Does Rebuilding really take this long?

[cpfsf]

http://www.twincities.com/timberwolves/ci_13635909

In "two to three years," president of basketball operations David Kahn believes the Wolves can be a playoff contender in the Western Conference.

We've been rebuilding for two years now. With Kahn's additional 2-3 year estimate, it means it would take 4-5 years to become a playoff contender. I'm excited about the future, but 4-5 years?

[Klomp]

http://www.twincities.com/timberwolves/ci_13635909

In "two to three years," president of basketball operations David Kahn believes the Wolves can be a playoff contender in the Western Conference.

We've been rebuilding for two years now. With Kahn's additional 2-3 year estimate, it means it would take 4-5 years to become a playoff contender. I'm excited about the future, but 4-5 years?

We are basically re-rebuilding, so I agree with his statement

[The J Rocka]

McFail era wasn't true rebuilding... so we start this season

[jade_hippo]

just look at the turnover since Kahn took over. I think their first step in the re-rebuilding was to erase every McHale "mistake." But realistically if you look at the roster it is only a few moves away from challenging a playoff spot. I think in 3 years we may have a legit shot at winning a 1st round series. I do miss Cookie, thats about my only regret with Kahn's rebuild.

[Wolves2011]

http://www.twincities.com/timberwolves/ci_13635909

In "two to three years," president of basketball operations David Kahn believes the Wolves can be a playoff contender in the Western Conference.

We've been rebuilding for two years now. With Kahn's additional 2-3 year estimate, it means it would take 4-5 years to become a playoff contender. I'm excited about the future, but 4-5 years?

This is the 2nd attempt to rebuild since KG left [or second rebuild]

That takes more time.

the length of the rebuild is also why I don't think should wait for Rubio to come over and develop his game which will take at least three more years and possibly more.

[deeney0]

Infinity + 1

[Hangtime84]

Rebuilding takes some time best example of a team that rebuilds is my fav team the bulls. We were really really bad after the dynasty broke up. Only current examples i think of is boston (lucky trades) or OKC

[jade_hippo]

Infinity + 1

no takesies backsies?

[Basti]

http://www.twincities.com/timberwolves/ci_13635909

In "two to three years," president of basketball operations David Kahn believes the Wolves can be a playoff contender in the Western Conference.

We've been rebuilding for two years now. With Kahn's additional 2-3 year estimate, it means it would take 4-5 years to become a playoff contender. I'm excited about the future, but 4-5 years?

from now on there are only 2-3 years left

[southern wolf]

I don't think you can just map it out like that, who knows what's going to happen. When your team is down in the dumps, it feels like it will never end. When they're enjoying plenty of success, time just flies by.

[Worm Guts]

McFail era wasn't true rebuilding... so we start this season

Sure it was. There's alot to criticize McHale for, I don't have issue with how he set up the rebuild. And yes, I did expect it to take this long. That was one of my arguments against trading KG.

[shrink]

McFail era wasn't true rebuilding... so we start this season

Sure it was. There's alot to criticize McHale for, I don't have issue with how he set up the rebuild. And yes, I did expect it to take this long. That was one of my arguments against trading KG.

I agree. Remember, the rebuild started with Garnett to get some pieces and picks, but for the next years we gradually had to get rid of bad contracts and make ourselves a financially sound roster. We got a couple picks people can disagree with, but McHale never got a chance to use the cap space he was acquiring. Kahn will, and already spent our MLE on Sessions and Hollins.

[dunkonu21]

we have a core, but just recently had a direction as a basketball team with Rambis as our first legit coach. Hard to build off anything without any style or philosophy. We aren't that far away, but the next step is the hardest one.

[mandurugo]

NBA basketball is very much a superstar league, Detroit's momentary success was the exception. Getting a superstar is as much luck as anything, the wolves are currently doing what they can to shift the odds in their favor, but it's unlikely a current superstar changes teams. You generally have to get lucky in the draft or trade for a player before he establishes himself. The wolves with KG were 1 or 2 star players away every year from winning it all, but they had the bad luck that he signed the contract that brought the old salary agreement down, so it was almost impossible to trade or sign the necessary players. This was compounded by a variety of other issues (lottery picks, deaths, JR Rider and Stephon Marbury both being insane, etc.). That the wolves got as far as they did with Cassell and Sprewell at the ends of their careers is an indication of the knife's edge they were on for all those years. The wolves are now 1 or 2 players away - but the 1 player is a superstar. They could rebuild forever and never get that one guy who is going to allow them to the highest level, plenty of teams have been and are currently traveling down that road.

[cpfsf]

I don't think it's fair to label McHale's rebuilding efforts as two wasted years. He dug us in a hole, but he pulled off a miracle by getting rid of Jaric. Brewer is starting off strong, Love and Jefferson are elite forwards and brought in a steal with Nikola Pekovic. Plus we never would have gotten Rubio had it not been for the Love-Mayo trade.

[C.lupus]

Without any injuries, last year's team was about a 30-35 win team. With another year of experience, probably another vet addition, and a #6 player (Flynn/Curry), they probably would have been a 40-45 win team and maybe sniff the #8 seed. The problem is that the ceiling for that team isn't much higher. Kahn stripped off some of the talent (and dead weight). We had to take a step back in order to get on another path that may lead to a higher return.

Three years is probably about right for rebuild time but we could be looking at a playoff appearance sooner if we can land a good FA next year.

[hotshotschamp]

playoffs are possible next year if everything goes right.

That would be assuming...

1. Jefferson is 100% healthy
2. Flynn emerges becomes a good nba pg
3. Kevin Love gradually improves his outside shot and continues progress
4. We draft a big time SG/SF in 2010 draft * think turner* or even get a stud like wall or favors
5. Sign a FA with our cap money a guy who is instant impact.

Then we possibly could sniff a 7 or 8 seed.

[funkatron101]

McFail era wasn't true rebuilding... so we start this season

Sure it was. There's alot to criticize McHale for, I don't have issue with how he set up the rebuild. And yes, I did expect it to take this long. That was one of my arguments against trading KG.

Thank you!

Kahn may not agree with how McHale did things, but that doesn't mean he wasn't in the process of rebuilding. McHale got many of the peices that Kahn used to wheel and deal.

The question is, what would McHale have done differently?

[shrink]

NBA basketball is very much a superstar league, Detroit's momentary success was the exception. Getting a superstar is as much luck as anything, the wolves are currently doing what they can to shift the odds in their favor, but it's unlikely a current superstar changes teams. You generally have to get lucky in the draft or trade for a player before he establishes himself.

Well said, mandurugo. Drafting/scouting helps, but obvious superstars generally come in the first three picks of the draft, which are determined by the luck of the lottery. After you get out of the top 3, luck becomes a much greater factor for true superstars (I define them as the top 6 players in the league, or so).

Rubio has that chance, which Foye and Mike Miller did not. Rubio may fail, but luck is involved. A lucky fall of the lottery ball (we've never picked higher than 3?) will help. at least we're preparing, and as you mentioned, we're trying to shift our odds.

[shrink]

The question is, what would McHale have done differently?

Interesting! I think here are your questions:

1. Would McHale have done the Foye/Miller trade for the #5 pick and Songalia's extra year. Note, at the time, we didn't know #5 would become Rubio.

2. Who would McHale have drafted?

3. If he had Rubio, would McHale have used the MLE, and $6.3 mil of 2010 cap space, to make offers for Sessions and Hollins? What if he didn't have him?


I think if we go step-by-step, this team would be vastly different under a McHale rebuild.