Kamla on KFAN with Charch

[Esohny]

So, I just heard Kamla giving the doom and gloom take on the Wolves on the Fan. The highlights for me:

1: The Darko signing was "one of the worst contracts he's ever seen, because Darko is a bust as the #2 pick in his draft"
2: The Pekovic contract was "laughable" because unlike Hakim Warrick (his example), Pekovic(who Kamla admitted he has never seen) hasn't proven anything in the league yet.


Let's just say I would have had some follow up questions for him.

[Krapinsky]

Reminds me of 50% of our posters.

[digitaldropoff]

Luckily I wasn't tuning in, thanks for the recap. Darko may be a complete bust, but guys of his size and mobility get on average around the money he got. The Warrik/Pek thing makes no sense at all to me, because if anything Hakim has proved he's nothing more than a back up in this league.

[Breakdown777]

I think Kamla is pretty bitter about McHale getting the ax, and Kahn coming in and blowing everything up. What's funny is that Pek was picked by Kamla's idol, and we signed him for a good price considering he was a top 2nd round pick that all the scouts and experts had as a top 15 player the year he was drafted.

I think in NBA sports media cirlces, it's pretty much a given that you'll get attention if you slander Kahn.

[funkatron101]

I don't mind the Pekovic signing at all. The Darko one I'm liking less and less. His PER differential and DWS are dismal. I rooted for him because he was a grumpy bear and I wanted him to succeed, but we weren't any more impressive with him on the team than Brian Cardinal.

He does some nice things in the game that can't translate directly to stats, but we're talking about a guy, who has proved little in the league, essentially pushing a 20/10 player out the door.

With the said, the contract itself is fair, but Kahn's 17-month plan is looking to be a joke thus far. He's just getting rid of all of McHale's guys. Kahn's likely going to say "Be patient, just give me one more year." until Taylor has had enough, then we are right back into rebuilding again.

Darko has to deliver. He has to make everyone say "Wow, what a steal for Minnesota." He won't have any excuses this time.

Sorry Krap, I'm turning into one of the 50%.

[fmi-agent]

The Darko signing was "one of the worst contracts he's ever seen, because Darko is a bust as the #2 pick in his draft"

Nice "shorter Kamla: ..." summary. The part I highlighted is an especially good shorthand for why all the Kahn-bashing over that deal bothers me.

[Krapinsky]

So, I just heard Kamla giving the doom and gloom take on the Wolves on the Fan. The highlights for me:

1: The Darko signing was "one of the worst contracts he's ever seen, because Darko is a bust as the #2 pick in his draft"
2: The Pekovic contract was "laughable" because unlike Hakim Warrick (his example), Pekovic(who Kamla admitted he has never seen) hasn't proven anything in the league yet.


Let's just say I would have had some follow up questions for him.

I have no problem with people being upset if and when Al gets traded for pennies on the dollar. In that case, I'll be extremely disenchanted. However, until that happens there is no reason for everyone to get their panties in a bunch.

As for Kamla's points raised by eastsideohionewyork -- I'll just completely disagree. Both are 25 year old big men that can play rotation minutes in this league. Those guys will cost you $5M a pop if you're going to be locking in the primes of their careers.

[Dewey]

The $$ values are fair for both, but it's just hard to put things into perspective when we've literally added another earthbound player to the roster ... we know it's going to change. These signings are clear signals we have trade options on the table and merely waiting for the "frenzy" to clear itself up some this week.

[Devilzsidewalk]

I'm most concerned with Kahn's inability to recognize the team needs and address them, he's all concerned with monkeying around with the frontcourt 24/7.

[Krapinsky]

I'm most concerned with Kahn's inability to recognize the team needs and address them, he's all concerned with monkeying around with the frontcourt 24/7.

Well he did already pick up Webster and Johnson, which IMO was a pretty big step for addressing team needs.

I think we can all agree that we also need some athleticism in the front court.

[Devilzsidewalk]

adding a 3rd big man w/ some athleticism is a good thing, replacing Love and Jefferson with athletic lesser players is not

[funkatron101]

I'm most concerned with Kahn's inability to recognize the team needs and address them, he's all concerned with monkeying around with the frontcourt 24/7.

Well he did already pick up Webster and Johnson, which IMO was a pretty big step for addressing team needs.

I think we can all agree that we also need some athleticism in the front court.

Maybe they can start together and I'm just not seeing it right now. It just feels like we still have a big hole at SG, and instead of addressing it, Kahn is focusing on David Lee.

[Krapinsky]

I'm most concerned with Kahn's inability to recognize the team needs and address them, he's all concerned with monkeying around with the frontcourt 24/7.

Well he did already pick up Webster and Johnson, which IMO was a pretty big step for addressing team needs.

I think we can all agree that we also need some athleticism in the front court.

Maybe they can start together and I'm just not seeing it right now. It just feels like we still have a big hole at SG, and instead of addressing it, Kahn is focusing on David Lee.

I don't think any of us have any idea what Kahn's end game is. It does no good worrying about it until it unfolds. Who knows? Maybe he's just driving up the price for David Lee so as to further increase Al's trade value down the road??

[The J Rocka]

Wow Ive never heard him go off about our team or signings like that, maybe he just puts on an act on NBATV?

[shrink]

I like Kamla, but remember, his background is as a pioneer of fantasy sports in the '90's (fanball).

How many years did he waste a 4th round pick on Darko, and see himself daily fall behind? I can tell you from past experience, I am still bitter about Vince Carter quitting on TOR, because it nearly cost me a title.

And this can explain his dislike of Pekovic as well. My spreadsheets for predicting stats were massive, but I too carried a large suspicion for anyone who's data didn't fit inside them.

Kamla is a fan, and he speaks from his heart. I like hearing from those guys, and I respect he hasn't jumped ship. However, expert analysis often gets washed away behind great emotion.

[Calinks]

I have been watching Kamla on NBA TV over the last two years now and I think he clearly does not like Khan and is is absolutely not a fan of our direction. On top of that he has all the national media guys in his ear and that's the dominant point of view he receives. As far as Darko is concerned, you need to understand that to the outside observer. locking Darko up as your starting C seems like a joke. The guy is the most well known bust in the NBA.

He's far more of a bust now than Olowokandi was when we got him. If I wasn't a wolves fan or Darko singed with another team I would think that team is on crack. That's just how it is. Then people here that Al is being moved an the team desires Darko over him, that's going to send people over the edge. The biggest bust of all time is moving out one of the young up and coming bigs in league. Without looking closely, it just seems incredibly stupid.

[slinky]

As for Kamla's points raised by eastsideohionewyork -- I'll just completely disagree. Both are 25 year old big men that can play rotation minutes in this league. Those guys will cost you $5M a pop if you're going to be locking in the primes of their careers.

I agree with Krap here, I think we just wanted to assume that Darko weas gonna sign here for $3mil a year because he loved us, and he thinks that is what he worth. The reality is Gortat was paid 5/34mil to play 10 minutes on the bench last year. Look at what Drew Gooden just got. Big guys are a scarce commodity, no team wants to be caught without a decent frontcourt so guys get paid. Dalembert has never averaged more than 10points and 10 rebounds a game and yet he got that monstrous contract a few years ago.

Now debating whether Darko/Pek is a good fit, as Dewey alluded too, is a different question. It remains to be seen how that will work out. But I have no complaints about the size of either deal(i actually thought pekovic would get more).

FWIW, i would much rather have Darko/Pek for 8mil per year than Tyrus Thomas for 8mil per year.

[slinky]

He's far more of a bust now than Olowokandi was when we got him. If I wasn't a wolves fan or Darko singed with another team I would think that team is on crack. That's just how it is. Then people here that Al is being moved an the team desires Darko over him, that's going to send people over the edge. The biggest bust of all time is moving out one of the young up and coming bigs in league. Without looking closely, it just seems incredibly stupid.

Just curious, did Kahn or someone say that Jefferson was being moved because of Darko? Or are others just jumping to that conclusion? Admittedly, I have been out of the loop much of the last week so I wasn't sure if I had missed something. I guess I was always under the impression that it was Al Jeff or Kevin Love...and not Darko or Al Jeff?

I have been watching Kamla on NBA TV over the last two years now and I think he clearly does not like Khan and is is absolutely not a fan of our direction. On top of that he has all the national media guys in his ear and that's the dominant point of view he receives. As far as Darko is concerned, you need to understand that to the outside observer. locking Darko up as your starting C seems like a joke. The guy is the most well known bust in the NBA.

Agreed, Kamla has to fight the homerism that followed him when he was a strong sympathist of the Mchale era, so Kahn gives him a new lightning rod to deflect any homeristic comments he may have made a couple years ago.

[Dewey]

He's far more of a bust now than Olowokandi was when we got him. If I wasn't a wolves fan or Darko singed with another team I would think that team is on crack. That's just how it is. Then people here that Al is being moved an the team desires Darko over him, that's going to send people over the edge. The biggest bust of all time is moving out one of the young up and coming bigs in league. Without looking closely, it just seems incredibly stupid.

Just curious, did Kahn or someone say that Jefferson was being moved because of Darko? Or are others just jumping to that conclusion? Admittedly, I have been out of the loop much of the last week so I wasn't sure if I had missed something. I guess I was always under the impression that it was Al Jeff or Kevin Love...and not Darko or Al Jeff?

I have been watching Kamla on NBA TV over the last two years now and I think he clearly does not like Khan and is is absolutely not a fan of our direction. On top of that he has all the national media guys in his ear and that's the dominant point of view he receives. As far as Darko is concerned, you need to understand that to the outside observer. locking Darko up as your starting C seems like a joke. The guy is the most well known bust in the NBA.

Agreed, Kamla has to fight the homerism that followed him when he was a strong sympathist of the Mchale era, so Kahn gives him a new lightning rod to deflect any homeristic comments he may have made a couple years ago.

Kahn suggested resigning Milicic would allow the team to explore options for Jefferson.

[Calinks]

And it's often not about reality but the perception of people which basically become reality. People here that Darko is the man of the future, they hear that Al is being moved out. You bring in Darko you take out Al, that's all people need to know to think your team is nuts.