Taylor: Kahn Is Safe, Still Evaluating Rambis

[Klomp]

JerryZgoda Jerry Zgoda
Kahn and Rambis finally meeting these next two days to discuss last season and future. Could an actual decision be forthcoming shortly?

[Breakdown777]

JerryZgoda Jerry Zgoda
Kahn and Rambis finally meeting these next two days to discuss last season and future. Could an actual decision be forthcoming shortly?

This tells me that even if Rambis stays on, he get's very little (if any) input on the incoming players. Once a coach starts losing privileges, confidence, etc,...he might as well get fired. I'm really under the belief that only good option right now is to move on. If waiting until the lockout is resolved is necessary, so be it, but it would be nice to have a new coach in place asap.

[shangrila]

I don't care what they do anymore, just as long as they do something. Waiting around for them to decide whether or not he's staying is annoying.

[eyeteeth]

http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/video/2011/06/17/KahnRubiomediamov-1736951/index.html

They talk Rambis for about the last two and a half minutes of this video. Bottom line, this is the process I outlined a month or so ago. Hardcore performance review: what did you do, what worked what didn't, what are you going to do differently next time and what do you expect to happen when you do?

At the time, I thought they would keep him for sure. I guess I still think Rambis will be here next year, but more like 70% chance. The good news is, sounds like Kahn was really pissed about the way the season ended. Also interesting is that it sounds like there are some significant style differences. Kahn really wants to know why we didn't run more. Of course the answer to that is that it was killing us because we had no transition D, and other teams were destroying us when we ran. Not sure how Rambis can adjust that. The kind of game Kahn wants to play is nutso, but kind of awesome and really hard. It demands serious defensive chops and a strong sense of when to do exactly which thing.

I like Kahn a lot. He is asking a lot, but if Rambis said two years ago he could deliver it, then it's up to Rambis to say what's wrong. Certainly Kahn has delivered the players the thesis demands.

[Breakdown777]

I think the whole saga is getting pretty funny. According to that video, it probably played out something like this:

It's the end of the season. You team performed terribly down the stretch. There was very little, if any, noticeable improvement from the beginning of the season to the end. You end with the worst record in the league, and 32 wins in 2 seasons. This is the NBA, and most coaches in this situation would get fired within the first week of the off season. Instead of getting fired, a noticeably angry David Kahn comes up to you and says "WRITE ME A REPORT!"

It's like the grade on the report determines if Rambis stays or goes. Add to that they want to talk for roughly 6 hours before working everything out? I've never really heard of a possibly coach firing going like this before. One thing is for sure, I'm betting on this being Rambo's last chance.

[B Calrissian]

In the paper the other day they wrote about how Kahn hates firing ppl (McHale was the example) and might be building up to it. From the sound of that interview he would've tore Rambis a new one at the end of the season if they had spoke. I hope the four hour meeting was that long because Kahn was trying to come up with positive things to say about Rambis' performance and the next meeting will be the last.

"Umm you showed you are loyal after the Lakers game where Bynum took out Beasley. Loyalty is always appreciated."
"Oh and your rotations helped me even out my hairline from all the head scratching. You've been very helpful."

[younggunsmn]

It's just like in the real world when you are doing a crappy job, and your boss calls you into the office and says, "change the way you do things or you're out the door". Rambis clearly was a picking a power struggle with Kahn last season with the way he used his rotations, and he came out on the short end of that power struggle. The only reason he's not gone already is that Taylor doesn't want to cough up another 4 million and/or can't get the minority owners to sign off on it, and he doesn't want to pay 2 coaches during a lockout.

Prediction: When the lockout-shortened season commences JB Bickerstaff will be coaching this team because he is the best guy we have at working with the young players as the Front Office is sick of the "tough love" from old school guys like Rambis and Laimbeer.

[Devilzsidewalk]

if they want to the cheapskate route (obviously they do)
I'd definitely take Laimbeer over Rambis as HC. Best thing would've been for the Lakers to come calling so we wouldn't have to push him out. Now its just kinda awkward w/ Rambis basically begging not to get fired with his "I can change!" interviews. I'm willing to give him the year, but then I think the Kahnbis duo needs to have an "amicable parting" from the organization if there isn't major improvement in the quality of play.

[The J Rocka]

TMZ to Rambis: We need you to coach (Lakers)

Rambis "You evidently haven't seen my record"

[Esohny]

if they want to the cheapskate route (obviously they do)
I'd definitely take Laimbeer over Rambis as HC. Best thing would've been for the Lakers to come calling so we wouldn't have to push him out. Now its just kinda awkward w/ Rambis basically begging not to get fired with his "I can change!" interviews. I'm willing to give him the year, but then I think the Kahnbis duo needs to have an "amicable parting" from the organization if there isn't major improvement in the quality of play.

Do you honestly think that Rambis is going to suddenly learn how to coach? I wish they would just pull off the bandage already.

[The J Rocka]

if they want to the cheapskate route (obviously they do)
I'd definitely take Laimbeer over Rambis as HC. Best thing would've been for the Lakers to come calling so we wouldn't have to push him out. Now its just kinda awkward w/ Rambis basically begging not to get fired with his "I can change!" interviews. I'm willing to give him the year, but then I think the Kahnbis duo needs to have an "amicable parting" from the organization if there isn't major improvement in the quality of play.

Do you honestly think that Rambis is going to suddenly learn how to coach? I wish they would just pull off the bandage already.

I want him gone just as bad but if he's already bending over for Kahn to change his entire scheme, especially in writing to Kahn, I'm sure they will give him one more chance to turn it around.

[Esohny]

I don't think it has anything to do with the Performance Improvement Plan, or whatever they're calling it. This is straight up Taylor not wanting to pay for two head coaches at once.

[The J Rocka]

I don't think it has anything to do with the Performance Improvement Plan, or whatever they're calling it. This is straight up Taylor not wanting to pay for two head coaches at once.

On top of that, I'm sure they don't want to be coachless during the workouts/draft, not that it should matter if they plan to give him the boot, draft prospects probably don't want to go to a team with no coach in place kind of like Stephen Curry back in 09 (I think is why he didn't want to workout here, Kahn also not viewing him as a true PG).

[Breakdown777]

TMZ to Rambis: We need you to coach (Lakers)

Rambis "You evidently haven't seen my record"

this is awesome!

I don't think it has anything to do with the Performance Improvement Plan, or whatever they're calling it. This is straight up Taylor not wanting to pay for two head coaches at once.

+1. Rambis is a mighty fine assistant, but how many chances does one guy get? The team isn't that terrible, but that must be Rambo's defense.

[Busch Legion]

If he does stick, its time to change that offense. Rubio must P and R baby

[Tha Juice]

JerryZgoda Jerry Zgoda
Rambis is not here today and will not be here for draft Thursday. Hmmmmm....#Timberwolves

JerryZgoda Jerry Zgoda
Kahn when asked if Rambis' absence this week isn't an obvious answer about his future: "You're overthinking it, no."

[AQuintus]

Even if they do keep him one more year, the fact that he's apparently not involved with personnel decisions anymore is a good sign.

[eyeteeth]

Yes. It looks like Kahn is saying, "Run the kind of team I want with the players I'm giving you. Can you do that?"

[LordBaldric]

I wish Taylor would just sell the team.