Michael Beasley expressed optimism about returning to the Timberwolves next season after having his exit interview Wednesday, April 25, with coach Rick Adelman and president of basketball operations David Kahn.

Beasley will become a restricted free agent after the Timberwolves play their final game Thursday night at Target Center against the Denver Nuggets.

“I feel pretty good about coming back next year,” Beasley said. “I’m hopeful. I’m going to approach my summer as if I’m coming back. I’m going to try to come back in the best possible shape I can and be the best player I can be.”

Beasley, nearing the end of his fourth NBA season and second with the Timberwolves, is due $8.172 million in 2012-13, the final year of his contract. The Timberwolves have the option on whether to pick up his salary for next season.

Beasley, who missed 19 games because of foot and toe injuries, averaged 11.5 points and 4.5 rebounds and shot 44.5 percent from the floor. He started the Timberwolves’ first seven games and was the team’s second-leading scorer behind Kevin Love before suffering a foot injury Jan. 6 that cost him 11 games. When Beasley was healthy enough to play, Adelman decided to bring him off the bench the rest of the season.

Before the Timberwolves’ game against Memphis on April 17, Beasley said he “didn’t want to get comfortable” in a reserve role if he came back next season and said he sees himself “as a starter.” Beasley said he got no indication from

Kahn or Adelman about his future with the team. Kahn and Adelman are holding a news conference Friday morning to discuss the team’s offseason plans and decisions on players.

“They just told me what I need to do to get better,” Beasley said of Kahn and Adelman. “I’m going to work on everything to become an all-around great player … not just a scorer, a rebounder or a defender.”

Beasley said he will spend most of the offseason in Los Angeles working out with former Los Angeles Lakers star Norm Nixon.

Follow Ray Richardson at Twitter.com/twolvesnow.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love, struggling with a mild concussion and a strained neck, remained at home and will not attend the team’s game Saturday night, April 14, against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Target Center, Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman said.

“He’s still not feeling well,” Adelman said of Love, who was struck on the side of the head Wednesday night by an inadvertent elbow from Denver Nuggets center JaVale McGee. “Until he’s feeling better, he’s staying at home.”

Adelman said he had “no idea” if Love, the Timberwolves’ leading scorer (26.0 points per game) and rebounder (13.3), will be sidelined for the rest of the season. Adelman said that decision has not been made.

“We would like to see him come

Kevin Love is helped up off the court after a head injury against the Denver Nuggets on April 11, 2012, in Denver. (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

back for wherever he can play, but it’ll be up to the doctors, trainers and Kevin himself to make that decision,” Adelman said.

Love was examined by Timberwolves team physicians Friday after he returned from Denver. He was admitted to a Denver hospital Wednesday night and remained in Denver until late Thursday afternoon.

Before Love can return to the lineup, he must pass a series of physical and mental steps spelled out in the NBA’s new concussions policy, which was implemented before the start of the 2011-12 season. The process includes an examination by a league-appointed neurologist. Love must be cleared by the neurologist before he can play.

Follow Ray Richardson at Twitter.com/twolvesnow.