Down Goes Kevin Love: Broken Hand, Out 6-8 Weeks

Minnesota figured to struggle this season. The roster is young, the coach (Kurt Rambis) is new, and there are plenty of holes through the roster. But there's always an extra challenge in 'Sota, and this year that extra challenge comes in the form of a fracture of the fourth metacarpal bone in the left hand of Kevin Love that will reportedly sideline the power forward for 6-8 weeks.

According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Love's hand smacked against the elbow of teammate Stewie Griffin Oleksiy Pecherov as Love collected a rebound. Fitting, that the injury would happen on a rebound, considering Love is one of the league's brightest young board hoarders. His absence will force cohort Al Jefferson to be even more of a vacuum on the glass.

No word on how Rambis will tweak the line-up heading into the opening month or so of the season with Love missing. Given the roster's relative depth, you might expect Jefferson (a center next to Love but otherwise a power forward through his career) to end up at the four, with Ryan Hollins and Pecherov splitting center duties. Alternately, Jefferson could stay at center and Rambis could slot Ryan Gomes (a more talented -- but smaller -- offensive player in comparison with Hollins and Pecherov) at the power forward position.

All of those three scenarios are not optimal. But Jefferson's season-killing ACL tear last year wasn't optimal. Nor were injuries to previous Wolves lottery picks Randy Foye, Rashad McCants and Corey Brewer. (All three were injured pretty seriously in their second season with the Wolves. Transport Jonny Flynn in bubble wrap next year, please.)