MINNEAPOLIS -- Throughout most of last season, Minnesota Timberwolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders and owner Glen Taylor remained steadfast in their stance that they would not consider trading Kevin Love. Twins Jerseys China . They were determined instead to convince the All-Star forward that he should sign an extension to remain after next season. With the NBA draft lottery coming up this week and an increasing concern that Love will leave for another team after next year, that stance has softened, two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. The Timberwolves are now open to the idea of trading Love if the right deal comes along. The people requested anonymity because the team has not made any final decisions on Loves future in Minnesota. Love just finished the second year of a four-year deal that includes an option for him to opt-out in the summer of 2015. The contract terms were the first signs of strife for Love and the organization when former basketball boss David Kahn declined to give him the full five-year maximum deal that Love wanted. Kahn was fired in 2013 and Saunders has worked tirelessly to try to convince Love that he should stay in Minnesota where he can make about $26.5 million more than he can anywhere else. But the Wolves have not made the playoffs in 10 years, including all six of Loves seasons with the team, a lack of success that has one of the best power forwards in the game growing more and more impatient. Neither Love nor his representatives have gone so far as to ask for a trade, but as the NBA draft lottery approaches on Tuesday, the trade market figures to heat up. The Timberwolves are slotted to pick 13th in the first round. But they are holding out hope that they get lucky for the first time in franchise history in the lottery and jump up. Getting one of the top three picks in a strong draft could be an encouraging sign for Love. If that doesnt happen, the Wolves could look at making a trade if they felt it had a chance to make them better in the long run. Love has made three All-Star teams and helped Team USA win the gold medal at the London Olympics. He averaged 26.1 points, 12.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists last season, but the Wolves finished a disappointing 40-42 and missed the playoffs in the Western Conference. While there remains some question whether Love can be the best player on a championship-calibre team, there figures to be a long list of suitors to line up for his services via trade this summer or free agency next year. But Love would likely have to give any team that makes the Wolves an offer some kind of indication that he is open to signing an extension, much the way Chris Paul did when he was dealt from New Orleans to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2011. The uncertainty surrounding Love has also complicated the Wolves pursuit of a coach to replace Rick Adelman, who retired after the season. Saunders has been in the market for a proven, experienced head coach who can come and command respect right away while also handling what most assuredly would be a difficult season filled with constant questions about Loves status. Not surprisingly, most of the names near the top of Saunders list have been reluctant to entertain the idea of taking the job without knowing what is going to happen with Love. Some luck on lottery night could also make the job more attractive for an incoming coach. In the absence of any long-shot lottery luck, the Wolves will ramp up their coaching search after their draft position solidifies on Tuesday night. Names such as Lionel Hollins, Sam Mitchell and Scott Skiles will all get consideration. And return runs at Michigan States Tom Izzo, Floridas Billy Donovan or Iowa States Fred Hoiberg arent out of the question after all three gave them a tepid response early in the process. Harmon Killebrew Jersey . -- The court fight over NFL concussions should heat up soon as a judge in Philadelphia weighs the fairness of the proposed $765 million settlement. Fake Twins Jerseys . In the opener of the World Group first-round series, world No. 18 Kei Nishikori defeated Peter Polansky of Thornhill, Ont. https://www.cheaptwins.com/72t-rod-carew-jersey-twins.html . Selected by the Titans in the 2007 NFL Draft, Johnson rejoined the club last season after a five-year stint with Indianapolis.EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - No one wanted overtime in the preseason finale, and Bill Belichick made sure neither the New York Giants or New England Patriots had to endure it. Josh Brown kicked a 37-yard field goal with 38 seconds to play after Belichick went for a first down in his territory late, and the Giants capped their first undefeated preseason since 2006 with a 16-13 victory on Thursday night. The Patriots coach went for it on fourth-and-1 from his 39 with less than three minutes to play and the score tied. Patriots rookie Jimmy Garoppolo threw his pass between two receivers and the Giants (5-0) ran off six plays to set up Browns third field goal. "I knew it was going to happen," Giants punter and holder Steve Weatherford said of Belichicks decision. "We would have done the same thing. We saw what we needed to see and it was time to get it over with. He (Belichick) was in the same position. Everyone was healthy for the most part. As much as you want to win, its better to get out healthy." The Patriots (2-2) started just two regulars and trotted on Tom Brady to hold on the first of Stephen Gostkowskis two field goals. Other than that, he stayed on the bench for the defending AFC East champions. New England opens the season a week from Sunday at Miami. There were many in New England who felt that Garoppolo was getting a chance to win the backup job from Ryan Mallett with this start. If he did, Belichick wasnt talking about it. "I think it was a good experience for him," Belichick said. "It will help his development. Hes obviously got a long way to go. He learned a lot from the week." The Giants, who have missed the playoffs the past two seasons, play at Detroit in a Monday night game Sept. 8. The final preseason game was left in the hands of backups for the most part. New England used regulars guard Josh Kline and safety Duron Harmon, while Giants starters played two series. All the scoring came with reserves on the field and the Patriots were more impressive, with Garoppolo leading scoring driives of 82, 61 and 59 yards. Sergio Romo Jersey. He capped the first one with a 33-yard pass to Aaron Dobson early in the second quarter for a 7-3 lead. Gostkowski had field goals of 37 and 21, with the later giving New England a 13-10 lead late in the third quarter. Brown, who beat out first-year kicker Brandon McManus earlier this week, tied the game in the fourth quarter with a 45-yarder. He had put New York ahead 3-0 following an interception by Zack Bowman in the second quarter. Peyton Hillis, who missed three weeks with an ankle injury, scored on a 1-yard run to put the Giants ahead 10-7 late in the half. Bowman, who played with the Bears last season, felt it was important for the Giants to win in the preseason. "It means a lot, its the attitude we want to take on the field into the season," Bowman said. "You dont want to be 0-4 going into the season. But at the same time, it helps us a lot coming off last year (7-9). We want to keep this going. We want to keep this momentum going." The Giants new West Coast offence came into the fifth preseason game struggling, and it didnt show much in generating one first down against Patriots scrubs. Their final play summed up the preseason, despite the unbeaten record. On a third-and-2 from the Giants 28, Eli Manning hit tight end Kellen Davis for no gain. A second-round pick out of Eastern Illinois, Garoppolo showed poise in his first start, completing 22 of 42 for 284 yards, a touchdown and an interception. "It could have went better," Garoppolo said. "There are some things we messed up, fixable things." Manning (1 of 4 for 0 yards), Ryan Nassib (6 of 14 for 107 yards) and Curtis Painter (3 of 5 for 32 yards) could not match those statistics combined. "Our goal was to do some things, see what we needed to improve on and to get out healthy, and I think we did that," said Manning, who finished the preseason 20 of 41 for 188 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. ___ AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '