Kevin Love is the Franchise, Wolves in Charlotte

So here's something:

With Kevin Love:

Ricky Rubio +9.9/100 Possessions
J.J. Barea +7.9
Dante Cunningham +9.8
Gorgui Dieng +28.6
Kevin Martin +7.4
A.J. Price +34.2
Nikola Pekovic +10.7
Robbie Hummel +14.5
Corey Brewer +9.0
Derrick Williams +22.4
Chase Budinger +7.8
Alexey Shved +9.2
Luc Mbah a Moute    +3.0
Shabazz Muhammad +16.6
Ronny Turiaf -1.5

In other words, Kevin Love is the franchise.  There isn't another player they could realistically acquire that would have this sort of impact, and this is why they shouldn't even consider trading him.  Frankly, even if he tells them after this season that he's going to leave following 2014-15 I might not do it.  It might be better to play it out and hope to have a good year and change his mind.

Meanwhile, the Wolves are in Charlotte to take on a playoff bound Bobcats team that features one of the better defenses in the league, as well as former Wolf Al Jefferson, who is doing what he does: 21 and 10 a night while shooting 50%. Also a Cat is Anthony Tolliver, who is having a bit of a resurgence on the back of good 3 point shooting this season.  Always good to see old friends. except when they beat you.  The Wolves beat the Bobs in their first meeting of the year at Target Center.

Elsewhere in the battle for the 7th-10th positions in the West, the Suns and Grizzlies have also traveled east, with the Suns in Boston and the Grizzlies in Toronto tonight. The Celtics appear to have entered shut it down mode, as they were blown out by the Knicks at home on Wednesday.

Ronny Turiaf participated in some of Thursday's practice for the first time since injuring his knee three weeks ago. Still no word on when he might play again, but at least there is some progress.

I once again have managed to watch zero college basketball as we head toward the tournament: who is going to win the thing?  I actually thought it was starting this week, but I guess it's next week.

Today in history

1629: Royal Charter granted for Massachusetts Bay Colony
1794: Eli Whitney patents cotton gin
1885: Gilbert and Sullivan's "Mikado" premieres in London
1889: Ferdinand von Zeppelin patents his "navigable balloon"
1923: German Supreme Court bans Nazi Party 
1943: Krakow ghetto is forcibly emptied; Jews packed on trains for camps
1958: African National Congress banned by South African government

Today's musical birthday is Romantic composer Johann Strauss (the elder), born in 1804

See you later. Have a great day.

EDIT:

Thanks to Slowbreak for reminding us in comments that dontbesomeanyoungfella is having a CD release party for his band tomorrow night.  Here is a link to his site with all the information. Go out and support a fellow CHer if you can. Congratulations.