Will the Timberwolves pay Kevin Love?

Fiscal responsibility.

That’s what the lockout was all about. A lot of guys got contracts over the past few years that many people deemed unworthy.

This time around, teams want to exercise fiscal responsibility, which is all well and good.

Which brings us to one Kevin Love, the master of the double-double. The man who averages 25 points and 14 rebounds.

It’s re-up time for Love, but apparently the Wolves don’t want to show him any. Apparently they’re balking at giving Love the maximum extension.

He’s eligible for a 5-year, $80 million deal. Reportedly the T’Wolves only want to offer him a 4-year, $60 million deal.

Whether the franchise is scarred from giving Kevin Garnett huge deals during the late 90′s and early 00′s or not, upsetting the best player your franchise has had since isn’t a good move.

Small market, cold weather and no real tradition equals a recipe for disaster if Love actually hits unrestricted free agency.

Garnett and his money was never an issue. It was money given to pieces around KG that was the problem.

Losing Love in the name of “not making the same mistake twice”, is buffoonish. Even if it seems unrealistic on the surface.

That franchise is starved for credibility and they have someone, a legit star who isn’t trying to leave on the first train out of town.

But if the T’Wolves keep playing around with perhaps the best power forward in the game, the California native could look West–as in the Lakers.

And the Minnesota Timberwolves would have nobody to blame but themselves.