OK, so I asked Kevin McHale the question many of you back home in the Minnesota wonder every time the Wolves win a game this time of year.

What about this odd dichotomy in which McHale and his players are hard-wired to try to win and you fans who hope desperately for a better future root for the home team to lose this time of year so the team’s lottery odds are further damaged.

He puckered his mouth like he’d just sucked on a lemon, stared straight ahead and entered a period of sustained silence.

Then he said, “Anybody got a question for me to answer?”

This one was as much about who wasn’t there at Staples Center as who was.

No Zach Randolph, no Marcus Camby, Chris Kaman, Al Thornton, not even Ricky Davis for the Clips.

No Randy Foye, Rodney Carney or, of course, Al Jefferson or Corey Brewer for the Wolves.

And most crucial of all, no Blake Griffin, the Oklahoma sophomore who earlier Tuesday declared himself eligible for this summer’s draft and thus all but assured he’ll be the No. 1 pick.

If the lottery were today, the Clips would have a 17.8 percent chance of winning, the Wolves a 6.3 percent chance.

Also, since Glen Taylor isn’t about to tell who he has interviewed or is considering for McHale’s former job, here’s a few names — guys respected around the league — I threw out at the end of tonight’s game story (a couple already have been mentioned here by posters):

Cleveland assistant GM Lance Blanks: Few remember, but he once played for the Wolves long, long ago. More pertinently, he has been Danny Ferry’s right-hand guy for four seasons and before that he tutored with the Spurs in their scouting department.

San Antonio VP/assistant GM Dennis Lindsey:  He’s been in that Spurs’ front-office incubator since summer 2007 and was in Houston’s front office for 11 years before that.

Golden State VP of basketball ops Chris Mullin: The guy responsible for picking, among others, Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins is on his way out there in Oakland. He’s a longshot at very best both because his contract runs through June 30 (Taylor suggested he could make a hire by May) and he’ll have plenty of options when he’s free from the Warriors. He could very well end up back home in New York City working for mentor Donnie Walsh with the Knicks.

Former Lakers and Memphis GM Jerry West: There’s rumblings he wants at age 71 to get back into the league, but he’s a longer long shot than Mullin because of the money he’d demand and can you see the guy who lived in L.A. so long enduring Minnesota winters?

Who’s your pick of the four or do you prefer, say, Flip over any or all of them?

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