dc wrote:Absolutely. I mean, let's look at it this way: The T-Wolves have missed the playoffs 14 out of 15 seasons.
If you got the biggest hacks from RealGM forums to run that team, the only worse they could do is miss it 15 out of 15 seasons, LOL. Willing to bet 1/2 of the regular poster on this forum could've done better than that ownership. We're talking about a league where 50% of the teams make the playoffs every year. If you miss out on that 14 out of 15 seasons, you're borderline trying NOT to make it.
Most people don't truly understand what's gone on in Minnesota that's led to the playoff drought.
First, let's begin with something that doesn't often get brought up in this discussion.....the Joe Smith fiasco. Yes, I believe it played a part in the playoff drought. You see, while all of the picks were technically made while Minnesota was a playoff team, those picks should've been part of the foundation for continuing what was started by the franchise. We lost four draft picks from 2000 to 2004. While none of those would've been high lottery picks (22, 18, 23, 26), they still could've been used on impact players. I also believe losing the picks is what led to us taking a high-potential gamble on Ndudi Ebi over the "safe" option in Josh Howard with the one pick that was restored in 2003.
The Cassell/Sprewell era didn't last as long as Minnesota probably expected, which also threw a wrench in the plans. Saunders was fired (a mistake the owner later admitted to), and that began the franchise spiraling downward. Eventually, Garnett was traded. That started the team's rebuilding phase. But while it's easy to joke and say the team's been rebuilding for 15 years, people have to realize it wasn't all under the same regime. The first two years after Garnett, it was McHale trying to build something from what was left over but didn't have enough young talent because of the lost picks. Then David Kahn happened. I'm not even going to address that four years because of the nightmares it might cause (Kurt Rambis, really?).
Flip Saunders stepped in but was left with a mess of a Kevin Love trade demand situation
left by Kahn. He did the best he could with the situation and had most Wolves fans optimistic about the franchise's trajectory before his untimely death. After a year with Mitchell as interim, Thibs came in and tried to quick-fix. I do still believe getting to the playoffs that one time was important for the young core of the team, but it's just unfortunate how quickly everything unraveled.
But this is the first time in a long time (maybe ever?) that there seems to be a unified vision from the front office to the coaching staff. There's something exciting building at Target Center, and I'm excited to be on the ground level for it. This isn't a Hinkie-level teardown, but I'm optimistic the outcome will be the same. This team is building something special.
In summary, it's easy to look at it big picture and say it's 15 years of failure, but it's been a series of events that have added up to this point rather than just pointing at one general manager as the culprit of all of the problems. There were times in the 15 years they got close to building something but just couldn't get over the ledge. There's something different about the feel early in this regime's tenure, though. It probably won't happen this year, but I believe Minnesota will be a team to be reckoned with in the near future.
The Timberwolves are on their fourth coach during Wiggins 5-year career, so playing Wiggins that much certainly has not increased job security. In 3 1/2 seasons of games without Butler, Wiggins has "led" the Twolves to a .375 W-L record, and while leading the team in minutes, and he has yet to lead "his" team in win shares even once (i.e., not even the season before KAT got there). Accordingly, playing Wiggins does not seem to lead to victories either.
