SI's Steve Assburner expects Wittman to be fired

[Mcfale313]

5. Randy Wittman, Minnesota Timberwolves. When Wittman returned from the 2006-07 season -- the final squandered year of Kevin Garnett's stay in Minnesota -- and strapped in for an extreme makeover, the first word uttered was "patience.'' It was management advising Wittman, rather than the other way around, because the coach already had one frustrating stint (62-102) with the Cavaliers and wasn't eager to ugly-up his record any more. But after one full season (22-60) with a revolving-door roster of kids and castoffs, Timberwolves boss Kevin McHale is talking about a .500 finish. Wittman, respectfully, has guessed more in the range of 32-35 victories. If that's not progress enough for McHale, and he stays committed to the players on hand, Wittman could take the fall. Changing the coach could buy the Wolves an extra marketing year, too, with the fans, who thought seven consecutive first-round exits were bad until they stopped reaching the playoffs altogether.

Steve Aschburner covered the Minnesota Timberwolves and the NBA for 13 seasons for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. He has served as president or vice president of the Professional Basketball Writers Association since 2005.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/w ... ml?eref=T1

[shrink]

Ash is bitter about the last few years of the Wolves, and confuses bitterness with impartiality. You can tell that by sticking "the final squandered year of KG in Minnesota" right in the first sentence, when it really doesn't have anything to do with his piece. While he was once the best Wolves writer in the Twin Cities, I don't put too much stock in what he says now.

That said, I could see Wittman being fired if the improvement isn't good enough.

[collin_k41]

Agreed shrink. I think Mchale and company have pretty high expectations for this year. At least high comparitive to last year. I think if we don't get around 30 wins Wittman is as good as gone.

[Basti]

please fire RSW as soon as possible... please. this would be icing on the cake for me.

[Calinks]

I still have serious doubts about Wittman but he hasn't done anything yet to warrant a firing. On top of that I am certain Taylor gave him the keys to the franchise and told him he had a few years to get things on track, I think Wittman pretty much has a green light until midway next season. Taylor has given him a huge amount of leeway. I don't see Wittman being fired unless there are extreme circumstances, like the team performing horribly. If Witt pulls off a 33 win season he'll probably be fine. Taylor's not going to sit on the bench and eyeball him for 48 minutes.

[casey]

That's a misleading title. It's an article where he ranks the coaches that could end up on the hot seat. He's not saying he thinks Wittman will be fired.

[Mcfale313]

If that's not progress enough for McHale, and he stays committed to the players on hand, Wittman could take the fall. Changing the coach could buy the Wolves an extra marketing year...

doesn that suggest a firing?......unless the changing coach part means Wittman resigns himself

[mnWI]

If that's not progress enough for McHale, and he stays committed to the players on hand, Wittman could take the fall. Changing the coach could buy the Wolves an extra marketing year...

doesn that suggest a firing?......unless the changing coach part means Wittman resigns himself

Yes, but does he say he expects Witt to be fired, or does he say Witt could be fired?

[casey]

If that's not progress enough for McHale, and he stays committed to the players on hand, Wittman could take the fall. Changing the coach could buy the Wolves an extra marketing year...

doesn that suggest a firing?......unless the changing coach part means Wittman resigns himself

It was his job to write an article about the 5 most likely coaches to be fired. He doesn't necessarily "expect", or even predict, any of them to be fired.

[Mcfale313]

Fine u guys got a point, I just found that whenever he mentioned the wolves in his recent articles he's kinda bitter and wrote kinda negatively........I just thought he wasnt too high on the wolves maybe he thought a change of coaching could help the team out.........but ya.....whatever, my topic is stupid

[casey]

Not a stupid topic at all, just not the greatest title. And for the record I don't see Wittman getting fired, at least not this year.

[Tirion]

When I was opening this thread, I had my hopes up for a sec

[Mcfale313]

lol thanks casey, i'll make a better and more appropriate title next time
and sorry Tirion, for the same reason....


personally I would think McFail gives Wittman half a season, he fired Dwayne Casey when the wolves at 20-20 and he was expecting something like 24-16, so based on that I would see Wittman gone if the wolves are a few games lower than he expect the team to be, which in this article as stated by the author, an "about .500 finish"
and based on that, its hard to predict Wittman could lead the wolves to that kinda record by mid of the season

[4ho5ive]

Casey had a team full of vets and a win now mentality to live up to. Wittman is in the opposite position. Yes we want wins, and 20 is not likely going to cut it, but i wouldnt base Wittman's job security on what happened with Dwayne.

[TMo519]

If he rolls 3-21 to start again, look for him to be one foot out the door, or he should be lol. 32 wins or so should be enough for him to hold onto his job though I think.

[mandurugo]

please fire RSW as soon as possible... please. this would be icing on the cake for me.

So what's the cake? (Hmmm, I think I'm more bitter than Aschburner)

[john2jer]

I'm not a fan of Wittman, and think the Wolves could be doing a lot better. I think this season was the time to bring in a quality coach to build the kids with. Not switch up when they're on the verge of getting to where we want to go.

I still think Aschburner is an idiot. He classified last year's team as kids and cast-offs. We didn't really have any "cast-offs" that got quality minutes. Maybe telfair, but I still consider him one of the kids. It's SI, though, it's all garbage since screwed with my last page.

[Basti]

please fire RSW as soon as possible... please. this would be icing on the cake for me.

So what's the cake? (Hmmm, I think I'm more bitter than Aschburner)

the cake is a wolves team loaded with potential. icing would be that RSW is fired to let a good coach take care of this talent.

[horaceworthy]

Not a stupid topic at all, just not the greatest title. And for the record I don't see Wittman getting fired, at least not this year.

I agree, unless the wheels completely come off, I don't see Witt getting fired this year. If we show a modicum of improvement this year, and end up around 30 wins, I don't see Witt's seat getting warm until next season, when the Wolves might actually have expectations of getting up around a .500 record. I don't think that McHale seriously expects 40 wins this year, but he always seems to think a little more highly of the roster he puts together than I do, so who knows.

[horaceworthy]

I'm not a fan of Wittman, and think the Wolves could be doing a lot better. I think this season was the time to bring in a quality coach to build the kids with. Not switch up when they're on the verge of getting to where we want to go.

I still think Aschburner is an idiot. He classified last year's team as kids and cast-offs. We didn't really have any "cast-offs" that got quality minutes. Maybe telfair, but I still consider him one of the kids. It's SI, though, it's all garbage since screwed with my last page.

That's really the only way to classify them. We didn't have any cast-offs get consistent minutes for the entire season, but there was typically at least one "cast-off" type getting good minutes every game, be it Snyder, 'Toine, Buckner, Ratliff, Jaric or Doleac.