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Love isn't asking anyone to feel sorry for him. He's not saying he came back too soon – his team needed him, and he was going to play as soon as possible – or making excuses. He's just been unlucky, a bit, and unwise at times, and now he's sorting it all out, as much in his mind as he is on the court.

"I feel like these guys, we forget that they're not just basketball players," Respert said. "They have personal lives. They're normal human beings. They have struggles. Sometimes at the age they're at, they don't have the maturity."

Love may make millions of dollars, may appear on TV every night in a basketball game or a commercial. But he's a 24-year-old professional, and no amount of money or exposure is going to age him in such a way that he handles his struggles like a circumspect 40-year-old. Respert, a former player, understands better than most. He understands that Love's happiness is linked to his game, that there could be other things factoring into this, too.

Darren Wolfson‏@DarrenWolfson
Forgot to answer Hickson question on @1500ESPN. The #Twolves have not asked about him. Told Derrick Williams is being shopped heavily.

theGreatRC wrote:I know i'm getting annoying on this board with this Lee stuff, but DAMN...at least give me some type of info that we're actually interested in this guy or something...****.

I wonder what Kahn is doing as I speak..

theGreatRC wrote:Zgoda just had an hour long live Q&A with the fans...He answered the dumbest questions that didn't produce any new info for someone who is a writer and actually gets to talk to people within the organization..

"@joshvanklomp: @JerryZgoda I read your chat. I think you're off on the pick we owe PHX. If we have MEM pick (and we will) PHX gets the worse of the 2 picks"

“@JerryZgoda: @joshvanklomp yes, you're right. I hadn't refreshed my memory on that in a while...”

[RCG] wrote:

theGreatRC wrote:I know i'm getting annoying on this board with this Lee stuff, but DAMN...at least give me some type of info that we're actually interested in this guy or something...****.

I wonder what Kahn is doing as I speak..

Nothing...

“@JWFOCKE: #Twolves Kahn-Whatever we do to address the now it can't be at the detriment of the beyond has to be sensible for now & the future.”

“@JWFOCKE: #Twolves Kahn-We have 20 losses & 7/8 teams have 19, we haven't played as many gms now you can't make up losses but can claw back with wins”

“@APkrawczynski: Kahn said the idea that Wolves are aggressively shopping players to make a move quickly is "beyond the reality."”

“@APkrawczynski: Kahn says injuries and it still being weeks away from trade deadline make it difficult to make a big move now.”

They also should have made a money-back guarantee if they failed to make a trade by the Feb. 21 deadline. They Wolves are certainly having enough dialogue with other teams that something should come to fruition.

However, owner Glen Taylor said Thursday evening that talks are "slow-going."

Taylor, who just got home Wednesday afternoon from an educational trip to Israel, said the Wolves were never heavily in on the Rudy Gay trade discussions. Gay was moved to Toronto in a three-team deal last week.

Long-time NBA reporter Chris Sheridan is reporting the Wolves are expected to move guard Luke Ridnour. Utah likes Ridnour, according to a source. But a separate source said the Jazz are not willing to deal guards Alec Burks and Raja Bell for Ridnour. In fact, Burks is off-limits in the discussions involving Ridnour.

The most logical scenario involves Utah sacrificing the worse of its two first-round picks in the June draft -- the Jazz also owns Golden State's selection -- and Bell for Ridnour. Bell has an expiring contract.

The Wolves don't appear to be involved in any blockbuster trade talks.

As for whether the Wolves could move guard Brandon Roy's contract, Taylor didn't rule it out. He also confirmed that Wolves president of basketball operations David Kahn has engaged Roy's agent, Greg Lawrence, in buyout talks.

When asked for comment via e-mail, Kahn said, "I think I was pretty clear when I spoke to the media back in late December that I was clear with Brandon that every option was on the table and would be discussed."

A source said Roy was asked if he was ready to retire again because of continuing issues he has had with his knees. Roy wasn't willing to call it quits, especially since he would have had to sacrifice the balance of his contract. A buyout was then proposed, which so far has been rejected.

Lawrence, reached via e-mail, denied these details when asked.

Scoop Central

• The Wolves are talking with forward Chris Johnson about a contract that keeps him around through the 2013-2014 season. His 10-day contract expires Friday.

• Look for wing Mikael Gelabale to stick with the Wolves for the rest of the season.

• Wolves forward Lou Amundson still seems to be the odd man out when they need to get the roster down to 15 players.

• Kahn was asked about his interest in free-agent big man Josh Harrellson recently, but he's passing.

• Gary Moore, the advisor for 37-year-old free agent guard Allen Iverson, has called a few teams, but not the Wolves. They are like every other team: not interested.

Basti wrote:Even without injuries we desperately need a true shooting guard and a decent back up center. I hope Kahn is working the phones to at least one of both. Getting both would probably cost too much.

C.lupus wrote:Wouldn't it be cheaper to buyout Amundson? Or trade him for a protected 2nd rounder?