Bfast with The Kahn
by Sterno on Jun 10, 2009 7:58 AM CDT
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PrintSo Kahn has been having breakfasts with longtime shareholders who are on the fence about renewing. There was one yesterday morning. Here are some quotes/takeaways from a reliable source who was there:
1. "We need everything but 4s" -- Kahn basically said that other than Bassy as a backup PG, he doesn't think much of anyone else on the roster.
2. That especially includes Foye (he said that the Foye/Roy trade "may go down as one of the worst in NBA history") -- it does not appear that he thinks too much of our pick 3 years ago.
3. He thinks the team can play in an Orlando style ("inside-out"), but that they need shooters. Interesting, since at the start of last year the one thing we appeared to have a lot of was shooters. He said "I think Miller lost his confidence and he needs to get it back).
4. He acknowledged that the next 16 months are critical and that he thinks it will have to come via trade, not free agency -- he doesn't see most players leaving their current teams given the fact that they can offer more money and with the economy the way it is.
5. He implied that it would still be a while before the coaching situation is resolved.
Ed Note: Sonia has more over at TWolvesBlog. It would be nice if the Wolves had a recording of this event so we didn't have to piece things together that may or may not be 100% accurate. The stuff about Foye and the roster are pretty aggressive.
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I'm surprised that he was so abject
about the roster, especially a particular player like Foye. I’m not unhappy about it, though, because i agree with him. This roster has very little to like.
by Eric in Madison on Jun 10, 2009 8:37 AM CDT reply actions
Good stuff Sterno
I hope you don’t mind me bumping it to the front page with an ed note. I wish the Wolves would record some of this because they will only end up complaining about things being taken out of context. I’ll email to see if this exists.
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Couple of points
I’ll admit that I have this all second hand, but I do have it from someone I trust and someone who has no interest in exaggerating or making stuff up. It looks pretty consistent from the report from the afternoon session that Twolves blog has so I’m pretty comfortable that there isn’t a lot of BS.
I like that Kahn is taking a clear eye to the roster, but I hope he’s not projecting negatively on some of the folks on the roster because it helps to scapegoat the previous regime. I think Love is better than a #4, particularly if he’s surrounded with the right folks.
I hear what you're saying...
…and I’ve heard from various people who have said the same things. I can just see this being one of those situations where the Wolves management will eventually complain about dirty bloggers taking things out of context. At this point in modern media, you’d think they’d have this sort of thing on tape rather than let it go off on its own.
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Continue to be impressed
After reading the Twolvesblog.
He sounds level-headed and rational. I’m a little shocked. Yep, Big Al and Love as the 2nd and 4th best players on a championship club is about right.
Sounds like a whole lotta change in the next 14 months and that’s a great thing. I’m also guessing he’s going to swing for the fences with the draft or trades, i.e. package picks to move up or draft the high risk/reward type of player. Like a Jennings over a Flynn for example.
The more I read about...
….and watch clips of Flynn, the more I like the guy over Jennings. If it comes down to them picking a point and Curry, Harden, and Holiday are off the board (which, I think, would represent the worst case scenario), I don’t think I’d have a problem with the Flynn pick.
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This is really interesting...
I agree with Django Z’s take. If Kahn is really making these statements, I think I like him more than I thought.
But, it’s a lot easier to sit there and explain why the current Wolves stink than it is to make big strides toward improvement. It’s all talk, so far.
Ya
Show me some trade proposals that net us that #1 or #3 guy without killing our future, and Kahn will have earned our now-tentative faith in him. Better yet, get something productive for Foye and watch Hoopus readers rejoice. The rest of the media/state will be discouraged, no doubt, tho—I can already hear Grandpa Sports mumbling about how some old friend of his doesn’t like the deal because Foye is at least as good as Roy was, and here we traded him away.
"Come on Eddie, let's get serious."
by biggity2bit on Jun 10, 2009 11:01 AM CDT up reply actions
Foye
It still seems to me that Foye probably does have some trade value in the league- certainly not every team, but it only takes one. Which teams did Foye particularly light up last season? That used to be how the Wolves would make their trade decisions. “Which useless guy had a great game against us this season? Let’s overvalue him wildly!”
by princelyfrank on Jun 10, 2009 11:55 AM CDT up reply actions
Heh hehe--That guy
was usually guarded by Wally. I can’t count the number of times during those days where I would check the box score after a game to find out some no-name 3 went off for a career-high, and then was in the Turkish League six months later.
King Kahn has my vote.
I like what we have heard from this breakfast meeting… a little too open mouthed Tice about things but he was honest and considering his position, open with the big tickets.
Bassy should be very happy that he was marked as a back up 1. I think Bassy may progress to be a fringe starter in the League because he is so young but having the back up of a real GM certainly helps him breathe this year. I agree with the fact that the entire roster has "something to prove" …
Foye – last chance
Brewer – you better stop EVERYONE on D
Bassy- you better be shooting right now – and not with that
Miller – confidence is a must for a SHOOTER – <realistically, last year was not Miller’s fault—if we hit open jumpers at a 60% clip, his assists are 4 to 5 a game. I also believe that with a better team around him – he will be and shoot better>
Jefferson – get back to being a beast soon…but not too soon
Love – no more Chocolate Milk…work on that body and refine that J that you already have
Everyone else, start packing please…
I won’t give the guy my vote until he improves the team, but I am loving the candor especially the admissions that:
1) Foye is not that good
2) Jefferson is not the top player on a very good team
3) Most of the roster is trash
The first step towards improvement is admitting you have a problem, and it seems like everybody, but the Timberwolves were aware of the issues up until this point.
Yes but. . .
. . . will he have that same strong outlook when the players he drafted/traded for turn up to be rotton melons? THAT will be the big test – admit you screwed up.
Sometimes the obvious is hidden.
by frankenhoops on Jun 10, 2009 1:23 PM CDT up reply actions
Draft
If the Wolves could add another Top 5 pick, could James Harden be our best player and Stephen Curry be our third best player?
I dunno, but I wouldn’t mind trying. I think you could possibly wind up with your #2 and #3 guys, at least, and I’d definitely take that. Personally I think Harden and Curry are the two surest picks after Griffin to be solid NBA players, so I would love going that route.
If you took both
I certainly think that at the least one would end up as your #3 guy and one valuable bench guy. Thing is, I don’t want to give up too much to get both of them because rookies are, well, rookies, and who knows how they’ll turn out.
Now, if you could get Curry and a Gerald Wallace? Well, maybe the team would then have a #2, a 2B/3, a #3B, and #4. Maybe not championship, but certainly not just 24 wins either.
"Come on Eddie, let's get serious."
by biggity2bit on Jun 10, 2009 12:16 PM CDT up reply actions
Not quite the diplomat
I basically agree with what Kahn seems to be saying, but I think he should have played things a lot closer to the vest. The chances of duping someone else to take Foye in trade have plummeted even further.
I seriously doubt that his comments were designed to motivate Randy, Al, and Kevin — or even Sebastian. I’m thinking he’s coming on like Jerry Krause here — without a Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson.
I'm trying to get...
…some exact quotes about the Foye stuff. That’s some very aggressive stuff and the guy hasn’t exactly taken criticism well in the past.
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How do you mean by that, S+P?
While Foye has struggled and occasionally seemed bewildered by Wittman’s “coaching,” I feel like a lack of hard work or a bad attitude has never really been Foye’s problem, so much as he just doesn’t quite have the talent or size (or combination thereof) to compete at the level we all wanted him to.
by princelyfrank on Jun 10, 2009 11:59 AM CDT up reply actions
Probably poorly worded on my part...
…but the guy has always had a weird response to questions about his ability to play the point. It’s either full of confidence or delusional.
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Agreed. Kahn also said earlier
in the conversation that the trade deadline was one of the opportunities to improve the team. Even if he’s not sold on Foye, lighting a fire under the Villanova bowling ball for half a season might get us something better in a trade then right now, hence Kahn’s challenge to Foye (if we can interpret his statements that way). Unless Kahn’s pulling a Childress double talk (a la Favre bit), the writing’s on the wall that Foye isn’t in the long term plans anymore. Hello Curry!!
"Come on Eddie, let's get serious."
by biggity2bit on Jun 10, 2009 12:19 PM CDT up reply actions
Also his comments that...
if he hadn’t been hurt give a pretty good idea of his inflated self worth.
Gotcha
I’d been forgetting his tendency to get all defensive about the point guard question.
by princelyfrank on Jun 10, 2009 12:44 PM CDT up reply actions
Good to Great
Don’t know how many of you have read the book by Jim Collins, but he talks about how truly great organizations face the brutal reality of their situation squarely, while always believing in the end that they will prevail. Kahn has the ability to do this because he has no ties or responsibility to the roster that has been assembled. Truly great leaders are able to continue to face the brutal reality even if it’s their own doing, which in turn allows them to quickly admit the error, rectify it, and move on. Leaders and organizations that are in denial about the brutal reality of their situation either fail or remain forever mediocre. Let’s hope Kahn can maitain this healthy perspective when it’s his own decisions that are being evaluated.
I’m on board with his #2 and #4 analysis of Love and Jefferson, a clear demonstration of him facing the brutal reality, although I hold out hope that Love could potentially grow into a #3 type of guy. I think finding a #3 guy can be done, whether it’s through one of these draft picks or a trade. The issue will be finding a #1 guy. Frankly, that has more to do with luck than anything else.
Well put...
…I think Love can be the 3 guy and I think anything extra will have to happen with luck. They need this year’s pick to pan out as one of those guys as well as hoping that Big Al can be #1. Hopefully, that’s a challenge to him to play on both ends of the court.
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If Al commits himself to D and learns (and looks) to pass out of doubles, even on the simple level that Dwight is showing in the finals, is he a #1 guy? I’m not going to hold out much hope, but doI think increased talent on the team will bring forth better effort from Al in both those areas. Imagine him having guys he could rely on to both play tough D and to knock down shots.
I wonder if part of his passing problems stem from Al not having anyone on the team who can trust to get buckets when it matters. Because of this, I really think that adding a guy like Curry on the wing would at least go a long way toward getting Al to look to pass once in a while. He seemed to show much less reticence to pass out of the post when Foye was on fire and consistently knocking down shots in January.
I'm thinking...
….more along the lines of the Spurs and Duncan. Offensively, he can be Duncan. He’s that good of an offensive player. Perhaps not as rounded but as overall effective. He’s miles away on defense and he is, as you say, surrounded by guys he can’t really trust (outside of Love).
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#1 guy
I think the biggest challenge for Big Al to be that number one guy isn’t so much his defense, although that’s important. It’s more his ability or willingness to take hold of the team and make it happen. Maybe I haven’t watched enough TWolves games to notice, but Al brings his lunchpail to work every night and gets his 20-10 and sometimes we win, sometimes we don’t. I rarely see a KG like snarl and group huddle out of him, I rarely see him taking command of the team out on the court when it matters and leading them to a win. #1 guys must be talented, and I think Big Al is talented enough, but they also must be the heart and soul and general of their team—and that I don’t see from Al on a consistent enough basis.
Other quick comment on Love becoming a #3 guy—I think Love’s easily a #3 guy next year or the year after if he’s surrounded by better talent. On a bad team he may peak on his own as a #4 guy, but put him on Houston’s team, or Orlando’s, or any of the playoff teams for that matter, and he becomes that much better—or at least knows how to play the game in a way that makes it that much more difficult for other teams to match up against him. Does that make sense?
"Come on Eddie, let's get serious."
by biggity2bit on Jun 10, 2009 12:26 PM CDT up reply actions
I know the defense is a concern. But part of being a #1 is making teammates better. Al has had struggles with passing out of double teams.
The same thing is needed for Al to be a #1 and Love to be a #3. That is a wing player that can both dump it into al and spot up, as well as run the p/r with Love. A Deron Williams type would be perfect. That player himself does not need to be a 1,2,3 but can be our #4 guy as long as he can do those things. His value is not intrinsic to himself, but rather in what he adds to love and Al. This is the best argument for bringing in Curry. He is the one player in this draft that can both run the p/r at a crazy level, but also be an impact spot up shooter. The NBA pg is a rather easy position if you have court vision and can run the p/r almost every team runs the same 8-10 sets.
I should clarify my position on Al: I have no delusions that he’s a superstar level player. He’s not a guy who can single-handedly raise a crappy team out of the depths – there are only a handful of those guys in the league at any time.
What I think he might be, which is why I asked the question, is an all-star level guy who is capable of raising his play when the talent around him increases. I really don’t think he’s a black hole (as he’s so often labeled) who goes after his own to the detriment of the team like a Zach Randolph. He’s always seemed mature and humble in interviews, so I am holding out hope that he is capable of trusting his teammates and looking to find them out of the post if he knows that that’s what it takes to win (this part is on the coaching staff to drill it into his head). It’s that elusive “make your teammates better” quality that this team desperately needs. Hell, if Dwight Howard can pass competently out of the post, I know Al can do it. Offensively, it’s just as necessary to double Al to stop him from scoring as it is Howard, and D12 does not possess anything extraordinary in the way of court vision, he’s just got much better teammates out on the wing.
We're wasting our time
conjuring up ways that Al can be a #1 guy. He can’t, he won’t, and it’s facing that brutal fact that will help us make sound decisions going forward. By a player’s 3rd or 4th year in the league, you figure out if they’re a #1 guy or not. It ain’t gonna change. Bird, LeBron, Magic, Jordan, Isiah, Kobe, Shaq, Wade, Hakeem, Ewing, D. Howard….You know it by the end of that 4th season or earlier, in many cases even their rookie year. Jefferson cannot and will never be a #1 guy on a contender unless he breaks a basic law of NBA physics (I have no idea if that makes sense but it sounded cool).
by Rascal Flatts on Jun 10, 2009 12:31 PM CDT up reply actions
Well put RF. Jefferson lacks the athletic ability to become a very good defender (and currently lacks the willingness to become even average). I mean, seriously, we’ve all seen him run the floor. He also lacks the inherent basketball IQ that allows him to make other players better. Any KG comparisons are ridiculous in this regard as KG had an innate ability to get the best out of his teammates with passing and defensive help.
That said, there’s no shame in being a very good low post scorer. It’s a hell of a lot more than most NBA players can say. But let’s move past the idea that Jefferson is a superstar player that we need to build the team around.
If pressed...
…I agree with you but I think we all have to go back to the Rummy quote: You go to war with the army you have. Unless they luck into something else, Jefferson is, for better or worse, numero uno.
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Good point. I guess the conclusion from admitting Al is not the savior he was advertised to be is
1) stop making personnel moves with him in mind, draft the BPAs and hope one of them becomes The Man—-eg don’t draft a Thabeet, just so Al can switch to the 4
2) Put him on the table if you have a shot at improving the team via trades
Precisely
I’ll also agree with SnP that you need to go to war with what you’ve got. Since there are very few pure franchise talents in the league at any one time, a GM must always build in a 2004 Pistons mode with the hope that he gets lucky along the way and someone turns into that #1 guy. But in the meantime, accumulating multiple #2 and #3 type guys can get you a really long ways too. That’s all we can ask for right now since #1 guys are more a matter of luck than anything else.
by Rascal Flatts on Jun 10, 2009 1:20 PM CDT up reply actions
yep..
…pray for the luck that one of the guys you have or will draft in the next 2 years turns into an upper-level performer.
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Chad Ford's new mock is up.
I don’t have four-letter insider, though. Can anybody tell me who he’s got us taking this time?
Analysis
Analysis: The Wolves really need help at center and point guard. There aren’t any centers left worth taking. They’ve been looking at Evans here, but in this mock draft, he’s already off the board. Curry becomes an interesting prospect if Evans is gone.
He can play both positions on the floor and combined with Randy Foye could give the Wolves a pretty formidable backcourt. Curry’s maturity, his dead-eye shooting and his name recognition all make this a pretty smart pick for the Wolves.
Analysis: The Wolves don’t have a true center, and Mullens is likely to be the best one remaining on the board. At the beginning of the season, he was ranked in our top five, but he slipped because, although his talent remains, he’s years away from being ready. However, a lottery team with lots of first-round picks such as Minnesota can roll the dice and pray the gamble pays off.
Analysis: It seems doubtful that the Wolves would keep three rookies on their roster next season, which gives them an interesting choice of international players. Omri Casspi would be an obvious choice. He’s tough, physical and can keep developing overseas.
But Claver has more long-term upside and, in a few years, could be a great pick if he continues to develop in Spain.
Sweet.
Thanks, Jose. I’d be reasonably pleased with Curry and Mullens.
by princelyfrank on Jun 10, 2009 1:12 PM CDT up reply actions
Foye/Curry backcourt???
Are you kidding me? Way too small. Who would guard Brandon Roy, Kobe etc for the next 5 years?
I’m open to taking Curry only if Foye is either traded or permanently moved to sixth man.
by TWolvesFanInLA on Jun 10, 2009 1:13 PM CDT up reply actions
Randy Foye's presence on our roster
should have absolutely zero impact on who we take in the draft. Nadda, zilch, nothing. I could care less how anyone blends in with Randy Foye. I want the best possible player for the long-run, and if that means we trot out an undersized backcourt in ‘09-10, so be it. We won’t solve all of our ills in one offseason.
by Rascal Flatts on Jun 10, 2009 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions
I Agree
I know all of us would like fo rthe wolves to do a 180 in one season, but most of us are not delusioned enough to actully believe something like that will happen. Improve this year and then improve next year. You only get to your destination by taking one step at a time, even if some of those steps are quick.
Sometimes the obvious is hidden.
by frankenhoops on Jun 10, 2009 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions
It's About Time...
We had someone in this organization with a realistic view of the talent level of this team. I think Kahn is spot-on with his assessments of Big Al, Love, Bassy and Foye. Bold proclamations about Foye/Roy trade and in a nonanswer about the Love/Mayo trade. Interesting to hear Kahn say he doesn’t think Mayo will ever be an All-Star (not sure I agree with that, but time will tell).
I was also happy to hear he thinks Hinrich is a nice player, but overpaid. Thankfully, we can end those Hinrich to T-Wolves rumor.
Sounds like this team is going to look very different in 18 months. Would not suprise me if Big Al and perhaps Bassy and Gomes (as backups) are the only players still in MN for 2010-11 season.
I have a hunch that Kahn trades Love if Al looks to be getting healthy. Notice this quote: “We need everything but 4s”. He clearly doesn’t think Al is a center and may not be convinced that a Al/Love starting frontcourt can work. Clearly, he thinks we need a center to protect the basket.
How about Love (plus #28 or maybe #18) to Memphis for #2?
Surely he must also realize
that teams have what essentially amounts to two 4’s on the floor for enormous stretches of basketball throughout the year. There is no reason that Love, Jefferson, and Player X won’t have enough minutes to go around. I actually think we need two more types of bigs – a monstrous big body that can bump and hold his ground against the Bynums, Howards, Shaqs, and Duncans of the world on a spot basis and a long hybrid 3/4 that can guard some of the more nimble 4’s and big 3’s in the league.
by Rascal Flatts on Jun 10, 2009 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions
By the way
Earl Clark fits the bill for the hybrid 3/4 in the same mold as Kirilenko, Josh Smith, Gerald Wallace, and other names bandied about on this site as complimentary pieces to the Jefferson-Love tandem.
by Rascal Flatts on Jun 10, 2009 1:40 PM CDT up reply actions
Is he really going to fall to 18?
He’s got possibly the best NBA body in the draft, and (from what I remember, watching Louisville a handful of times) he’s got a pretty sweet stroke from the outside.
His teammate, Terrance Williams, is also a really good/great athlete with a perfect NBA two-guard body.
Both have ridiculous defensive potential and very versatile games, and yet both have crap FG%‘s and problems with things like shot selection and actually utilizing their athleticism offensively. Two big time enigmas, those guys. Wouldn’t stop me from taking a gamble on either if they’re available at 18, though.
This is where the Wolves need to do some homework on who they expect other teams to pick, because chances are good that someone out of Clark/Johnson/Maynor/Teague/Lawson/Jennings/Daye will be there at 18. It sounds like the Bulls are taking Hansbrough, but which way are other teams leaning? With Clark and Johnson, I think Phoenix and Detroit will be most interested, but Phoenix might also be interested in a backup PG and Detroit might be looking at Daye.
by pagingstanleyroberts on Jun 12, 2009 1:50 PM CDT up reply actions
Few Thoughts
1. Should the Wolves trade Love or AL? Sure if you got enough value for either one of them. I tend to think both of their values would increase in 2009-2010 assuming Al improves health-wise and Kevin Love makes a step forward a player.
2. As many assets as the team has. I’m unsure where they’re going to collect a legit 1 along with a legit 3. SNP’s write-up was pretty realistic as to the talent they can assemble. They can probably trade expirings for overpriced decent starters (Kirilenko, Hinrich) .
3..Rascal Flatts is right in his thoughts on how this will need to be built.
Not that impressed
Kahn didn’t say anything that impressive. His observations are the observations made my many of the posters on this and other boards and contain no great insight. His comments become relatively impressive because of the organization’s past. It’s the old, he’s a great husband, he cooks supper once a week and even cleans occasionally, no one else on the block cooks or cleans at all, what a great guy.
Kahn’s comments could come from the most superficial of analyses. I hope he doesn’t undervalue Love, as I believe that most of the standard bearers around the league do. I think Kahn does a disservice to the team if he trades Love before he sees his second year.
whut happened mayn?
yall seem ta forget dat de boi Al is a straight fiend mayn. de boi wuz avergin like 25-11 de lass 2 weeks fore he got injured mayn. he a beast mayn stop hatin, he could be a numba 1 i still think dis if de numba 2 is thowed. Love is a 3rd bess if not second iss disrespectful an ignorant ta sugess dat Love’s CEILING isnt an all star. dass just absolutely absurd mayn
MAYN HOL UP!
the comments about love...
….were kind of weird. i’d love to see them with the full context.
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Ummm, what he said!
I would have to agree. Al is a number one, a post number 1 (which makes it harder) but a number one. Big Al has MONSTER footwork for a big post player and scores frequently even against taller more athletic opposition.
Al has the numbers to back it up and don’t give me that “someone has to score line” because look at his entire statline and give me a comparable player on a bad team….still waiting.
As far as Love is concerned, I do agree with the rational that he can be a 3 on a very good team – considering he is a 4 now and he is 20 years old with 15 pounds of baby fat that needs to be muscle – that should be able to bump him up that extra whole digit. Please don’t forget this guy was a rookie and in HS two years ago— people were praising Marc Gasol when he started to board but once again compare the numbers.
This is not NBA Live or a fantasy league — we DO NOT NEED a true Center starting, I would take a Collins clone that is cheaper and can foul 5 times, grab 3 reb, dunk and block one shot every game.
We rebound like other teams want to and with Miller and Brew’s length on the court with Curry, we could have a smart rotation.
Big Al puts in work and Love grabs rebounds like he watched Rodman thru HS — Also, you don’t trade a 20 second year player – no matter what position he plays….look how long D-riot held on to Darko before trading him . Love nor Big Al will be traded anytime soon , take it to the glass — I mean bank.
Al can have all the pretty moves and footwork in the world
but in the end his offensive efficiency isn’t all that impressive. Howard’s pure power and athleticism trumps Al’s post finesse game in terms of his overall efficiency level. Two handed dunks and endless trips to the FT line are far more efficient than pretty push shots and up and under moves. That being said, there is no doubt Al Jefferson is a force in the low post, but his inability to get to the FT line at a high rate and just OK FG % for a big man aren’t enough to make him a #1 option on a contender. Just look at TS% for the 20PPG+ scorers in the NBA. Al is near the bottom of the list in this category. The problem is his FTA/FGA ratio, which is second to last of the 20PPG scorers. Al is a finesse guy in the low post that avoids contact. He will never fulfill his potential as an elite offensive force until he figures out a way to get fouled more or make 55%+ of his FGAs.
by Rascal Flatts on Jun 10, 2009 3:00 PM CDT up reply actions
I can’t argue that, but how much better would Super-D be with some of Jeffersons Moves/shots? Practically unstoppable.
Sometimes the obvious is hidden.
by frankenhoops on Jun 11, 2009 12:15 PM CDT up reply actions
Any word re Pekovic from Kahn?
I’m hardly looking for Nikola to be an NBA All-Star, but I would definitely like to see him actually in the U.S. and on the Wolves roster.
Kahn doesn't sound high on him
Says he’s not very explosive. Trade bait then?
"Come on Eddie, let's get serious."
Yep, I read that later...
If the Wolves actually manage to pick up a backup center who’s as effective as Orlando’s Gortat, I’d say that’s a player worth keeping. My take on Kahn’s “not very explosive” quote was that he was trying to deflate someone’s idea that Nikola would be the starting center. Or maybe that he would be coming at all (i.e. denigrate what you can’t have).
Here’s an article re Pekovic.
He’s has (and had) good coaches, he’s got a multi-year contract, he’s a star on a winning team. Why would he want to come to the Timberwolves? I dunno, but I wish he would.
yes, and this is worrisome
Pekovic has been the center on the EuroLeague championship team FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS! He has his faults but he’s immensely popular in Athens for good reason. It won’t be this year because of the money, but Pek may at some point want to have a shot at the NBA and he’ll be an instant impact player… and maybe exactly what the T-Wolves need at that point.
Kahn has to be much more careful about off-the-cuff comments. Remember, this is the guy who on taking the job said he was going to outwork and out-study the other GM’s. His comments so far only rate with others I’ve seen on these blogs. ;-)
A first shot
Based on Kahn’s comments I think the following increased in likelihood:
- Trading Love
- Not drafting Thabeet
- Not drafting Rubio – too expensive to move up and not a #1 type player
- If they stay at #6 in the draft and the top 5 are gone then drafting Jennings or Evans is more likely (someone with higher risk/reward)
- Staying verrry cap flexible through the next 14 months (no $4-5 million a year type players at 3+ years, no matter how nice a complementary fit)
- Pursuing a BIG deal (CP3 level). Packaging picks and players and cap space to make it work and hoarding those items until it can.
Is Al a #1 player?
Well, for now, he is our #1. All those previously mentioned superstars (except the then very young Kobe) became said stars with the teams that drafted them. You will not get this #1 by trading anybody on our team. Its fun to play GM, but Cleveland was where they were via drafting LeBron. Orlando is in the finals for drafting Howard. Shaq did succeed at Orlando but it was HE that forced his way out to Los Angeles. Nobody is going to force their way to Minnesota. Also, there are plenty of hall-of-famers who never got a ring (like Barkely, Malone, Stockton, etc.) despite being surrounded by some other very good players. This year’s draft may not be that good. Our position may not be that high, but I doubt we will build this team better by trades than drafts.
Which is why finding a #1 guy is mostly about luck.
by Rascal Flatts on Jun 10, 2009 3:01 PM CDT up reply actions
Makes you realize
That skilled team play counts for something too. Notice that Lebron is out of the playoffs, while the (arguably) consensus #2 best baller (Kobe) is also playing on the team that is playing together the best (also with fantastic ancillary talent). But before someone says, well look at all of LA’s talent, I’d point out the Rockets this year—who is their legitimate #1 guy? Yao? TMac? Artest? What’s incredible is that their #1 or #2 guy (however you want to look at it) goes down for half the year, and they get better. Then in the playoffs, early against the Lakers, their new #1 guy goes down, and they still make it a competitive series. And with the exception of Yao, both Artest and TMac came via trade or FA (can’t remember the precise details). If the Wolves need a blueprint, I think the Rockets are it. Draft what talent you can (Brooks), target existing NBA players to maximize your scheme (Battier), and then get every one playing together. Maybe you get lucky and hit on a DWade or CP3 every now and then, but you can’t bank on that. You gotta have more in your bucket than just luck. Besides, the Rockets were an entertaining and compelling team this season, I thought. Fun to root for.
"Come on Eddie, let's get serious."
Coaching is also underrated
Kobe, Wade, CP3, D-Will, Howard, Rockets, etc. all play(ed) for coaches that have had playoff success before they were even in the league.
LeBron hasn’t had that luxury and it’s possibly why he and his team are not in these Finals.
Agree with MAYNHOLUP & others...
Al is capable of being a number 1. Most of the guys who showed they were number 1’s by 4 years in the league were older than Al when they got here. Al has the ability and work ethic to improve.
While Kahn’s statements are refreshingly realistic, I’m not sure they show strong leadership. From what I read of reactions to his statements, they will not motivate Foye, Brewer, Al, Love and others. And they will not increase the value of any of these guys on the trade market, nor sell tickets. He could have handled this differently — much more positively.
To me, it sounds like the same kind of bravado we got out of Foye in his 1st two years — he stated many times he was a leader, and so on. But you don’t get to be a leader by saying you are a leader, in fact such statements show you don’t know how to be a leader.
Up til now I was positive on Kahn, but now I am wondering.
Well, you have to consider the context
I find it at least refreshing that someone in control is publicly admitting that the roster is weak. But the thing is this: he was talking to people he’s trying to sell tickets to. He can’t really spin the current situation positively with people already as frustrated and cynical as Wolves season ticket holders must be. He has no choice but to try to sell change. These people do not want to hear the glories of Randy Foye after watching him for the past 3 years. I certainly don’t.
I agree that Jefferson is a number 2 guy and Love is probably a number 4 that could be a number 3. Of course it’s virtually impossible to come up with a number 1, but it’s a realistic appraisal.
by Eric in Madison on Jun 10, 2009 6:24 PM CDT up reply actions
de whole trading love thing
is very very very worrying mayn.
MAYNHOLUP’s RO Uv De Week #16 mayn!!!!!!
http://www.cocaineblunts.com/blunts/?p=2875
MAYN HOL UP!
What the T-Wolves really need is...
A player like this ;-)
"And once again we can say, it's a GREAT day to be a Blazer."- Brian Wheeler
I was at the morning session
and frankly, I was really unimpressed with Kahn. Mike Tice like but without the sincerity is the best way I could describe Kahn. His “openness” was way to shrill and I felt that he threw a lot of players under the bus by emphasizing what they lacked instead of highlighting what the can offer. I always prefer the positive sale – not the negative. For someone who has not been in the league for, what, 5+ years in ANY capacity, he sure does present himself as cock sure of what needs to happen.
Even with that, I wish Kahn all the best. I hope he catches lightening in a bottle with the draft. I hope he does make a few great trades. But I think it may be just as likely that 3 years from now, we will be longing for the good old days of McHale.
He left me that cold.
Good to hear
I didn’t think there was anything he said that wasn’t either obvious or designed to make the old regime look bad. Now that MAY be the truth, but odds are its somewhere in between.
Fact of the matter is that the odds of success is pretty small and that the arrogance isn’t going to play well with the rest of the league. If he has the stones to make some trades, great. We can then actually judge him on something he does.
It did seem a tad aggressive...
…for an opening public statement about specific players.
The World's Leading Exporter of Small Area Quickness
www.canishoopus.com
I also..
….will never, ever get the “we need to find a 1a type of guy” talk. For a team like the Wolves, that seems a bit over-the-top. Of course, he can’t really come out and say “Big Al is as good as it’s going to get for us and we need some luck.”
The World's Leading Exporter of Small Area Quickness
www.canishoopus.com
What I would have preferred is comments from Kahn like
We have some pieces which need to keep improving, while we add a few more. Love needs to develop a 15-18 ft game. Big Al needs to come back strong from injury. Brewer needs to develop a consistent 3 pt shot.
Stuff like that is quite honest and open without trashing the existing players.
exactly...
….it’s a weird approach right off the bat.
The World's Leading Exporter of Small Area Quickness
www.canishoopus.com
hm interesting
Has Patrick Reusse disguised himself as Kahn and started inviting people to have breakfast with him?
by oblivionspocket on Jun 10, 2009 9:22 PM CDT reply actions
I think we'd know
No way you can disguise that voice.
"Come on Eddie, let's get serious."
by biggity2bit on Jun 10, 2009 10:44 PM CDT up reply actions
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