Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor is in Las Vegas. He’s been dealt a hand in a game similar to poker, and Kevin Love is the high card.

In an NBA TV interview during a Wolves summer league game Wednesday, Taylor said he wants the all-star power forward to play in Minnesota this season despite rampant trade speculation.

It was not known if Taylor was bluffing amid reports that some of the trade offers aren’t as rich as previously envisioned.

“My preference is that Kevin will come to (training) camp — and I’m sure he will — and play with the team,” Taylor said.

Love, who can opt out of his contract next July, repeatedly has said all he wants to do is win.

“I say back to Kevin, ‘Well, that’s all I want, too,’ ” Taylor said.

During the upcoming season, Taylor can offer Love a new contract worth $26 million more than any other team can offer. But this summer, Love has been equivocal about the Wolves in public and once used the pronoun “they” to describe them in an interview.

Meanwhile, trade talks reopened between the Wolves and Golden State Warriors, the Associated Press reported Tuesday. The Warriors have been hesitant to include shooting guard Klay Thompson in any package, the AP said.

With Cleveland possibly in the mix for Love after LeBron James’ homecoming yet seemingly unwilling to part with top pick Andrew Wiggins, Taylor could just be holding his cards in his hand — for now.

“My response is that we are going to look at everything that makes sense that would make our team better,” Taylor told NBA TV, “but we are not going to move a superb player like that without getting equal or more value back.”

NBA TV analyst Steve Smith, who interviewed Taylor, said the Wolves could push for a playoff spot in the rough-and-tumble Western Conference this season.

Taylor concurred.

“I think our team is just on the border,” Taylor said. “We lost too many close games last year, and having Kevin Love there as, right now, the heart of our team … I would like to have Kevin back and play under Flip (Saunders) and see how the coaches will utilize him with the other players.”

Wolves win first

The Timberwolves defeated Phoenix 86-77 in the first round of the NBA Summer League tournament Wednesday in Las Vegas.

Rookie first-round pick Zach LaVine led the Wolves with 20 points, and second-year center Gorgui Dieng had 13 points and 19 rebounds. Kyrylo Fesenko added 17 points, and Shabazz Muhammad scored 16.

The Wolves, who have the lowest seed in the 24-team tourney after finishing 0-3 in pre-tourney games, play eighth-seeded Sacramento at 3 p.m. Thursday in the second round.

Follow Andy Greder at twitter.com/twolvesnow.