Timberwolves all-star forward Kevin Love is glad he negotiated the option to leave Minnesota as a free agent in three years instead of securing a maximum five-year contract, demanding again that management invest in a playoff-contending team before he commits long term to the franchise.
Love also was pleased to see "bad blood" purged from the locker room and stressed the "urgency of the situation" with the Wolves, whose roster remains unsettled after failing to sign Portland free-agent forward Nicolas Batum.
In a telephone interview from England, where the U.S. men's basketball team is preparing for the Olympics, Love doubled down on comments he made about his waning patience with the Wolves to Yahoo! Sports two weeks ago during Team USA's training camp.
Love, who is entering his fifth NBA season and the first of a four-year, $62 million contract extension, is the only Team USA player who has never played in the postseason. He is surrounded by Olympians who have won seven NBA championships and combined to play in 700 playoff games.
"I feel like we have to change to get to that next level, and I want to help drive that change and push that agenda," he said Thursday, July 19. "I think we deserve a good product. The coaches deserve a good product, but most importantly the fans deserve it. They were tremendous last year for us turning things around before Ricky (Rubio) went down. We just want to keep pushing the team in the right direction, and that's what
I wanted to convey."
The Wolves were 21-19 and competing for the No. 8 playoff seed when Rubio, their rookie point guard, suffered a season-ending knee injury March 2. Minnesota plummeted down the stretch, winning only five of its final 26 games.
Love likes the acquisition of guard Brandon Roy, who returns after a knee injury forced him into retirement, and expects Minnesota to be a winning team. But he wants to be able to do more than play .500.
"If we get everybody back healthy, with Ricky back healthy, if Roy comes in healthy, and if we can get off to a good start, we're going to be good. But we really have to add as many as pieces as we possibly can, veteran guys," he said. "There was some bad blood in that locker room we were able to get out of there and smooth things out. That should help us out going forward."
Asked to elaborate, Love responded: "Just what I said. We had bad blood in the locker room. We got that out."
Forwards Michael Beasley and Anthony Randolph, guard Martel Webster and center Darko Milicic were the most notable players Minnesota jettisoned this off-season.
Last season, Love said he wanted to sign a five-year deal with the Wolves. But the team only committed to four years while Love bargained the right to opt-out after three seasons, when he will be 27.
In hindsight, Love said he is happy to have that flexibility.
"I think anybody would be. I like where I'm at right now. I've enjoyed the city, enjoyed the fans. I'm hoping we can turn this thing around," he said before Team USA's exhibition game against Great Britain in Manchester.
"This experience last year, getting over .500 and being in competition for the eight spot until Ricky got hurt, I'm hoping to see how close we are to adding the right people. I'm happy about the decision as it stands now."
Im gettin negged to death for riding with the t-wolves 
hows the batum thing working
damnit.
I knew it, at least we can work on signing everyone else now.
the blazers
what about SF???
at Webster being a part of the problem. Never woulda thunk it.