Props to David Kahn

eyeteeth · Post #1 » by **eyeteeth** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:20 am

I know he pisses a bunch of you off, but I think you're a bunch of lilly livered sissies. David Kahn has an amazing knack for getting good players for almost nothing. He sheds bad contracts like a ninja waving his fingers and the guy across the room drops dead. David Kahn doesn't make bad trades. Oh, I know, you want him to trade for somebody, anybody, just to show he cares. You know what, there's a lot of crappy players out there. And they're pretty much not on our team. Corey Brewer and Kosta Koufos were two of the worst players on our team. And they're gone. There were a lot of GMs out there who made awful moves at the deadline (Mo Williams? Really?), but not ours. This sh*t is like being a doctor -- First, do no harm. And Kahn has steadfastly avoided doing harm, and occasionally pulled skilled players out of thin air while ridding the team of several awful contracts.

Here's to you, David Kahn, keep it up! :wordyo:

Esohny · Post #2 » by **Esohny** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:26 am

You forgot the green font.

Otherwise, there's no way to respond to this post honestly without being incredibly unkind and/or using lots of profanity.

Post #3 » by **Klomp** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:29 am

Esohny wrote:You forgot the green font.

Otherwise, there's no way to respond to this post honestly without being incredibly unkind and/or using lots of profanity.

No, there really is. It's called having a normal discussion.

Post #4 » by **The J Rocka** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:30 am

Not a fan of his drafting skills. Rubio pick still gives us hope though.

Esohny · Post #5 » by **Esohny** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:31 am

Klomp wrote:
Esohny wrote:You forgot the green font.

Otherwise, there's no way to respond to this post honestly without being incredibly unkind and/or using lots of profanity.

No, there really is. It's called having a normal discussion.

I said honestly. And part of being honest is not lying to yourself.

moss_is_1 · Post #6 » by **moss_is_1** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:33 am

He must be smoking some of that B-easy weed if he thinks this roster as is will attract fans.

[RCG] · Post #7 » by **[RCG]** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:36 am

Kahn seems to manage contracts and cap-space well. He holds his own in trades but has trouble drafting. Hopefully he can turn that around this off-season.

cpfsf · Post #8 » by **cpfsf** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:40 am

I think people forget that we're not New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago. David Kahn just can't pull Carmelo Anthony out of his ass. Right now Minnesota is at even a greater disadvantage when so many stars are teaming up to play together in big market cities. Of course Kahn can sign Carmelo Anthony to a contract extension, just let me fire up my personal jet pack first so I can personally tell you more details.

Cyborg21 · Post #9 » by **Cyborg21** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:54 am

eyeteeth wrote:Here's to you, David Kahn, keep it up!

Krapinsky · Post #10 » by **Krapinsky** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 5:01 am

J_Era_3 wrote:Not a fan of his drafting skills. Rubio pick still gives us hope though.

Thing is, if it's a good pick people would just give credit to Ronzone. If it's a bad pick it's Kahn's fault.

Post #11 » by **Klomp** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 5:04 am

Krapinsky wrote:
J_Era_3 wrote:Not a fan of his drafting skills. Rubio pick still gives us hope though.

Thing is, if it's a good pick people would just give credit to Ronzone. If it's a bad pick it's Kahn's fault.

(don't tell anyone, but Ronzone wasn't here when we drafted Rubio)

Krapinsky · Post #12 » by **Krapinsky** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 5:08 am

Klomp wrote:
Krapinsky wrote:
J_Era_3 wrote:Not a fan of his drafting skills. Rubio pick still gives us hope though.

Thing is, if it's a good pick people would just give credit to Ronzone. If it's a bad pick it's Kahn's fault.

(don't tell anyone, but Ronzone wasn't here when we drafted Rubio)

I know that, I'm just saying that's the way it would be from now on, post 2009.

Post #13 » by **Baphomet** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 5:10 am

eyeteeth wrote:I know he pisses a bunch of you off, but I think you're a bunch of lilly livered sissies. David Kahn has an amazing knack for getting good players for almost nothing. He sheds bad contracts like a ninja waving his fingers and the guy across the room drops dead. David Kahn doesn't make bad trades. Oh, I know, you want him to trade for somebody, anybody, just to show he cares. You know what, there's a lot of crappy players out there. And they're pretty much not on our team. Corey Brewer and Kosta Koufos were two of the worst players on our team. And they're gone. There were a lot of GMs out there who made awful moves at the deadline (Mo Williams? Really?), but not ours. This sh*t is like being a doctor -- First, do no harm. And Kahn has steadfastly avoided doing harm, and occasionally pulled skilled players out of thin air while ridding the team of several awful contracts.

Here's to you, David Kahn, keep it up!

Kevin Love is the only good player on this roster, and Kahn had no part in his acquisition.

He's good at getting projects that other teams have given up on, but has yet to get anyone of any proven worth. At least in getting Deron Williams, even if it doesn't pay off and he declines to re-sign for NJ, it doesn't kill to show that kind of ambition and commitment to winning. I'm aware that players of Deron's quality aren't available on a regular basis, but we have more than enough assets to bring in some higher-tier talent instead of sitting on those assets for too long and letting their value drop to nothing.

jade_hippo · Post #14 » by **jade_hippo** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 5:17 am

He may be able to get really good deals with his trades and buying low on potential high payoff players... but what this team obviously needs is a vet or any shape/form and he's failed to do that. So many of the excuses for the teams failures are "they are so young" "no experience in situations like this" and Kahn has done nothing to fix that.

Battier was had for Thabeet?, Greg Buckner is sitting on his couch probably next to Ollie, Iverson went to China, Finley? DevonGeorge? Stackhouse is free, heck I'd give Sam Mitchell his number back just for that veterain leadership. Lets stop trying to make savy, value moves and make a move for something we need. Flynn/Brooks was a step in a better direction, lets go that way!

champalift · Post #15 » by **champalift** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 5:18 am

we are 13-45..............

jade_hippo · Post #16 » by **jade_hippo** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 5:23 am

champalift wrote:we are 13-45..............

and how many of those 45 have we lost because of crappy effort in the 4th and boneheaded-ness in the last few minutes of a game?

Gobble · Post #17 » by **Gobble** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 5:26 am

I like David Kahn too. Every decision hasn't been great, but no one is perfect. Reasonable minds can differ, but I look at their assets and see more than Kevin Love that I like. Beasley shows flashes. Is he an all-star right now? Obviously not, but he has his moments frequently enough to make me think as young as he is, he could turn into something. I like Wes Johnson. Rookies, even old ones, are going to be up and down by their nature. But he's a terrific athlete, he has a good looking jumper and I think he's the player hurt the most by their mediocre point guards. He can't get his own shot, so if you had a pass first point guard who made sure to get everyone touches in places they could do something with it, he would be leaps and bounds better statistically. I even think Darko/Pek could be a serviceable center tandem if that was your 5th best position. Add Rubio and a lottery pick to that, and that's a team that on paper is worlds better and more promising than the group Kahn inherited. He built a team around Rubio, and I'm willing to wait another season to see what it looks like with him. The person I'm out of patience with is their coach. Two years is enough time to judge Rambis. He gets absolutely nothing out of his talent in terms of record that any other coach in the NBA couldn't get as well.

Krapinsky · Post #18 » by **Krapinsky** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 5:43 am

Maybe the pieces don't fit exactly just yet, but if you would have told me our roster one year ago today I would have been really excited. I'm still willing to be patient, willing to wait for Rubio or Irving, but I have serious doubts about whether the current roster will ever work with Rambis' offense.

Peezo · Post #19 » by **Peezo** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 5:52 am

I'm with Eyetooth and Gobble.

I like Kahn. I don't think he has done a good job with his two drafts, but lets not forget its hard to give those two years much of a grade because the guys are so young still. Getting Rubio (which was a trade he pulled one month onto the job) was a stroke of genius whether it pays off or not. Flynn may have been a stupid pick up, but that may have more to do with getting Rambis and trying to make him a triangle point guard.

Getting rid of Jefferson so that Love could be the face of the franchise was a great move. Its not his fault that he had to sell low on Al. He inherited a team with its two best players at the same position. By the time he knew who to keep each player's value was WAY lower. Blame McHale for that.

The way he has stockpiled draft picks and cut salary has actually been really encouraging. I'm still not willing to give up on the guy because he hasn't even had two full years. If this time next year we aren't 10-12 wins better I think people can have a legitimate gripe.

Right now I have give Kahn a grade of incomplete. I am encouraged by one more thing: when he got to this team we needed a PG. In two years he got us Johnny, Ricky, Ramon, Luke, and Bassy. The next year we needed wings (and a better Center). Kahn got Webster, Wes, Beas, and Lazar (to add to Brewer and Ellington). Both of his deadline deals have gotten us project bigs for a small expiring and RFA.

The play of the talent can be related more to coaching and player development. I do blame Kahn for picking up a coach who may not be capable of developing talent. I give Rambis this year and that is it. Next year, we simply have to show improvement. With another high pick, I expect our team to look better next year, and I bet Kahn will be the one who makes that happen.

Vindicater · Post #20 » by **Vindicater** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 6:44 am

Krapinsky wrote:Maybe the pieces don't fit exactly just yet, but if you would have told me our roster one year ago today I would have been really excited. I'm still willing to be patient, willing to wait for Rubio or Irving, but I have serious doubts about whether the current roster will ever work with Rambis' offense.

This is extremely close to my thinking.

I think khan has done well with his trading and free agent signings (yes even the Sessions and Hollins deals were decent value in my mind)

His drafting and choice of coach though has undone nearly all his work.

Hopefully he can make a good choice this year in the draft then fire Rambis and hire someone who knows how to run a basketball team properly.

If he can do this then we should be able to improve by at least 10-15 wins with the talent on our roster.