Apr 15, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; (l to r) Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Derrick Williams point guard Ricky Rubio and center Greg Stiemsma watch action from the bench late in the fourth quarter against the Utah Jazz at Target Center. The Jazz won 96-80. Mandatory Credit: Greg Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Ric Bucher reported from a bunker beneath the Alamodome AT&T Center during halftime of the San Antonio Spurs loss to the Golden State Warriors:

The Timberwolves’ relationship with Kevin Love will undoubtedly improve with the ouster of David Kahn, but how will

it impact Ricky Rubio? Sources say the Rubio family is disappointed in the decision, largely because Kahn is the one who stuck his neck out and drafted Rubio knowing he couldn’t come over right away and did a lot of the legwork to expedite the start of Rubio’s NBA career. Maybe it blows over — Rubio wouldn’t be the first player who disagreed with a decision yet eventually put it behind him — but it bears watching.

Well, I guess nobody would really call that reporting.

The nice manners and pleasant disposition Ricky Rubio possesses had to come from somewhere, right? David Kahn was probably the only person in the entire Minnesota Timberwolves organization to travel to Spain and sit with the Rubio family. Kahn is probably the only one in the Wolves front office who has spoken with Grandma Rubio.

It’s been said elsewhere, Kahn’s creepiness factor probably doesn’t register as clearly in Europe as it does domestically. So it is possible the Rubios were upset that the only management mouthpiece they’ve ever heard from directly was removed and maybe they’re just being nice about the transitional period and paying their respects to a guy who, kinda-sorta, helped to negotiate Ricky’s way to the States in extricating him from his prohibitive Spanish contract.

But “reporting” in this way sure looks like an attempt to create a wedge between Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio via imagined contractual slights and saying Kahn ‘stuck his neck out’ to draft Rubio is like saying Pat Riley stuck his neck out to sign LeBron. Ricky fell into Kahn’s lap.

In truth, Rubio knows the garbage he’s had to work with on the wings in his career so far. He hates losing. Love hates losing. Maybe Flip can go have tapas with the Rubios sometime later this summer.

No one.  No LeBron, Kobe, Wade or Melo.  No CP3, CB1, or CB4 (which now is Boozer).  Not a single player from the “Redeem Team” will be wearing the USA uniform this summer as part of the FIBA World Championships this August.  Every excuse was given and everyone turned it down.  Even after Managing Director Jerry Colangelo gave the ultimatum: if you don’t play on this team in August, you will not play in the next Olympics.

Either way, the did not come.

22 other players decided it was important enough to represent their country.  And Minnesota Power Forward, Kevin Love,  is one of them.

“It’s an honor to get selected to be one of the 22 players to try out for Team USA. Obviously you get to where ‘USA’ across your chest, three letters that mean a lot to everybody here. It’s a tremendous honor, but I think all of us are coming out here to compete for the big picture, the World Championships in August, and then hopefully in 2012 playing in London.”

Love’s game is very much suited for international competition where big man are more focused on finesse and skill rather then size and strength.  Love fits the bill as player who is an excellent passer, an elite rebounder and has a an ever expanding perimeter game.

ESPN’s Ric Bucher recently tweeted that:

KLove could be a major factor for Team USA. Has all the internat’l big-man tools, including 3-pt range, aka Brad Miller on ’98 squad.

This season will be Love’s most important.  Heading into his third season, many are looking for Love to be a starter.  But with the arrival of Michael Bealsey, it is unclear how head coach Kurt Rambis will use Love.

But for the time being, Love is focused on representing his country.  You gotta Love that – sorry, I couldn’t help myself.