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MINNEAPOLIS -- During a weekend trip to Boston, All-Star forward Kevin Love has been taking pictures with fans and seeing the sights, leading Celtics fans to speculate that hes going to follow in the footsteps of Kevin Garnett as the next Minnesota star to come to town and turn around a struggling franchise. Not so fast, Timberwolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders said. "The last I knew Kevin was under contract with us, and I expect him to be playing for us next year," Saunders said Sunday after a workout of draft prospects. "I dont really dictate where guys go on vacation or what they do. They can go wherever they want to go." Love can opt out of his contract after next season, and the three-time All-Star has yet to make the playoffs in six years with the Timberwolves. He was also angered when former executive David Kahn refused to give him a full, five-year extension and instead gave him a four-year deal with a player option after three. Thats led many to believe that he will leave next summer to play for a contender in a bigger market. "Yo (at)kevinlove if you need advice on moving from Minnesota to Boston just let me know .CityOfChamps," tweeted Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, who spent six years with the Minnesota Twins before signing with the Red Sox as a free agent and winning three World Series titles. The situation has prompted the Timberwolves to consider a trade to avoid losing Love without compensation. But Saunders has made it clear that he doesnt feel as though he has to make a move this summer. He views Love as one of the top offensive players in the league, a 25-year-old who has improved his game every off-season. So if other teams do want to get their hands on one of the NBAs top power forwards, it wont be easy. "I know theres a feeding frenzy out there from a lot of teams," Saunders said. "Unfortunately, they have no say. I plan on Kevin being here." If Saunders was posturing, he has good reason. The draft isnt until June 26, and the best offers from teams desperate to land Love dont figure to start rolling in until the week of the draft, or perhaps not even until draft night, and Saunders has plenty of options. He could move him right around draft time for what is expected to be a package that includes high picks and a veteran player or two. He could wait for July 1 and look to build a package around more established, veteran talent. Or he could hold on to Love, try to add a few pieces to a team that finished 10th in the West, and hire the right coach to replace the retired Rick Adelman and show Love that the team is headed in the right direction. It worked for the Portland Trail Blazers with LaMarcus Aldridge, and it worked years ago for the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant. The Wolves can also pay Love about $26.5 million more than any other team. And if Love still does depart after next summer, the Wolves wont be left empty-handed. Theyll have about $17 million in extra salary cap room to attack the free agent market, though luring stars to a wintry climate to play for a team that hasnt made the playoffs since 2004 has always proved to be a challenge. The next big step will be hiring a coach. The Wolves had discussions with Memphis Dave Joerger over Memorial Day weekend, but Joerger stayed with the Grizzlies, who sweetened his contract to remain with the 50-win team. Saunders said he will meet with Wolves owner Glen Taylor this week to evaluate the search, which has been influenced some by the uncertainty surrounding Love. When asked if he would have a coach in place by the June 26 draft, Saunders said "theres probably a better chance that we would than we wouldnt. Were not going to put a time frame on it." As for those excited Celtics fans, Saunders said they should calm down. But he knows they wont. "Theyre the same fans who thought they had Tim Duncan," he joked. "They still think they got Tim Duncan in the draft. Im not really sure, but the last I looked he was playing for San Antonio, Old Man Riverwalk." Michael Jordan Jersey Washington Wizards . CEO Steve Koonin on Tuesday told the Hawks flagship radio station that he made the decision to discipline Ferry but allowed him to keep his job managing the team. He did not say what the punishment was, but noted that he relied on a law firms three-month investigation of Ferry and him describing Deng as someone who has a little African in him. Womens Tom Brady Jersey . -- Having already fallen behind because of the NFL lockout, Blaine Gabbert couldnt afford a lengthy holdout. https://www.sportsstarsjerseys.com/michael-jordan-jersey/ . Henrik Samuelsson and Luke Bertolucci also scored for the Oil Kings, who are now 9-0 on home ice in the playoffs to cut Portlands series lead to 2-1. Chase De Leo and Mathew Dumba responded for the Winterhawks, who suffered just their fourth loss in their last 46 games, a string of success running all the way back to Jan. Michael Jordan Jersey Swingman . Masahiro Tanaka has touched down in the United States and the courting of the Rakuten Golden Eagles stud pitcher has begun in earnest by a bevy of MLB teams interested in the Japanese ace. Tom Brady Jersey Super Bowl . At a news conference Tuesday where it was thought that the fiery Schallibaum may be shown the door after a dismal finish to the Major League Soccer season, team president Joey Saputo said no decision has been made on whether the Swiss Volcano will be back in 2014.La Quinta, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Michael Putnam used a big back nine to surge up the leaderboard and shoot a 9-under 63 in Thursdays first round, giving him a 1-shot lead at the Humana Challenge. Putnam, who has never won on the PGA Tour, has three career victories on the Web.com Tour, two of which came in 2013. In five events on tour this season, Putnam has missed the cut twice and his best finish is a tie for 26th at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Over the first three rounds, players will alternate between playing the Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus Private Courses at PGA West along with La Quinta Country Club. Sundays final round will be contested on the Palmer Course. You kind of have to forget about it just because were playing a totally different golf course tomorrow, said Putnam. Thats the only time Im going to play the Nicklaus so kind of put that out of my memory now and now Im focusing on the Palmer for tomorrow. Francesco Molinari, the only non-American in the top 10, finished with an 8- under 64 and he is tied for second with Blake Adams, Mark Wilson, John Peterson and Scott Pinckney. Molinari and Adams played on the Palmer Course, Wilson and Peterson were on the Nicklaus Course and Pinckney played at La Quinta. Defending champion Patrick Reed (La Quinta) fired a 7-under 65 and he is tied for seventh with Matt Kuchar (La Quinta), Jason Kokrak (Nicklaus) and Steve Wheatcroft (Palmer). Playing in his first event since withdrawing from last seasons BMW Championship, 42-time PGA Tour winner Phil Mickelson carded a 1-under 71 and he is tied for 89th. Putnam, the 2013 Web.com Player of the Year, started off with three pars from No. 1 on the Nicklaus Course before rolling in his first birdie on the par-5 fourth. He gave that shot back two holes later with his lone bogey on No. 6, but Putnam was on fire from there. After finishing the front nine with two more gains on seven and nine, Putnam rolled on the back nine by making birdies on every hole except the 11th and 18th, both of which he parred. Over his final 12 holes, Putnam made nine birdies and threee pars.dddddddddddd He finished the back nine in just 29 shots. Like a light switch and said I needed to make some birdies, so I did, Putnam said about what happened from the seventh hole on. I played decently solid before that, just made a few mistakes to make bogeys, but then just lit it up coming in. Molinari, playing the back nine first, made a birdie on 11 and went on to make five straight pars from 12 before he also caught fire. Molinari rolled in five straight birdies from 17, made a trio of pars from four and finished up with a pair of gains on seven and eight to go along with a par on No. 9. Adams, also starting on the back side, traded a birdie on 11 for a bogey on 12. Much like Putnam and Molinari, Adams went on a run with six straight gains from No. 14. After three straight pars from two, Adams drained a trio of birdies from five. Despite closing with a bogey on nine, Adams remained one shot back heading into the second round. Wilson, the 2012 champion at this event, started off on fire with an eagle on 13 to go along with birdies on 10 and 11. A bogey on 15 dropped Wilson back a shot, but three straight birdies from 17 got him back on track. From there it was smooth sailing for Wilson as he made six straight pars from two before making a pair of gains on eight and nine to finish strong. Peterson finished his strong first round with an eagle on eight, seven birdies and a bogey on No. 6. A nine-birdie day for Pinckney helped put his name in the mix as he added one bogey to his round on No. 12. Mickelson, who won here in 2002 and 2004, had a solid front nine with birdies on three, four and six, but three bogeys and just one gain on the back side hurt him as he finished with a 71. NOTES: Putnam won the Mexico Championship and the Mid-Atlantic Championship on the Web.com Tour in 2013. He also won the Utah Championship in 2010 ... Like Reed did last year, Putnam carded a first-round 63. Reed went on to shoot 63 in each of the first three rounds ... Wilson has had mixed success so far this season, missing three cuts, one secondary cut and finishing in the top 10 twice in five events. ' ' '