Minnesota exercise options on Kevin Love and Michael Beasley, 3 others
The Minnesota Timberwolves have extended the contracts of five players on their roster. The team, which has started the season with a 1-2 record, ensured that the core of its line-up would
remain intact in the next few years as it extended the contracts of forward Kevin Love, forward Michael Beasley, point guard Jonny Flynn, centre Kosta Koufos and guard Wayne Ellington.
Flynn and Ellington will be in their third year in the league in the 2011-12 season, while Love, Beasley and
Koufos will be in their fourth.
Love and Company
Love, a member of the United States men's basketball team that won the gold medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championships in Turkey, received a $4.6 million contract extension. Love, who
was picked fifth in the 2008 NBA Draft, averaged a double-double last year with 14.0 points per game and 11.0 rebounds per game.
Beasley, on the other hand, received a $6.3 million contract extension. The former Kansas State standout, who was acquired from the Miami Heat for two second-round picks and cash, averaged
14.8 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game.
Flynn, a former Syracuse standout, was drafted sixth overall in the 2009 NBA Draft. He was named to the All-Rookie second team, along with Detroit's Jonas Jerebko, Oklahoma City's James
Harden, San Antonio's DeJuan Blair, and Marcus Thornton of New Orleans. He averaged 13.5 points per game, 4.4 points per game and 1.0 steals per game in his rookie year. Flynn started all but one game for Minnesota last year. He also lead the team in scoring
in 19 games.
Wayne Ellington appeared in 76 games last year and averaged 6.6 points per game and 2.1 rebounds. Koufos, on the other hand, was acquired from the Utah Jazz and averaged 1.5 points and
1.2 rebounds in 36 games last year.
Corey Brewer without a deal
The Timberwolves made the moves last Monday, just in time to beat the deadline for contract extensions. However, the Timberwolves let the deadline pass for its longest-tenured player.
The team did not extend an offer to fourth-year guard Corey Brewer. Brewer, who was drafted by Minnesota in the 2007 NBA draft, was not offered a contract extension beyond this season,
thereby making him a restricted free agent next summer.
Brewer posted career-highs in points (13 points per game), assists (2.4 assists per game) and field-goal shooting (43.1 percent) last season. He also played in 82 games and averaged a
career-high 30.3 minutes per game.
With the Timberwolves' acquisition of forward Martell Webster and rookie Wesley Johnson, Brewer is in a competition for playing time. Minnesota has taken a wait-and-see approach to Brewer
before offering a contract.
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