Love will have surgery, miss 8-10 weeks

That would put him back sometime mid to late March, or most likely back after Chase Budinger returns from his knee surgery.

January 10, 2013 at 1:19AM
Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love
Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love (Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Kevin Love's re-fractured right shooting hand will require surgery and he is expected to miss eight to 10 weeks.

That would put him back sometime mid to late March, or most likely back after Chase Budinger returns from his knee surgery.

Just in time for the playoffs...

Or do you want to call it a lost season yet?

The question, of course: Does eight to 10 weeks really mean eight to 10 weeks?

In October, the team said 6 to 8 and Love, for right or wrong, came back in five.

He didn't need surgery back then.

This time, he will have surgery on the 3rd and 4th metacarpal bones in that right hand, the same two bones he broke in October.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Wolves All-Star forward today saw a New York City hand specialist -- the guy he saw in October when he broke the hand the first time -- who recommended the surgery.

So what do the Wolves do now?

They've got until February's trade deadline to make a deal for a frontcourt player to compensate for Love's loss, but saw likely one potential candidate disappear today when Cleveland's Anderson Varejao underwent surgery and will be sidelined six to eight weeks.

That's past the trade deadline if it goes eight weeks.

Expect the Wolves to explore every option, but letting Derrick Williams grow and develop with Ricky Rubio might be the most logical option of them all.

I'll post more after Wolves pre-game availability here in Oklahoma City.

about the writer

about the writer

Jerry Zgoda

Reporter

Jerry Zgoda covers Minnesota United FC and Major League Soccer for the Minnesota Star Tribune.

See Moreicon

More from Sports

See More
card image
Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune

The four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year pleaded for accountability, saying players need to be benched if they don’t give their all on defense.

card image
card image