin Angels Jersey . The move is retroactive to Aug. 1. Hosmer was originally hit on the hand in the first inning of a July 20 loss to Boston. He has played most of the time since, but missed a few contests due to the injury, then departed Thursdays win over the Twins and had tests that revealed the fracture. Rod Carew Jersey . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona.MIAMI -- Randy Wolf pitched six innings Monday night for his first victory since 2012, and the Miami Marlins beat Tampa Bay 3-1, sending the Rays to their seventh consecutive loss. The 37-year-old Wolf, making a comeback from the second Tommy John surgery of his career, allowed three hits and one run. He struck out seven, walked one and won for the first time since he pitched Baltimore past Tampa Bay on Sept. 13, 2012. The Rays fell to 0-7 on their eight-game trip. Theyre 12 games below .500 for the first time since 2007, and their record (23-35) is the worst in the American League. Four Miami relievers completed the six-hitter, and Steve Cishek pitched a perfect ninth for his 12th save in 13 chances. The Marlins snapped a streak of four consecutive home losses as they started a four-game home-and-home series against their intrastate rivals. The Rays went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position. Theyve scored six runs in their past five games. Alex Cobb (1-3) paid dearly for a rocky start. The Marlins scored three times in the first, when their first four batters reached. Casey McGehee hit a two-run single, and a bases-loaded double play scored another run. Cobb then settled down and shut out Miami over the next five innings, but the Rays couldnt rally. Tampa Bay starters remained winless in the past 15 games, the teams longest such streak ssince 2006.dddddddddddd Wolf (1-1) didnt pitch in 2013 and was making his second start of this year. His fastball registered only in the upper 80s (mph), but he had command of his breaking pitches and struck out five of the first eight batters he faced. The Rays finally broke through in the fifth on an RBI double by Desmond Jennings, but Wolf retired the next three hitters. Wolf was signed as a free agent last month after ace Jose Fernandez was sidelined by a season-ending elbow injury. The left-hander improved his career record to 133-118. NOTES: Rays SS Yunel Escobar (quad) was back in the lineup after missing two starts. ... Tampa Bay RF Wil Myers (wrist), who went on the disabled list Sunday, is awaiting further test results but is expected to be sidelined three to six weeks, the team said. ... Rays RHP Jeremy Hellickson (elbow surgery) threw 50 pitches in a simulated game in Port Charlotte and said he felt good. Hell likely make at least three rehab starts but is on schedule to return before the All-Star break. ... Marlins 2B Derek Dietrich was given the night off after a succession of defensive gaffes. ... Before the first pitch, the wives of Marlins players beat the Rays wives in a softball game. ... Henderson Alvarez (2-3, 2.97 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday for Miami against Chris Archer (3-2, 4.00). ' ' '