Here are the first few paragraphs from Jerry Zgoda’s story in April:

A day after his team completed its first 60-loss season since he accepted the job 13 years ago, Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale on Thursday said he is committed to his job until the franchise returns to the playoffs headed toward a championship, a development he claimed is not as far away as you might think.

McHale said he thinks the Wolves — a team that won five of its first 39 games after being completely remade after last summer’s Kevin Garnett trade — can follow their 22-60 season by winning as many as 20 more games next season in a league that he says has few great teams. That is, if the Wolves stay healthy. Guard Randy Foye missed this season’s first three months, an absence McHale deemed significant in his team’s slow start.

That leap would make them a .500 team.

“I think we should next year,” he said. “I don’t think we’re that far away, to be truthful. I think we can be a lot more competitive. … I do like our young guys, our core group moving forward. I think there’s really people here to build around.”

So let’s see. We’ll whip up some quick math. A 20-game improvement would mean a 42-40 overall record. McHale the VP helped the Wolves to a 4-15 record. Now that Wittman is gone (and following the longest press conference in history), we have learned that McHale the coach will need to guide the Wolves to a 38-25 record in their remaining games to make good on his optimistic prediction. Any takers on that bet? And remember, Foye is healthy. Keep that in mind.

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