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Wolves-Clips Trade: Kahn's Housecleaning Continues
First of all, thanks for coming by. It's been nearly a month since I posted, and I'm not sure how often I'll be chiming in before training camp starts in October. But rest assured that however it is structured and wherever I land, I fully intend to provide the kind of coverage and maintain the lively forum longtime readers have seen in previous seasons. So, if possible, be patient and be loyal. Thanks.
Okay, on to my take on yesterday's trade, which sent Bassy Telfair, Mark Madsen and Craig Smith to the Clippers for Quentin Richardson. Frankly, I've been swamped with other stuff and haven't had an opportunity to read anybody's reaction, so forgive me if this is either redundant or I've missed a nuance pointed out elsewhere.
If the deal was simply about talent, the Wolves got screwed. The best player among the quartet is Telfair, who happened to be the most seasoned floor general on the team and still in his early 20s. Yes, Telfair can't shoot. Yes, the Wolves just spent both of their most recent lottery picks on point guards. And yes, David Kahn seems bound and determined to have a top 3 pick in next year's lottery with the way he's taking this taking this roster apart down to the studs.
Telfair could have been useful to Flynn and (if he comes over) Rubio this season, but Kahn is obviously more concerned about chemistry issues, and the caution is justified. Bassy has worked long and hard to become something more than a fringe commodity, and he's competitive enough to chafe at the disadvantage of being a remnant--albeit a young and improving one--on a team in the midst of a massive overhaul. Even if Rubio doesn't show up, it wasn't hard to envision the team splitting into various camps in support of different point guards with Bassy around. To pick one perfectly viable scenario, consider if Al Jefferson embraced Bassy, the floor general most familiar with his game and the one most closely tied to a past style and pecking order that clearly anointed Big Al the Alpha Dog. Since Kahn came in, he's fired the guy who traded for Jefferson and praised him to the high heavens (McHale), has stated that sooner or later Al will be #2 (more specifically, he said Al is the second best player on a championship contender and the sole aim of his tenure is to win a championship); and that the Wolves need to run more. Moving Bassy ensures that Jefferson doesn't have that particular passive-aggressive card to play in opposition to the new regime, which would have been an easy gambit, given that Bassy would almost certainly have run the ballclub with better skill than what Flynn will be able to muster as a rookie. Meanwhile, Bassy himself would have welcomed Jefferson's support and would have been justified in believing that he deserved a crack at leading the rebuilding effort rather than mentoring his replacement(s). Instead of waiting to put out these fires during the course of next season, Kahn is fireproofing with this trade.
But just because I understand Kahn's motivation doesn't necessarily mean I endorse it. Perhaps Telfair wasn't the best mentor for Flynn (and perhaps Rubio) circumstantially, but he is better than nothing. If Kahn plans on making Mark Jackson the point guard teacher, that's a tall order to add on to the duties of a first-time head coach in the NBA; if he's the hire as head coach, Jackson is going to have enough to contend with just getting acclimated to the normal demands of the job. No, the best case scenario now is for the Wolves to go out and acquire a solid veteran backup. (Who knows, the return of Kevin Ollie may be in the works.) But however the teaching process is conducted, the Wolves will likely win fewer games--maybe three or four fewer, maybe more--without Telfair on the roster.
The guy Minnesota got in return, Quentin Richardson, better be a salary dump, because the evidence is that he lacks the attitude and commitment to slide into this ballclub smoothly. Anyone who witnessed Q's whale-like physique last year had to be stunned by the transformation--it was a beluga sighting akin to a baby Stanley Roberts or Oliver Miller, no exaggeration. I assume he's here because he's got nearly $10 million in expiring money on his contract, but if he sticks around it could be problematical, unless he goes the Antoine Walker route and tries to entice other ballclubs to acquire him through selfless, dedicated play. But even 'Toine kept himself in better condition than Q. Unless the dude is at least 40-50 pounds lighter than he was at the end of last season, this trade should be viewed strictly as anticipated addition by subtraction.
As for the other subtractions, it was easy to make fun of Mark Madsen, but Mad Dog's biggest critics were always those who neglected to notice how important it is for players to recognize rotations on defense, and hustle every play, and understand the dynamics and flow of the game enough to get out of the way, keep moving to create good spacing on offense, set the right picks, commit the justified hard foul, etc. Madsen knew and did all of these things, which is why his plus/minus always seemed better than casual observers had any right to expect. Without question he was overpaid at more than $2 million per year, but he did everything in his power to earn every penny. The lone negative--aside from the obvious lack of physical skill--was his good-soldier performance in the tanking of the season finale against Memphis a few years back, a blot of his integrity and the honor of everyone associated with the franchise, including coach Dwane Casey.
Unlike Madsen, Craig Smith always looked better than he was in terms of team effectiveness. McHale loved the fact that he was a matchup nightmare for opponents, and I concede that the Rhino and McHale proved that point consistently enough last season to blunt a little of his bias. But the matchup nightmare was equally horrid at the other end of the court, where Smith was too small to guard 4's (on the occasions when McHale got really silly, 5's), and too slow to handle almost all small forwards. In many respects he is like Randy Foye; a beguiling 'tweener who can hang up a few 30 point games that will draw people's attention but ultimately should be no more than an 8-minute man drawing the 8th or 9th spot in the rotation of a good team--and that's the best case scenario. (To make the Foye comparison more accurate, substitute 6th or 7th man and 15-20 minutes.)
So, ultimately what we have out of this deal is a cleaner slate for Kahn to use. Like the Foye-Miller deal, we can't judge this trade unless a few more shoes drop. Foye-Miller clearly looks better in light of the Rubio drafting. Kahn is going to need similarly prominent additions with the salary cap and personnel space he is clearing to justify kissing Telfair goodbye. I'll miss Madsen too. Bottom line, Kahn better hope all that cap space isn't left dangling on the vine because folks don't want to come to the tundra--and that Jefferson and Love keep an open mind as the overhaul continues.
44 Reader Comments
It is a hard trade to judge, because it feels like more are coming, but the Bassy departure is worth noting and discussing.
I really wanted Bassy to turn the corner and become a productive starting point guard. His quickness and feistiness are fun to watch, and the massive hype that came with him into the league always left me thinking that he might still become a really good NBA player. I don't think that is going to happen, although he did improve here and he can definitely earn quality minutes on a good team. His jumpshooting and all-around scoring skills are just too lacking for him to consistently impact games for 30+ minutes.
He is entering a great situation in LAC, where he can be Baron's backup on a team that is quickly starting to look like a future title contender. It's a role that he is perfectly suited for and I look forward to seeing him earn more respect around the league.
As for trading him, I guess I just wish we drafted DeRozan or someone else, instead of Flynn, so there was a clear roster spot for Bassy. I'd much rather have him here as backup, with a legit off-guard next to Rubio, than the current scenario. But, Kahn worked magic to turn Foye and Miller into Ricky, so I'm not one to second-guess him at this early stage.
However unrealistic it is, I still propose a moratorium on judging trades and drafts for two years after the event (even longer with the Rubio situation).
It is incredibly naive to have Flynn with back-ups Brown and/or Ollie at the point. Hopefully, this will not be the only trade and that Q finds a new home.
Reading tea leaves, I can't help believe that the SI article on Telfair busting his rear end to "show them" that they didn't need to go out and draft two point guards was part of the reason for the trade. More, and purely speculative on my part, but Telfair practicing with the Summer League team (including Flynn) may have demonstrated a malicious demeanor between the two.
Telfair has always been out to "show them" (which is a difference attitude than competitiveness) and to bring in a leader and floor general like Flynn may have been more than his psyche could take.
I always envisioned MadDog being the marketing maven for the Wolves eventually. He has such a strong relationship with the kids through his camps and his selfless community work.
I was also looking forward to a Rhino-Big Baby rematch, but will have to watch it on the NBA League Pass.
First - I was happy to see both Telfair and MadDog express remorse at leaving minnesota. It was a classy sentiment and though it may be a no-brainer in terms of the politics of their celebrity, other athletes have failed to exercise such social grace.
The utilitarian in me is only really sorry to see Madsen go. I can't imagine a better locker room influence and practice partner for the pups.
I suspect that telfair and craig smith have the potential to find more success in a different situation than they ever would have found here (unless telfair shocks everyone by drastically accelerating the rate of his improvement). Along with Foye, Telfair may have landed somewhere that suits him; in a larger market with plenty of opportunity to build on what they accomplished with the wolves. I am happy to see that Kahn isn't completely screwing our former talent as he "tears it down to the studs." This could be a coincidence, but still...
Bringing in Q... If he plays here... uh... at least hes not a tweener?... maybe he takes the pressure off of Ellington? (who, for the record, I really like)... lets hope he doesn't suit up here unless he has a come to jesus moment in his contract year. I suspect that while he may be here to start the season, he will certainly not finish it here.
I like the trade if only because it does more to clear up the picture in the crystal ball. We are getting rid of some more enigmatic players (will telfair ever get there? Can rhino add more than he subtracts? Why is Madsen so darned goofy?), adding flexibility, and favoring players with clearly defined roles. Even if the picture in the crystal ball is terrible, its knowably terrible. And that even hints at having a plan... or even a playing style... Its my hope that teasing apart the strengths and weaknesses of the wolves will not be so complicated in the Khan era. Although, it could hurt the nuance in Brit's analysis.
Britt--
While I agree with your sentiment about Telfair--he is the best player in this trade--I'm glad they moved him for his sake. He really is not an appropriate mentor/veteran option at the point in this situation.
He's still trying to establish his career in the NBA. Though I don't doubt that he would have been the best point on the roster at least in the first half of the season, he probably would have struggled to get the playing time he deserved on that basis. Kahn is clearly invested in his draft picks.
The fact is, he would have been in a position where neither the fans nor the front office would have wanted him to play a lot. That's a tough spot for a 24 year old who would like to play and show his wares.
A Kevin Ollie type is much more appropriate for the Wolves.
I will say, however, that I am very concerned about this season. I never expected a contender, certainly, but if Kahn totally punts this year, I think it's a mistake. I think it's harmful to development to be a 15 win team that gets blown out regularly. Frankly, I care less about next year's draft pick than I do about the progress of the current young players, and I think that progress is likely to be hindered if the team is truly awful, which is not an impossible result as things currently stand.
EIM--
"Truly awful" is indeed "not an impossible result," and the problem with it is that Kahn fired a popular coach who enjoyed inordinate loyalty from his players. (A move I totally endorse, but that doesn't mean you ignore the downside, especially when it is being aggravated.) While nearly all those players will be gone, the ones that remain, especially Jeffeson and Love, need to be put in a position to succeed.
I have been a Kahn defender, and will continue to be despite this deal. But the more I think about it, the more I would have preferred Telfair on the roster compared to the $4 million or so in extra cap space we'll clear in 2010. Who exactly is it that the Wolves' think they are getting in free agency?
All your points about Telfair are justified; Telfair is going to a place that's a better fit, and I'm the one who raised the internal chemistry issues if he stayed. I recognize all that. But, like you, I think a dramatic step back in performance is more corrosive--not only on Jefferson and Love, but Brewer and Flynn and Ellington...--than Kahn estimates. There's a danger there that Telfair would have mitigated, at least a little.
Britt--Yep.
I'll say this about Kahn: he's certainly been aggressive and he's done a good job husbanding expiring contracts/cap space for next summer. It's becoming pretty clear that a huge measure of his stewardship is going to be how he uses those assets. They are only useful if he uses them, as you pointed out.
I have been assuming, based partly on things he's said, that he's planning to wait until at least the trade deadline, if not next summer (when they can take on more salary in trade than they send out if they are under the cap), to make his big move(s) for real talent. (As you noted, high quality free agents probably aren't in the cards).
But I could be wrong. We might wake up tomorrow to find out he's made some major deal with his expiring contracts that will make the team significantly more competitive this year. I certainly wouldn't put it past him based on his first 6 weeks or whatever it's been.
I hope he does, for the reasons we both noted. It's not a good idea to be terrible. I think about a guy like Al Jefferson. It's time he learns to perform on a good team. I like Al, I think his skills are interesting and conducive to winning. But one truth about his career is that, the more he's played, the less his teams have won. I don't think that's his fault, but I also think the next step for him is to perform under more competitive circumstances.
And I'm sure he agrees. How long can we expect him to be patient? (Of course, that's not really Kahn's fault--he was brought in to fix a broken situation).
I'm not ready to call out Kahn; like you, I remain a defender. But it's worth thinking about the tightrope he's walking.
I'm also unsure of how things are going to shape up for this season. I respect the reasons people have for keeping Telfair, but I thought it was best for him and the team to move him (same for the Rhino to a greater extent).
As for the competitive aspect, it's wait-and-see mode for me. I get the sense that if Kahn can make deals to make the team more competitive this year while preserving future flexibility or adding a potential core guy, he'll do it. The 07-08 season seems like a decent benchmark. That team had roster turnover during camp, injuries, unproven young or ineffective veteran players, and a below-average coach, yet won 22 games. I don't know if they'll get to 20, but it's not impossible, even if they don't add more promising players this offseason.
EIM/Britt -
With all the "husbanding expiring contracts/cap space for next summer," the fundamental question: For what?
The Wolves are surely not the only franchise storing acorns for FA 2010, more, the Wolves falls low on the desirability list for FAs with a choice.
Top tier FAs will want to be extended, assuming their team has real future ring potential. You are already seeing serious upgrades around the marquee players (LeBron, Wade, Bosh, etc.).
And, if it came down to a decision between competing franchises in 2010, FA's are likely to rank high on their list winning records, warm climates, and near-term ring potential. The Wolves rank low on all aspects.
At best, Dingus is merely continuing the Taylor Plan that was announced 3 year ago, as executed by McHale and company.
Cap space isn't just used for signing free agents. In any trade, if a team is under the cap, they don't need to match the salaries coming back. For example, if the Hornets could've gotten one of the teams with cap space to take Tyson Chandler off of their hands, they would've dumped him for nothing (they were considering trading him to Phoenix for Ben Wallace and then buying out Wallace but wanted to see if they could get better savings).
Also, teams wanting to clear cap space and teams actually clearing cap space are two different things. This year, there are three teams: Portland, Sacramento, and Memphis. Maybe 10 clear space for next summer, but that doesn't mean they'll be far enough under the cap for it to matter. Unless they take on more salary, the Wolves will be far enough under the cap that they could take on $7-10 mil more in a deal than they send out. A fan doesn't have to think the Wolves will add James, Wade, Bosh, Nowitzki, or even Joe Johnson in order for them to think that having cap space is a good idea.
Britt, you and your fans are all very impressive in your intelligence and thought processes. I wish I could promulgate half as good as you. But alas, growing up in the 70's, and a Minnesota Piper fan to boot, have exposed me to the temptation of drugs and alcohol, and I fear has stunted my intellectual growth. That said, my initial reaction to the trade was one of elation. Madsen was a bench filler who contributed nothing, and should never have been here in the first place, let alone for 6 years. Smith was expendable for his defensive deficiencies, and Bassy was too inconsistent. They are all remnants and reminders of a failed era. Better to start over with some players who at least have potential to be better than average. The McFail era is finally over, something true fans have been praying for since the Joe Smith debacle. I suspect the housecleaning has only just begun, as some of the FO people who had a hand in building this train wreck are identified and graciously let go. Khan is doing a bang up job, and he's not done yet. I love the agressiveness and how he's giving it his all, such as flying to Spain, to help facilitate the coming of Rubio. He's only just begun, and I'm a huge supporter. It's nice to have someone in charge who's actually trying to make the team better, and woh's actually working in the offseason instead of hunting. In this deal, the Clippers definitely got "Khanned".
I could not agree more that the trade was not about talent. It was about moving on.
I'm not too broken up about Telfair. He likely has a career ahead of him being a good to very good back up point guard (I think of Howard Eisley, speedy claxton, Brevin Knight) or if he really improves on his shot, becoming a defensive factor, getting to the line and/or finishing he could be a starter for a playoff team. This would be a nice piece for us if we were closer to our goals, but to have his attitude (which I'm still not convinced is great) possibly conflict with either or both of our new point guards is not worth the risk to me...I think we can find a similar talent down the road without much of a problem.
Craig Smith is probably one of the better scoring 4th in the rotation guys in the league. Unfortunately I think Britt (and anyone else who watched him at all) has seen how awful he is at just about everything else.
Madsen is a guy who should only play when you're up by 15 or down by 15. That's just my opinion, but I think if he's playing more than this, his only benefit is the locker room factor--which I think is overblown. When you win 22 games as a team, the locker room is going to be a tough place to be either way.
Now we have not a single guy who played with KG, and Corey Brewer is the longest tenured member of the T-wolves. Wow.
CA-
I don't presume that the Wolves intent is to capitalize on the big free agents of 2010 themselves, but rather to take advantage of other teams' interest. I think the Wolves are likely to trade some cap space at the deadline to teams looking to clear room for the quality free agents next summer.
There are teams that will be looking to shed salary and the Wolves might be able to get a couple of promising young players, along with some dead weight, in exchange for some cap room.
Great Post - Great Comments
Kahn is doing what I think any good new GM is doing. Cleaning out contracts and acquiring assets. Even before Kahn got here the Wolves were beginning to do that (Miami Blount - Davis trade, Philly trade) something they had never done before.
Clearly the strategy is to be in a position to have assets and room to make trades going into 2010. To Tier Free Agents are not the main play.
This trade will be a lot better if it is followed up by helping Q Rich find his fifth team of the off-season I agree. An unmotivated expensive chucker does not fit well with everything else that has happened.
Rudy Fernandez on the other hand seems like a perfect fit.
I must give Kahn this, he has made me interested again for the first time in 5 years.
The Tweener analysis of Rhino and Foye is right on. It is similar to the insistence on playing guys out of position AJ and Flynn which is the next issue to deal with. I really don't want to deal Flynn or Rubio nor AJ or Love but I really don't like having our best four players at 2 positions either.
It is scary the extent to which a man that virtually no one envisioned being part of the team not long ago has, in short order, eliminated the longtime coach/GM, the top three guards on the team, the leading reserve forward, and the most popular bench player the team has ever known. He has also somewhat dressed down the team's remaining two best players. We know little about what will replace them. All this churning is leaving the few remaining fans of the Wolves with an upset stomach. We only have the "Trust me" promises of a better future, who knows how much further down the line. If we haven't bottomed out already, Kahn is obviously not worried about taking us down the rabbit hole in his master plan. I hope there's a franchise left to root for when it's all said and done.
To those responding to my earlier (21-July @ 9:41p) comments:
The mantra of the Taylor Plan (originally announced circa 2006, as enunciated by Dingus) is to prepare the club for the 2010 FA. Now, why 2010 as opposed to 2008, 2009, or some other year?
Answer: Because 2010 FA is renowned for having marquee FAs vis-a-vis other years.
As to the notion of not trying to get the marquee FAs in 2010 but merely positioning the Wolves to acquire players by virtue of trading cap space to clubs who are interesting in positioning themselves so they can acquire the marquee FAs. Since when is this a winning strategy?
Answer: To my knowledge, this tactic has never been stated publicly by Taylor-McHale-Dingus. More...
Since when is getting other teams cast-offs so that they can get the marquee FAs a winning strategy?
Answer: It's not. This is not even a strategy to be competitive in the Western Conference. When you consider the plays by the Blazers-Lakers-Spurs-Nuggets-Mavs-Rockets, this isn't even a strategy for getting into the playoffs.
Hell, I like Rudy F. too but even he wasn't an everyday starter for the Blazers (a Western Conf. competitor).
I support what Kahn has done thus far.
Perhaps the best thing (and most overlooked up to this point) that he's done for the Wolves is try to bring a sense of reality. Case in point: Big Al and Love.
Is Big Al a number one guy on a good playoff team? Is he better than Kobe or Pau? Better than Howard? Lebron? Melo? Yao or Artest? Boozer? Roy? KG (if he had played)? McHale may have/could have been a good/great coach, but I also think there's legitimate reason to question his loyalty to and assessment of 'his' guys. Who wouldn't love a coach who insisted you were an All-Star (Al's not yet), a #1 in this league, a HOF-type player (I don't know if McHale ever said that, but I'm trying to illustrate a point so take it with a grain of salt)? I sometimes wondered if certain players loved playing here because they were in cahoots with McHale--that they knew they were always OK because McHale had their back regardless of performance or progress (a kind of inmates running the madhouse thing--to borrow the expression).
Kahn has been extremely positive and supportive of Al and Love since those comments, and has called them and kept them informed of what he's up to. It's hard to see friends go, but ultimately NBA players care about one thing more than anything else, even money, and that's playing with great players and winning. A lot. Even championships. All things be equal, if Rubio and/or Flynn (and even Ellington) develop into the stars they could be, the Wolves will not have a hard time attracting FAs here.
I don't think the Wolves have to get there hands on one of the premier FAs in 2010 to become a competitive team.The Blazers are a case in point. They have not built the team by chasing the big names, but by drafting smartly and making good trades that did not hamstring the organization going forward.
As long as the FO and the fans are willing to be patient, I see no reason to doubt that the Wolves could be competitive within the next few years by adopting the same model.
It's always a good thing to click over here and see a new post. I can't wait until the season starts to see more.
A quick note about the Portland model as mentioned above: They were Darius Miles' contract away from being able to land Hedo and Andre Miller. They put all their eggs in this year's free agency basket and the Memphis Griz bailed the league out...as did Paul Allen's dwindling resources.
Getting around to Kahn, I think the thing that is interesting about him is that he hasn't made any bad moves but he hasn't made any complete ones either. He's jugging a lot of different things and until stuff starts getting caught, we have no idea how any of this is going to look in the end. For the die-hards, I think this is a winning approach. It's nice to see him move these pieces around in a way that opens up future flexibility while gathering top-notch assets in the draft. It could be argued that the Wolves got the BPA at 5, 6 and 28. They picked up an additional 1st rounder in 2010 and they still have the rights to Pekovic. They are also staring at at least $23 mil in expiring contracts. The problem here is that this is all on paper and casual sports fans will weigh this year's team against what could have been: McHale coaching the following rotation:
1- Flynn/Bassy
2- Miller/Foye
3- Gomes/Brewer
4- Love/Cardinal
5- Jefferson/Bag-o-donuts (BJ Mullens with the 18th pick)
That's probably a 30-35 win team. They could be staring at a 15-20 win team if things break the wrong way. The kicker is that the 30-35 win team is probably performing near the top of its capabilities and it has 2 key players who would have been due for new contracts (Miller/Foye). This year's team probably won't hit that win mark but it is built in a way that has a theoretical higher upside....on paper.
Great players, integrated in a team concept, win championships. Kahn is re-building this franchise from the bottom up, and he drafted two potentially great point guards as the foundation. I believe that true point guards are born, possessing of great speed, if possible, and good hands, with court vision, who work hard to develop the court awareness as to how to attack the basket as a team. Rubio clearly has these skills and Johnny Flynn may too. It's a great foundation.
Now the rest of the construction process requires another great player or two, and the necessary role players. I'm unsure that Big Al is the great player we need, and agree with Kahn's assessment that he will be the number 2 player on a championship contender. Al just doesn't consistently put out the effort on defense that you need to win consistently. Kahn may move Big Al before this project is successful.
I think that Kahn has set this team up well to be able to acquire the additional pieces of the contender he is building. Whether it will be an architectural award winner is another matter, depending on many things beyond his control, like players meeting expectations, injuries, other teams' efforts, etc. But I love the way he is working to bring great players to Minnesota.
It's incredibly gratifying to see the folks come by here so readily after my long absence. More than that, however, the caliber of the comments is once again top notch, and self-policing in terms of folks knowing to bring their A game when chiming in. Thank you, sincerely, for your support.
Kudos to Captain America for tenaciously holding down the minority plank. The best comment boards are about intelligent disagreements and along with the sobering perspective provided by ogishkemuncie, CA's skepticism of Kahn is welcome. I don't embrace it myself, but like Eric in Madison and a few (many?) others, there are a couple of grains of salt in my kool-aid until I see how things shake out. The 2010 free agency is going to be an unholy scramble for top drawer talent and the Wolves' best hope is to be quality scavengers, either by picking off secondary free agents, or, more likely, using their cap space to take salary (and thus players) off of teams that are either broke or going for broke in the next couple of years.
That said, I'm not positive that 2010 necessarily will offer better opportunities than 2009, given that some ballclubs are either strapped for cash or needing to make moves early. In that context, let's face it, it is getting bizarre that there is no coach yet, which, when it finally happens, will effectively and inevitably dilute a bit of Kahn's power and primacy within the organization--I hope that's not why he's dawdling.
And finally (it's a long post), a shout out to Stop n Pop, who once again brings a fresh and sage perspective and analysis to the table. For those who only know him as one of the great voices on this site, he's co-operates the best Wolves-related forum going right now, Canis Hoopus at canishoopus.com, which make his visits here all the more notable on my end. Obviously, both of us believe that there is room in this town for at least two quality Wolves-related sites (and even that slights twolvesblog and a few others). I encourage you to visit canis if you haven't already. He and Wyn are posting frequently, and also have astute guest columnists chime in, so there is usually something new, and good, to read, more than once a day.
Meanwhile, keep up the good work. It remains an ongoing pleasure to go to my own site near the end of a busy day and discover what value commenters have brought here of their own volition. Thanks for that.
This question hasn't been asked, so I'll ask it: would a roster with a core of Flynn/Ellington/Brewer (not getting dealt because he's coming off an injury)/Love/Jefferson and random vets be better or worse than what the team had in 07-08? Jefferson was unproven in the sense that he'd never been the primary option; Foye was injured; McCants, Telfair, Green, Smith, Brewer, and Gomes were all guys who could be considered unproven; Jaric, Buckner, Ratliff, Doleac, Madsen, and Walker were all guys who offered limited things on the court. Not to mention they had the bad coach for a young team in Wittman.
I'm not going to speculate on who might not be here, but it seems clear that at least Flynn, Ellington, Brewer, Jefferson, and Love will be. Jefferson, if healthy, is more of a sure thing now than then. Love has proven more capable than any of the young guys on the roster then. Flynn has shown more potential than any of the young guys from then, and Ellington has shown as much potential as any of those guys. Brewer today is better than he was two years ago (admittedly it's unclear how much better). Also, there's a decent chance the short-term vets on the roster this year are better than the ones from back then, and my guess is that Kahn's coach will be a better match for this roster than Wittman was for that one.
I guess my question is: isn't it at least possible that this season's team, even if Rubio doesn't come over or they don't add another good young player or two, will be as good or better than that team, which won 22 games?
The choice to take a house down to the studs before rebuilding is a serious one. I suspect David Kahn presented these concepts to Glen Taylor when he interviewed for the job.
Roster trimming and modest flexibility enhancement doesn't quicken the pulse. But neither did Maddog, Smitty and Bassy. Simple as that.
When you build ground up and you move as quickly as David Kahn is moving, you better have (or be) a good architect. I'm on Kahn's side so far.
This is a high risk, potentially high reward approach. The Wolves didn't have much to lose. I'm glad he;'s not rearranging the deck chairs...
Britt, great to see you back. Wherever your posts land, I'll be reading them, along with the boys at Canis Hoopus. As you say, really high quality posts and comments at both places.
Kahn has a couple of moves left to make this year. I think there may be something in place already for Quentin and he'll be gone the moment his 60 days as a Wolf are up. We'll have to wait until then to really evaluate his moves, which strike me as necessary but risky. McHale wouldn't/couldn't have made them - only someone with a guarantee of a couple of years on a contract.
S & P et al:
I find it incredibly unreasonable to speculate what McHale's team would have looked like this season. Even more foolish to speculate what the draft would have yielded.
First off, since McHale's demotion from GM to coach, and even before according to the Taylor Plan, the Wolves management was ran by committee. Perhaps Taylor learned what I would have liked to have told him when he first announced the concept: committees have no individual accountability and are woefully slow in making timely decisions.
Getting back to Dingus calling out K-Love and Big Al, through his "abundance" of knowledge having coached a team (not) or been a player (not) or been the prime mover behind an NBA champion team (not) the self-righteous Dingus proclaimed from on high that Al Jefferson is no better than a #2 or a top flight team and K-Love an also-ran.
Since Dingus will not yield a playoff caliber team during his initial 2-year tenure, is it safe to conclude that he may be just a touch presumptuous?
I caution all of you not to mistake change for change for the better; there is a difference. Assuming the recent trades as being changes for the better, being gratified that "at else he is doing this and that" is at this juncture a gross overestimation.
Picking up the table scraps off other teams who go on to acquire the marquee FAs is not a strategy for establishing a winning franchise. Besides, haven't we acquired the other teams cast-offs before?
As for the Blazers landing Hedo, the Blazers lost out for one reason: Hedo's wife. And I'm not sure what Andre Miller would provide the Blazers at this time in his career.
The "Blazers Model" is called lottery draft choices. The Wolves will be following it by default.
CA-
With your usage of the Dingus moniker and the tone of your posts, you come off as bitter and full of vitriol. I understand feelings of frustration with this franchise, believe me - we all do.
The fact is that we really have no good measuring stick for the Kahn era, as of yet. He has moved swiftly in tearing the team apart, but done very little to build it up again (other than what looks like a decent draft). There is reason, as such, for both the optimists and pessimists on this board to be patient and let this one ride out before we sign an indictment or crown the next NBA champion.
I think we could all be a bit more cautious in our outlook.
I agree with GabrielZ. CA, it's like you're trying to purposefully antagonize valid posters by combining valid points with overgeneralizations and then trying to wrap it all up in a way that makes it seem like you've made some grand proclamation.
Anywho, I still think that when the dust settles with the trades, Kahn will bring in necessary free agents on 1-year deals to balance the roster. Maybe Bobby Jackson comes in as a combo guard or Keith Bogans as a perimeter defender and spot-up shooter. If he's really aiming for a title, I don't think he's going to hang the kids out to dry by not having contingency plans.
I think the bigger-picture issues are being ignored in these deals. Miller wasn't staying; it could be argued that they could've received more for him. Foye isn't worth more than $5-6 mil/season, and he probably would've wanted more in an extension. Telfair, like Rubio and Flynn, counts shooting as the weakest part of his game. Smith, like Love and Jefferson, has trouble with more mobile players. Both of them were redundant with this roster and can be replaced through free agency or trade. Guys like Miller and Foye should be playing for the mid-level exception; there are others like them out there who will be available in the future. Maybe top free agents won't come to the Wolves, but saying that no free agent will is silly and doesn't reflect history.
Britt:
Thanks for the shout out and the kind words.
CA: Just to clarify, I'm completely on board with what Kahn is doing and I think he's headed down the right path. My argument is that his approach right now is one that is based completely on off-the-court moves: cap space, future draft picks, salary flexibility, etc. It isn't exactly something that will cause casual sports fans to rush out and buy tickets. The kicker here is that the status quo may have been good enough this year to get them some casual fan interest...at the expense of the long term success that I think is possible with Kahn's strip-it-to-the-studs approach.
The Blazers lost out on Hedo because they couldn't offer a can't-say-no package to the guy. Wife or not, an extra first year bonus and 3-4 mil extra per season is enough to change minds and it's pretty hard to look at what we know now about the team and go back to that Darius Miles letter and not realize that it meant a whole lot to their off-season prospects. They could have outbid anyone in the league with that money...as well as having enough left over to sign another vet or MLE. The Blazers model also includes heavy doses of luck, as in McHale being silly enough to trade Roy away and them winning a coin flip with the Wolves that landed them the lotto combo that got Greg Oden. If McHale keeps Roy and the coin flip goes the other way, we're having a completely different conversation about the competency of the Portland front office. Don't get me wrong, they are a very good front office and they often make the most of their targets of opportunity, but luck matters and their model would be impossible without it. Also, lotto picks help but so does being smart enough to draft guys like Batum, Fernandez and Outlaw. Luck + competency = solid GMing. Portland has had both while the Wolves...well, it's been interesting.
Getting back to the idea of the status quo giving Wolves fans a better product in this upcoming season, I don't think it is unreasonable to say that they would have sat on their picks and taken the best big available at 18. How is that foolish, especially when Mullens went in the 20s?
Just like Obama making an argument during his presser that the status quo is an alternative plan to his health care proposal, casual fans will look at the Wolves this season and compare the change they see on the court to what could have been had McHale still been with the team. I think Kahn is underestimating just how jarring this disconnect has the potential of being. If Al and Brewer don't come back 100% and Rubio isn't in uniform, they could be looking at a 15-20 win squad. Again, if they're bad, casual fans are going to pay attention to the fact that Kahn traded 2 starters for a player that isn't here; that he traded the team's only tested point, a fan favorite and a capable backup for an overweight shooting guard who really can't shoot; and that he hasn't used the cap space to sign anyone that can help the team. This isn't unreasonable. You'll hear it every Sunday morning and 2-3 times a week in Sid's column/radio show. You'll hear it on Barreiro and Reusse.
Kahn is juggling a lot of things right now and until we see how Richardson's contract will be used, and until we see how the other expirings will be used, and until we see how the Rubio deal plays out, and until we see next year's draft...it's going to be hard to pitch his moves as being a success to casual sports fans. The die-hards are already here.
Also, I agree that I don't think that Kahn is amassing cap space to make a run at a 2010 free agent. I think he wants to be the guy who helps other teams make the big moves while picking up future assets and positioning himself for getting players on teams that are looking to re-tool or to pick up RFAs from teams with large payrolls. This isn't "picking up table scraps". If the cap goes down near $50 mil, you are going to see some teams in the 35-45 win category give long hard thoughts to rebuilding or cost-cutting. Getting cast-offs while the going was good is one thing; getting them in this environment is quite another. Again, no matter how you slice it, he's doing things that likely won't show up on the court this season and we will have to see how the money is spent on his incomplete moves.
The bottom line of my point is not to focus on the specifics of what a McHale-led team could have had in the draft; rather, that a McHale-led team represents a status quo that would have likely produced more wins this year than what Kahn is doing and that is eventually going to be a problem for Kahn if he doesn't land Rubio or make additional moves that allow fans to see where some of his incomplete moves end up. An argument could even be made that Flynn's game would be even more compatible with outside shooters like Miller and Foye and that the Wolves really missed out on a solid opportunity by trading those two guys away. I don't think that's unreasonable. I completely disagree with it, but it's not unreasonable.
S&P:
No need to clarify your unwarranted devotion to Dingus, that is crystal clear.
I've heard the "strip to the studs' notion often. But as of now, it is purely conjecture as to the refabrication of the franchise.
It is engaging in irrational exuberance to conclude "strip to the studs" is the same as building a winning franchise. Since when does an anorexic become a winning franchise against well-muscled Western Conference teams?
It is disingenuous to afford anything better than an "incomplete" in grading Dingus at this juncture.
You judge your enthusiasm for Dingus based on a completely uncertain future but you evaluate McHale based on a completed past and then make projections beyond his tenure for what he would have done. Wow! You're twisting logic into a pretzel.
Hedo did not choose the Blazer because, like all FAs of value, his wife wanted him to land in Toronto. (you're "wife or no" remark renders Hedo's wife perspective as inconsequential). Speculate at will, but Toronto is the better jumping off point to Turkey (at least according to his wife).
Irrespective of rehabbed Wolves, the team will very likely have a win-loss record this season that will fall below the McHale's win-loss career coaching record.
No one, including you and the equally estimable Brit, know with any certitude what the FA 2010 strategy is. Whether it is to go to battle for the top FAs or be bottom feeders trawling for table scraps. But if it is the later, equipping the Wolves with cast-offs while your competition further strengths their hold on the playoffs is a losing strategy.
You used the Obama analogy. Obama's hopium and changium is become shop worn now that there is a better understanding of what the "change" constitutes. His poll ratings are tanking on his approach to the economy and his health care vision has a 55% against poll rating. We really don't know what change means to Dingus, but some have swallowed the hopium and changium whole yet again.
The future of this team is Jefferson, Love, Rubio, Flynn and possibly Ellington, Brewer and Gomes. Those are the only guys on this team I care about.
I like Telfair as a backup point guard, but see no need for him if he's going to take minutes away from Flynn and Rubio. Does anybody really expect a 23 year old pg to act as a mentor? Joe Montana (during the Montana/Young QB controversy) said nobody should want to be a mentor, and if they do, they shouldn't be playing. Players develop with minutes, not by watching.
As long as the core is not traded, I won't bat an eye. Yesterday's trade was good in that it brings cap and trade flexibility. I don't care if Richardson is a fatass and the 12th man on a bad team. In fact, that's what I want, so he does not take minutes away from Ellington, Brewer and Gomes. None of the three we traded away was an asset. Richarson's contract is. This is the only way to build a team out of nothing--by acquiring assets. The Wolves gave away none and got one.
Even if the Wolves can't use cap space in 2010, there's always 2011, 2012 . . .when you are trying to build a team, cap space is a must. Imagine when 2013 roles around and the young guys have developed around Jefferson. The Wolves are now a 40-45 win team. They need that one guy to push them over the edge. That's when they will be able to lure a prime free agent. Hopefully they'll have the money to do it.
CA:
You're arguing with things people aren't saying. You also do very little but tell people who disagree with you that they have unwarranted opinions about a guy you call Dingus.
No one is concluding that stripping to the studs = a winning approach.
No one is saying that Kahn hasn't made much more than incomplete moves. Yet, somehow you view that as being disingenuous.
My argument for Kahn is that the status quo on this team wasn't going to cut it and that if they were ever going to get to a higher level of play massive changes needed to be made. Kahn has initiated a process with a series of moves that, while incomplete, are still something of a necessary first step in order to remake the franchise. Could he fall on his face? Of course. But he can't walk across the street without first putting his foot out the door.
Be pissed about this all you want but at least be respectful of other people's positions. Throwing around words like disingenuous and twisted logic when you're arguing with things that nobody is really claiming is weak sauce.
BTW: 76% of American show support of having a public choice in the health care plan. There is quite a difference between opinions about the political horse race and actual policy. Not exactly a topic for this blog but once again you are arguing with things that nobody is talking about. I used the Obama analogy not to make an example of "hopium and changium" but rather to show that the status quo can be framed as an alternative plan that people will judge against whatever type of change they see enacted...a'la Kahn and what could have been with McHale.
It's hard to have meaningful conversations about Kahn, Rubio, Flynn or other new members of the organization, without a fair amount of speculation.
It's very easy, on the other hand, to have meaningful discussions about McHale as a GM, without any speculation at all. Fifteen seasons, two playoff series wins, no playoff appearances in the past five seasons, and less than 50 wins in the past two years combined. That will get any GM not-named Dunleavy fired, no matter what.
Kahn made one phenomenal move to flip Foye and Miller into Rubio's rights. Neither Foye nor Miller understood their offensive roles at any time in Minnesota and both were consistently torched on the defensive end. I liked watching Foye shoot the ball, but too often he thought he needed to do more and/or try to be a point guard. Miller was hard to watch at all times, on both sides of the floor, in his lone season. I will not miss any of that.
I don't know why Kahn drafted Flynn, and I kind of wish he hadn't. But, when he works magic to get Rubio for nothing, I'm willing to wait and see with this pick and idea. Maybe Flynn will get traded. Maybe they can play together--maybe they can't. In any case, it's too early to say Kahn is great or terrible at his job. But, it's not too early to look at each move he's made and discuss them.
CA--
I get that you think Kahn is unqualified for the job, and are irked that so many people seem to be giving him the benefit of most doubts, and perhaps filling in incompletes with sunny colors.
But it would help clarify matters and help draw out your thinking (because right now your negativity is getting in the way of your arguments) if you explained what specifically Kahn has done thus far that has enhanced your bias against him. I'm sure firing McHale is part of that, but then the roster overhaul must also be a part of it, because McHale couldn't have been happy with 75 percent of his roster gone.
Do you think trading Foye and Miller for the #5 and the bigs was a bad trade? Do you think the Telfair trade was a bad trade? Do you think drafting Rubio at 5 or Flynn at 6 was wrong?
I know you object to his casting aspersions on Jefferson and Love. I also know you object to the widespread dismantling, so I ask, who that he lost would you have kept? What do you envision as the best way to create the most attractive Timberwolves franchise over the next 3 seasons?
Last but not least, aside from the fact that it seems to stick in people's craw, what is the story behind the nickname Dingus? Is there a pop culture reference I'm missing?
Britt -
I think it's just a play on the word Genghis.
CA, I didn't even know who Dingus was. It doesn't even make sense as a play on his name. Sticking to your own personal insult that no one understands does not help your case. It just makes you look like a child. Maybe you are a child for all I know. And why are you writing like such an asshole. I agree with Britt that it is good to have someone take the minority viewpoint but when you write in that whiny, insulting tone it just makes it impossible to read the substance of your argument. You are bringing down the caliber of the board here and now you have me writing like an asshole too. Go Wolves.
Jackson--
Unfortunately, the board is not currently configured to give me the power to strike out posts unless I formally contact the moderator. But name-calling of any sort--especially in the guise of criticizing someone's posting style--is something I would, and will, if it continues, remove from view.
This isn't your first post featuring gratuitous insults. But it will be your last. Right?
Sports Illustrated Johnny Flynn as the top rookie guard if not player in the summer league. One scout went as far as to call him future HOF per SI. Ellington has been getting good reviews. Rubio has casual fans talking about the Wolves let alone my two teen age daughters who are going crazy over his looks. Based on the draft alone, I'd say Kahn is doing his job. We all know McHale had disdain for younger players. The T-Wolves franchise's history is riddled with disdain for rookies going back to Bill Musslman. Isn't it time we had a GM who embraces you exciting players? A GM who means it when he says he is drafting the best available player? Thibeet has been one of the biggest disapointments in the rookie leauge thus far. As for the trades - already the Foye/Miller trade is a winner. Neither one could play defense. Foye is a tweener and wore out after about 1 1/2 good month stretch. Miller did not play the role he was told to play. Rubio is an assett regardless if he ever plays for the Wolves and at least Kahn is in Spain trying to facilitate him playing. Look at the famous European players McHale has drafted... As for trading Madsen, Bassy, and Smith - The Wolves could probably get Madsen back for nothing, Smith is another tweener who can't play defense. Bassy is not a shut down defender adn as Britt states it is not difficult to throw the ball into a low back to the basket traditional post. In today's economy, the cap space alone obtained for Richardson makes the trade worthwhile. Flynn will make everyone forget Bassy shortly. The roster has more balance, and their is cap room to start working on obtaining a quality big man. Watching exciting rookies play and possible lose is better than watching mediocre wanna be's try and scrape into the bottom round of the playoffs. You have to have stars to win in the NBA, not all role players.
firstly, i gotta say it is great to see people get worked up about the Twolves again.
i'm not gonna say how great the coverage is here and at canishoopus, or how erudite all of the comments have been, just because i do that every single time i post, it seems. don't want people to get lazy (and yes, i know 'm framing that in a way that supposes you are all working for my admiration and approval, but hey, it's the internet).
getting on to the part of my comment that actually IS a comment, I totally understand CA's hesitation with The Wrath, both from a longtime distrust of any Glen Taylor Basketball Decision and a rather strong recollection of the NBDL related article concerning his business practices as an owner there. That said, i have a screenwriter friend who tells a great story of his time in hollywood, when upon agreeing to a deal as a writer-for-hire with a studio, he gave them his representation, to which the exec replied, "Oh, that guy? He's an asshole." My friend: "Yeah, well, he's MY asshole."
(Sorry for the language, Britt, but I was quoting)
So call him Dingus all you want, we don't have to like him, we just gotta like what he puts on the court.
With that in mind, I agree with the notion in that it is far too early to call any definitive plus/minus in these moves, given that from the moment we traded KG the Wolves were in a "to the studs" movement. Better than trying to plug the leak year-in/year-out with panicked MLE signings of unworthy players. In a sense, we are STILL getting out of Marbury's demand to leave.
My point? Er...
First of all, and to get it out of the way, the clever names are getting wearisome and childish. Why call someone something in a post that you wouldn't say to his face? McFail, Dingus, etc., are childish epithets that play to the worst aspects of the anonymity of the internet. We've all been guilty of it at one time or another, but on this site we should probably assert our better angels. There is usually enough to be upset about regarding the Wolves without resorting to name calling.
Now, on to the roster. I, for one, agree that a mediocre team stripped to the studs is much more interesting to contemplate and, probably, to watch, than a mediocre team clawing to reach its low ceiling.
My own current thoughts are as follows:
1. Flynn appears to only go right when he wants to attack the basket. However, he seems to have something unusual that may make him a very special player.
2. Can Brewer ever find his legs in this league?
3. I still am bothered by the one-dimensional nature of Big Al's game. It is something very impressive to see, but it hamstrings other players who have more creative games in a movement offense.
4. I still am mystified by what Mike Miller was about last year. That was one of the strangest season-long performances I have ever seen.
5. I'm happy Randy Foye is getting a new start. I, personally, could never get over being pissed off about the Roy-Foye trade, and it soured me on a good kid who didn't deserve the shit he took for not being someone else.
6. Racial, cultural, attitudinal, whatever it is -- will there be an ostracizing of Rubio when he comes in here as the savior/golden boy?
7. Kahn is a strange dude, but I like what he's doing. He doesn't seem to care if he's liked, which is good, because he isn't very likeable, but he seems very smart and very driven. I think he's the absolutely correct antidote to the sweater boys who ran 600 for years.
8. A hell of a lot is riding on this coaching hire, and I wish Kahn would get on with it.
Well, that's enough for now. Thanks for coming back, Britt. I know about Blogger's fatigue and I thank you for overcoming it.
Britt, as always, it's a total treat to read your postings. Please keep it up; I greatly enjoy and appreciate having your perspective on the T-wolves.
In regards to Captain America, I respect him for the passion he possesses for our beloved Timberwolves. It seems that his position is representative of one of three basic stances fans have taken regarding the current embodiment of this team. Fans are either (a) excited by all the change and willing to give David Kahn the benefit of the doubt (I count myself in this category), (b) apathetic and resigned to accept mediocrity...or not...doesn't matter, or (c) disapproving and resentful of the changes that are being made.
Given the amount of apathy that many used-to-be Wolves fans have displayed in recent years, I find it refreshing, albeit uncouth, to read CA's fiery and passionate takes regarding the T-wolves.
This forum continues to be the most fulfilling for me to read, if not most knowledgeable collection of Timberwolves enthusiasts this side of Canis Hoopus.
What's not likable about Khan? He seems to be very transparent and honest about all of his moves and his impressions of various players. Nobody needs to read tea-leaves with this guy. Clearly he has a vision and his moves seem completely calibrated to that vision.
And despite his very "slick" presentation, he also seems to be a stand-up guy, at least with regards to how he treated Bassy. And it seems like he's won over Rubio.
Perhaps his plan going in was to draft one pure PG and one combo-ish SG (I think Curry and Evans are going to play the two). In that scenario there would have been room for Bassy. But then Rubio falls into his lap and he needs to grab another PG, who he also happens to believe is the BPA, in case Rubio stays in Spain for two years.
So now Bassy is the odd-man out. As people have noted, no improving 24-year-old w starting experience and a need to still establish himself in the League is going to take to a "mentor" role. Despite his saying all the right things in the SI article, I think Bassy was justifiably planning to compete fiercely for playing time -- and with a chip on shoulder that would have been increasingly difficult to camouflage with every day it became clear that he was the PG best equipped to help win games. At the same time, there is an absolute need to give max PT to at least one and likely two rookie PGs.
It also sounded like he was happy to keep Bassy around until it started to seem like things will work out w Rubio sooner rather than later. Without Rubio there would have been plenty of minutes for Bassy. But then the meeting with the NBA happened in Vegas and Khan must have liked what he heard.
So Khan moves Bassy to a place where there is a talented supporting cast and a need for what he can bring. It's true that Dunleavy initiated talks and that they were focused on Bassy, not Smith, from the get-go. But Khan deserves kudos for doing the right thing. Perhaps he could have held out for more than Q-Rich's expiring contract (maybe the Jaric-Cassell draft pick back) but that could have killed a deal that was a win for all three parties, especially when the Clips were already exploring other options for Baron's backup.
What I like the most about Khan is he seems to understand that the goal of a trade is to help both teams, which I think will pay off with better deals.
Completely agree with the just of your post. Talent wise, the trade doesn't make since, and I personally think Bassy was a bit under-rated. He's still young, seems to have gotten his head straight in the past couple years, and could become a more valuable/tradable asset if he ever developed a jumper. Kahn will need to do something with Q's expiring contract for it to be a good deal.
While I understand that we are in rebuilding mode, I'm of the mind that we'll need to use our expiring contracts to trade for established players this coming year by the trade deadline. Very few quality free agents are going to be interested in coming to Minnesota after this team puts up win total in the 20s. Even Portland, a young team on the rise that made the playoffs, hasn't been able to use any of its cap room this summer, so what makes us think that we'll be able to next summer. Cap space for the sake of cap space doesn't make much sense. Then again, Kahn has just started on the job, so I'm willing to be patient and see what happens.
OP --
I agree that the goal is to spend the cap space at some point, and I think that's Kahn's goal, too, whether it's by signing guys or using the cap space to take back salary in a trade. I don't think they should panic if they don't get a deal they like either during the season or next offseason, though. Overspending for players who don't deserve it isn't a sound move for any team. Teams' approaches this summer will leave some capable guys on the market in August and September that could fill out the roster on a one-year deal, and the same could happen next year.
OP:
What is also interesting about Portland is that while they offer something of a blueprint for success in the draft, this particular off-season should be a blueprint of what not to do in free agency for a team like the Wolves:
1- Don't write dickish letters threatening legal action against other teams.
2- Don't rub other GMs the wrong way.
3- Have contingency plans for when a chunk of expected cap space unexpectedly becomes unavailable.
4- Don't model wedding dresses for other brides.
There are a few others but Portland has really done everything wrong this off-season and they were a Darius Miles contract away from probably being right...whether that was Hedo/Miller, Milsap/Miller, Lee/Miller, whatever. Portland wasn't able to use their cap space well because it seems like they didn't have an adequate contingency plan to the Miles business. They were really, really, really depending on that extra $9 mil. Now they enter a season where they'll have to pay Roy and Aldridge and the cap space is gone. For teams like the Wolves and Blazers, there is only a 1-2 year window where they can spend a lot on free agents before they have to start paying their core players. If Oden pans out, Portland could be looking at 3 guys who get max deals or 90% of a max deal.
My hope for the cap space is that they use it on a 2010 RFA or 2011 RFA or in a sign and trade. I'm looking at Thad Young, Rudy Gay or Melo. I think they missed the boat on Josh Smith and Marvin Williams but they need to use free agency to address their huge hole at the 3.
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