I Believe in David Kahn

[TorontoSF]

Even though many people think he created a blunder here in drafting two PG's back to back. I really don't believe so. And he has really created ALOT of buzz because of this situation, turned alot of heads, and truthfully who would be talking about Minnesota had he not done this. Now I'm not saying that's why he did it, because he didn't do it for that reason at all, but its just a point.

But I really believe that he intends on keeping these two guys together, unless he gets a proper offer for either of them. I don't believe he is going to accept a low ball offer for the sake of trading them. And you guys might actually be lucky to have a GM like that finally. I know in the past you guys have got lowballed for players, because your GM has made a trade too fast and because he felt like he had too. But the mark of good GM is patience, and an unwillingness to trade a player unless he is going to get fair value of him.

Really I don't know whether or not Kahn is going to trade one of your PG's, but what he has done over the last little while and what I have seen is that he has pratically abolished the sense that some people had that he HAD to trade one of these PGs. And if other GMs feel like he has to trade one of these PGs then he is not going to get fair value for them.

All in all, watching him talk is very interesting. And I really like him now, I really don't know what it is, but he seems to have a plan and he is very eccentric, but he seems to have a plan, though it is broad. He is going in a certain direction and that is very important. You can see that with teams like Golden State and LAC, that they make moves all the time and really change their minds ALL the time and teams like that are never successful. I think you guys finally have a guy that believes in what he is doing and is going to keep on going in his direction that he believes to be right no matter how other perceive it. And he has gotten lashed in the media but he has handled it brilliantly.

It has been just amazing to watch.

[TheProdigy]

I believe in him as well. Jonny Flynn was such a controversial pick, but it makes sense. Here is a guy that scored 17.5 ppg and 6.5 apg at a great program as a sophomore. Anyone that follows college basketball can understand that is an impressive accomplishment. All in all I really can't see any major weaknesses in his game besides three point shooting. He is a very safe pick with tremendous upside. Think Chris Paul.

Worst case scenario is that we trade either Flynn or Rubio. That player traded ends up being better than the player we keep. So wouldn't it make sense for us to wait a while to find out which player has more upside? Would it really be that bad if Rubio stayed in Spain for a year or two(which I don't think he will he was making less than 100k a year over there) and found out what Flynn is capable of?

Don't worry about what the media says. They suck, at everything.

[MLC84]

Look, I'm not ready to say I believe or don't believe in the guy. This wasn't a great draft, but the 2 point guard issue is a legitimate concern. He'll get his chance and the proof will be in the pudding. I do think he speaks too quickly and too much for his own good - some see this as "transparancy", but he may alienate players and paint himself into corners.

Also, isn't it hard to respect or believe in someone who writes the following in an open letter to fans: "That we have only one life to live, and that we must spend our lives trying, as Pat Riley once taught me, to leave footprints."

At this point you can't say if his footprints in Minn will be trailblazing, aimless wandering, or trample on the franchise.

[Calinks]

I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way.

[revprodeji]

I would not say "i believe" but I am cautiously optimistic. Kahn has a very professional manner to him, and his work ethic has been spoke about numerous times. Whether or not he can evaluate talent or if his plan will work we will see. What I do know is he is professional and works his ass off, seems to know everyone and everyone speaks kind of him. He went into the draft week, pulled off a great trade and brought in great talent. If we would have not made the Wash trade and just drafted Flynn I would be happy. But when you consider that he moved two guards that were not part of our long range plan and moved them for Rubio you have to be giddy.

[FairDinkum]

I like his moves thus far, thats as far as I'm going just now...

[Frozen3161]

Khan: "Basically said take this player off our roster, pick any two players you want"
Dan Patrick: "For who?"
Khan: "For the 5th pick"

Dan Patrick: "Did you get a call from the Knicks about Rubio?"
Khan: "No"

Khan: "We had at least 8 teams lined up to take 18"

[JMillott]

I would not say "i believe" but I am cautiously optimistic. Kahn has a very professional manner to him, and his work ethic has been spoke about numerous times. Whether or not he can evaluate talent or if his plan will work we will see. What I do know is he is professional and works his ass off, seems to know everyone and everyone speaks kind of him. He went into the draft week, pulled off a great trade and brought in great talent. If we would have not made the Wash trade and just drafted Flynn I would be happy. But when you consider that he moved two guards that were not part of our long range plan and moved them for Rubio you have to be giddy.

Even the "garbage" he took back is useful as well.

Etan Thomas if he plays can help and can then either be allowed to expire or used via trade deadline himself with other assets.

Daruis Songala is overpaid for this year but he is servicable in a rotation and isn't a bad mentor for Love offensively.

[LOBO 7]

Great post TorontoSF, thanks for the outsider perspective. I personally was not sure what to think of Kahn at first, but he is really growing on me. I agree that he has handled the criticism very well and that he seems very patient but also very diligent, a great combination in terms of not rushing a trade. And, I really am coming around to the idea of Flynn and Rubio together as an incredibly dynamic and exciting backcourt of the future. Of course the main concern is defense, but I actually think Rubio may be better suited to guard SGs anyways. Of course it would depend on match-ups, but with Corey Brewer on our roster we should have very adaptable perimeter defense. Offensively, I can't even imagine how exciting a Flynn and Rubio backcourt would be. I really don't think there would EVER be a boring Twolves game, EVER. Both players are too tenacious and aggressive to allow that to happen, such a far cry from our hesitant, sluggish backcourts of recent years. These 2 will create offense on every single possession, whether it be for themselves or for a teammate.
Of course a lot will depend on the coach we wind up with, but I am already sold on the Flynn-Rubio experiment, if any team can afford to give it a shot it is us, and it may turn out brilliantly. Long story short, I think I believe in David Kahn.

[TorontoSF]

I just think he took BPA, and he has to make it seem like he isn't that against them playing together. Otherwise he would never get a good offer for them. And I don't think you'll see both of them starting, more of a 3 guard rotation in the backcourt with them two and another guard.

[shrink]

I'm very optimistic. He's done several things I've liked, and seems to share several fo my most basic beliefs:

1. This is a superstar league. He's been willing to move guys that aren't superstars (Miller, Foye, #18), and get back potential.

2. He has an eye on the finances.

3. He agrees that Kirk Hinrich is over-priced.

4. He held his ground on offers for trading up, when it looked like there was a slim chance for rubio to drop.

5. I have no problem selecting two PGs or having two PF's. We're a rebuilding team. Get talent, whatever position it fills. Select what he thinks is the BPA at #6.

6. He's on a seventeen month plan. Like I've long advocated, our season starts in 2010.

[younggunsmn]

getting rubio for miller and foye, and more importantly getting the trade finalized 2 days before the draft (would never had been made if it was thought rubio would drop), when so many teams wanted that pick was sheer genius.

getting a future likely lottery pick for 18 in a weak draft was genius.
getting ellilngton at 28 was awesome, and having minutes to give him will make his value soar this year.
not trading up and still getting 3 guys we like alot shows balls.

i can tell we liked thabeet, but when you have a brain-dead stubborn gm like wallace who refuses to come off his demands and do what's best for his team and trade down, what can you do.

One thing not mentioned is that rubio defending off the ball plays to his strength of playing the passing lanes and coming up with lots of steals. The key test for both will be how they get around picks, which are much nastier in the nba.

it remains to be seen if a flynn/rubio experiment will work, or come to fruition. it sure can't be worse defensively than foye/miller or telfair/miller/foye.
Also, if both play 34 minutes, you are only playing them together for 20 minutes.

rubio 34 (PG)
flynn 34 (20SG, 14PG)
ellington 28 (SG)
Gomes 28 (SF)
Brewer 20 (SF)
Love 34 (PF)
Jefferson 36 (C)
Songaila 14(PF)
Thomas 12 (C)

Works for now until we get our stud SG, SF, and C to rotate w/al and love.
still don't like the frontcourt defense, but it is a 17 month plan.
I really think ellington is going to be THE surprise player in the league this year.
He improved his soft body so much from last year's draft camp to this year's,
dude looks (and plays) like an nba SG now.



I think rubio may be a much more gifted scorer than most give him credit for. He put up huge numbers with the national junior team before he became a pro, and he played with a bad wrist all year. With his dribbling and quickness he could put up tony parker numbers, with a better outside shot. It may be better in the end if flynn is dealt, but right now it is hard seeing the right fit with another team and value coming back. rudy fernandez makes alot of sense, but dealing with portland does not. I see us having a very, very hard time prying him away from them.

It will get harder to move flynn because of this outstanding PG class.
And moving rubio is out of the question. Potential superstars don't grow on trees, and this guy has the potential to be better than anyone we've drafted since KG.

I firmly believe fegan is drooling to get this guy started on his rookie deal and closer to the big payday, and the buyout is the only question.
I think within a month or 2 his buyout will be reduced to 3 mil or so and he will sign after being guaranteed 30 mpg and PG duties.

[younggunsmn]

He is handling this rubio situation flawlessly.
Praising the agent and the player.
By saying we aren't putting pressure on him and we can wait for him, we are putting pressure on his agent to make a decision, because by saying we can wait we take away any leverage he has in demanding a trade (which was little to start with).

By coming out with that letter to the fans right away he assured us he was not trading ricky, but that we may have to wait, which was the right thing to do to blunt any fan negativity.
It takes away the option of trading him, because the backlash would be enormous.

Most importantly he has convinced taylor to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT, something mchale never was any good at.

A team like sacto with pressure to get better this year may have been more afraid of fegan pulling that kind of crap.

[Krapinsky]

Youngunzman-- you left out minutes for Smith (which probably shouldn't be an issue until Al is 100%)

[collin_k41]

I'm with rev in the fact that I'm "cautiously optimistic." Being a wolves fan, we've gotten burned quite a few times in the past so it'll take more than a couple weeks to gain my trust. I really like what he's done so far though. When we got the #5 pick I was almost sure we were going to overpay for the #2 pick and take Thabeet, which would have been a HUGE mistake looking back on it. I was also slightly worried at one point that Klove was outta here which would have been disappointing as well. I have questioned some of his moves and motives at first(being cautious again), but in every instance so far he has proven to make the move that is in the best interest of the Wolves franchise. I don't think I will fully trust him until we make a playoff birth with our developed youth.

[gojoorange]

So many GM's are criticized for drafting by position instead of drafting BPA, Kahn drafted BPA and he is getting criticized? The Wolves have drafted two potential all star calibre point guards, Rubio will get the Wolves publicity and sell tickets for the first year or two. If he ends up being a bust, which is possible, big deal, Flynn is going to be good in the league. Besides, I actually think that Rubio and Flynn can coexist, both as starters even, and provide some amazingly talented and marketable basketball. Kahn knows exactly what he is doing.

[revprodeji]

Good post. I appreciate it.

[DarkoNeedsAfro]

[quote]So many GM's are criticized for drafting by position instead of drafting BPA, Kahn drafted BPA and he is getting criticized? The Wolves have drafted two potential all star calibre point guards, Rubio will get the Wolves publicity and sell tickets for the first year or two. If he ends up being a bust, which is possible, big deal, Flynn is going to be good in the league. Besides, I actually think that Rubio and Flynn can coexist, both as starters even, and provide some amazingly talented and marketable basketball. Kahn knows exactly what he is doing.[quote]


Most GM's don't have 2 top 6 picks so they can draft the best player available and not look like an idiot. I am amazed that so many people continue to defend this draft. The man drafted 2 PG's that are going to be below average defenders(one due to size, one due to athletic ability and strength), that are both poor shooters(who respects dribble pentration when they can back 5 feet off you?), and that both are true PG's who are supposed to be the floor generals....there's a reason the Army doesn't put two 5 star generals in charge of the same battlefield. Who does the team look to in crunchtime? Who takes charge when the game is on the line? It's too easy to say, "well one game it will be Rubio, then it will be Flynn, then...". Teams do not operate like that at any level. So the argument is what? Well, one may turn out to be great and then they can get rid of the other one? Good move...cause lord knows this team only has 1 area that needs improved...word is Kahn just drafted another PG in a YMCA 5th grade rec league draft.

If the guy had a trade worked out, or even has one in mind now I can see this turning out okay for the T-Wolves. If not it is doomed to be considered a joke of the league. It reminds me of how people mock the Detroit Lions for taking WR's every year. The team has committed a lot of money to 2 guys who play the same position, one of which who wants nothing to do with the team, and you guys are falling over yourselves to pat the guy on the back. I was mad for you draft night.


And next year if the Wolves pick high should they still go best player available and get Wall out of Kentucky? I guess you guys might need a small forward.

[revprodeji]

Thanks for summarizing the same no basis hypothetical NY crap that has stunk up the board for 3 days. Now I can just look at your post for a summary. Way to be creative and offer some real value. Appreciate it.

[dunkonu21]

Kahn has shown he is very good with the media and made me smile with many of his quotes. I like that he is so forward in explaining things...it makes me feel like I'm getting inside information. I am happy he is being aggressive in the draft. I love that he got another this year AND next year.


If he trades Rubio I will seriously consider not supporting the team anymore. He drafted a guy who has superstar potential and he is ours now for better or worse. That's right I'm married to Rubio, without him, I divorce the Timberwolves.