2010-11 NBA Season: Minnesota Timberwolves Starting Shooting Guard: Wesley Johnson
Kahn Proposes Reassignment for Rambis
The latest on Kurt Rambis and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Word came today, that Pres. David Kahn wants to reassign current head coach Kurt Rambis (who has yet to get the “axe”).
The initial story was that just days before the 2011 NBA Draft, news broke that the Minnesota Timberwolves would be firing Kurt Rambis and had already begun the search for potential replacements.
However, earlier this evening, the TWolves are now proposing that they want to reassign Rambis to the front office for the remaining 2-years $4M.
However, sources say that Kurt Rambis has no desire whatsoever in teaming with Kahn in the front office—something that reportedly holds little to no appeal for Kurt.
Honestly, can you blame Kurt Rambis? He’s been strung along since mid-April when the Timberwolves season mercifully came to an end riding a 15-game losing streak and now, the beginning of July and there’s been no official announcement firing him or intentions to keep him around.
Yahoo Sports have said that this is being seen as more of a concept than a formal offer by David Kahn to Kurt, as there’s been little to no communication between Rambis and the Wolves front office in quite a few days.
On June 22nd, the informal news broke that Rambis wouldn’t return as Wolves head coach, but again, no official announcement has been made. The idea being that the Wolves will pay Rambis through the NBA lockout as it is cheaper, right now, than firing him and having to negotiate an expensive buyout—AS WELL AS hiring a replacement.
Kahn has reportedly been searching for replacements the past few weeks and among the names include Portland Trailblazers assistant Bernie Bickerstaff. Bernie of course is the son of current Wolves assistant coach—J.B. Bickerstaff. The obvious idea being that the Bickerstaffs would come in and work together with Bernie as the head coach and after a few years would turn the team over to his son—J.B. Other candidates that Kahn has shown interest in include: U of Washington coach Lorenzo Romar, Rick Adelman and Sam Mitchell (though Rick and Sam aren’t being looked at as closely as Bernie and Lorenzo).
The Timberwolves—with newly signed Ricky Rubio have stated that they want to ‘run’ next year—utilizing a fast break offense to coincide with the talents of Ricky, Wes, Beasley, Love, Williams, Randolph etc.
The chance of Rambis accepting this is extremely low, but for now, it’s a wait and see situation.
Thanks for reading and remember to check back daily for all the up-to-date TWolves news, information and updates all year round (lockout or not!). GO WOLVES!
Michael Beasley: In Trouble Again!
A traffic stop at 3am on June 26th on Hwy. 12 near Carlson Parkway.
Wolves forward Michael Beasley was driving 84mph in a 65mph zone when he was pulled over in Minnetonka, police said Wednesday.
The officers who stopped Beasley (22), smelled marijuana in the car and found slightly more than a half-ounce in the vehicle. According to Beasley, it wasn’t his and was actually is friends who he had just dropped off.
Michael however, was deemed—not under the influence, was cited and released.
Beasley lives just west in Orono where he was stopped.
This isn’t the first run-in with the law—in February Beasley was cited in Hennepin County for driving 70mph in a 55mph zone. He payed a $117 fine in that case.
Beasley of course had these ‘types’ of problems while he was playing in Miami. When Beasley was traded to Minnesota last summer, TWolves president David Kahn stated in a radio interview that one of his new player’s problems in Florida was that he smoked too much marijuana. The NBA of course fined Kahn and the team $50,000 each, for comments that the League deemed inappropriate.
David Kahn also stated in that interview that Beasley would be a changed man once he arrived in Minnesota. ”He’s a very young and immature kid who smoked too much marijuana and has told me that he’s not smoking anymore and I told him that I would trust him as long as that was the case,” Kahn said back then.
The fine for his current speeding and marijuana possession is a petty misdemeanor, which carries a fine of $128. The Timberwolves cannot comment during the lockout, so it’ll be a while before we hear much more on this.
That’s all for now, thanks for reading and remember—even during the lockout—to check back daily for all your Timberwolves news, information and updates all year round. GO WOLVES!
October 2006—At Basketball City, while practicing for the Elite 24 HS All-Star Game at Rucker Park—Kevin Love throws a full-court pass to Michael Beasley for a 360 slam.
Options for Rookie Derrick Williams
The Minnesota Timberwolves selected Derrick Williams with the #2 overall pick in last month’s draft, however after July 1st, the NBA locked out it’s players after failing to negotiate a new labor agreement (Collective Bargaining Agreement-CBA).
William—like all rookies, was hoping to sign a big contract, but that won’t happen anytime soon, so with no money-what are the options for Derrick this summer and likely well into the fall?
Williams has stated that he’ll get money from his agent, trading card company, or by other means. ”If I do that, I ought to be good. If I need more, I can take out a line of credit or whatever, but it’s not like I’m going to need much,” Williams told the Los Angeles Times.
Williams is represented by the same agent as Kobe Bryant—Rob Pelinka (as is Wolves guard Wesley Johnson). Kobe Bryant is reportedly trying to organize a team of NBA players for a “barnstorming” tour around China for non-NBA exhibition games—this of course is a possibility that could land the rookie a paycheck.
Williams has also stated that he may go back to school (in Arizona) and work towards his bachelor’s degree—in business—which is a promise he made his mother (to go back to school and get his degree).
Williams will also likely host a number of basketball camps around California where he grew up.
And he’ll likely be playing pickup games and working out for, WHENEVER the 2011-12 season begins.
That’s all for now, thanks for reading and remember to check daily for all your Timberwolves news, information and updates all year long. GO WOLVES!
David Kahn’s Checklist
On April 12th 2011, Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune made Wolves President of Operations David Kahn—a checklist of what he (Zgoda) feels need to be done this offseason for the Wolves to be successful in the future. Below you can find the original link to the article, but today we’re going to look at Zgoda’s five checkpoints and see how David Kahn has done/is doing.
http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/119742374.html
- DETERMINE COACH KURT RAMBIS’ FUTURE—Well, let’s see, this article was written almost 4 months ago and we still do have affirmation on the future of Rambis. However—the situation with Rambis is, the Wolves are keeping him through the lockout, simply because it’ll be much cheaper than firing Kurt—negotiating a buyout—and hiring a new coach. David Kahn, however, should’ve had this situation resolved in the month of April OR May! It’s dragged on, and it’ll keep dragging on! (0/1)
- SIGN RICKY RUBIO—David Kahn finally got his man. After two years of visits, persuasion and coaxing, Ricky Rubio is finally going to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves and he’s certainly created a lot of hype and buzz—but can he live up to those expectations? It may take a while to find out as the NBA Lockout could wipe out part of OR the entire NBA season! (1/2)
- PURSUE VETERAN LEADERSHIP—Zgoda mentions the Wolves trying to acquire Steve Nash from the Phoenix Suns. I think we know the Suns aren’t going to trade their former MVP for anyone on the Wolves roster and he’s extremely ‘tight’ in that organization, if he wants out—the Suns are going to ask him where he’d be willing to go—guaranteed Minnesota wouldn’t be on that short list. However, with the Lockout, free agency hasn’t been able to begin and as such it makes it quite difficult for the Wolves to pursue veterans for their squad with that going on. However, the Wolves have acquired one new piece. Big man Brad Miller was sent to Minnesota in a draft night deal that sent Jonny Flynn to Houston. Kahn did acquire on veteran, however, this isn’t the all-star center he was back in his Sac-Town days and he’s nearing the end of his career, with some injuries the past few, I’ll go out on a limb here and say he won’t contribute much. (1.25/3)
- WAIT—Zgoda is pleading for Kahn to wait to sign Kevin Love to an extension until after a new labor agreement is reached. Well, good news, the labor agreement is being negotiated right now and it’d be impossible for the Wolves to offer Love an extension—so Kahn wins this one, however it’ll be a matter of how much he pays Love—what he’s offered, when it comes time. Zgoda also says WAIT on offering Anthony Randolph and Michael Beasley extensions, until they get another year to ‘prove their worth’. (2.25/4)
- SAY GOODBYE—to PG Jonny Flynn. Zgoda—AND EVERYONE ELSE—knew that Jonny Flynn wouldn’t be back with Minnesota as they’ve been looking to trade him ever since the weeks leading up to the NBA Trade Deadline, earlier this year. Jonny Flynn has been traded to the Houston Rockets and there’s a chance he may be traded again (once the new labor agreement is negotiated). (3.25/5)
Not to bad Mr. Kahn 3.25/5 and we still have plenty of offseason left. However, the way you’ve handled this coaching decision and the way you’ve treated Kurt Rambis (no matter how many games we lost with him the last two seasons) is simply inexcusable! Many people would say—too bad Kahn won’t fire himself, another couple slipups like this and hopefully Glen Taylor will show him the door. Until then, we’re stuck with him (really though, the ONLY reason I don’t like him is because of the way he’s dealt with Kurt Rambis—I can’t imagine having a guy like that (someone who loves to have his “hand on the button”) be my boss).
Thanks for reading and remember to stay tuned all year round for your up-to-date TWolves news, information and updates. GO WOLVES!
