The Wolves Front Office Takes The Fans for a Ride
I'm getting a little dizzy from the spin eminating from the Wolves front office. Even when they do something decent, they can't do it right, it seems. It reminds me of a classic Homer Simpson quote: "I don't mind being called a liar when I'm lying, or about to lie, or just finished lying... but not when I'm telling the truth!"
Adam Platt of Mpls-St. Paul Magazine posted a missive right after the draft, about the way the Wolves treated poor ol' Sid regarding the news of the drafting, then trading of OJ Mayo for the new Mini-McHale, Kevin Love. Planting a informational shiv in Sid's back? That's a little overwrought to me; this wasn't even close to the time the Vikings hired Denny Green over personal friend and favorite Pete Carroll back in the 90's. Now THERE was a screwjob!
Still, the FO seems to be in full damage control mode. The Mayor was on Rosen's Sports Sunday last night, "breaking down" the trade. There was video of Sid on his knees, trying to hookup a recorder (no shiv noticable), all the "small area quickness" talk, comparisons between Love and Al Horford (I think the Wolves should ask Atlanta whether or not they want to switch players with us, since they're so interchangable), and the "I'm telling the truth" section of his remarks, about exactly when Memphis called to change their mind about the trade. Then came two interesting offerings from Fred.
To paraphrase here, he said when they drafted Chalmers, they knew he was going to have trouble breaking through with the glut of guards they currently had--Foye, McCants, Jaric, Buckner, Telfair (possibly)--so they traded him. He went on to say if they had been able to make the Memphis trade earlier, they would have kept him. Hmmm...let's see if I have this right: a 20 win team with talent needs across the board, with a mediocre crop of guards AND no real point guard to speak of, selects a good to great prospect who drops in your lap at pick #34, then trades him almost immediately? Nice. Why in the world did they pick him in the first place?
Second, Freddy justified the trade by telling everyone how all the veteran NBA writers--"the ones that do this for a living", or something to that effect--loved the deal. Hmm...let me see if I have THAT straight. You mean the press--the group that McHale has repeatedly said knows nothing about basketball, and that has criticized him for umpteen years--suddenly should be the oracle of truth in this instance?
Is it starting to become clear why the Wolves organization can't catch a break? You're only as good as your word, and the words coming out of this organization are tortured, even if in the end they may be making the right moves--at least overall.