From David Kahn
Posted on November 14th, 2009 – 2:49 PMBy Jerry Zgoda
David Kahn has written another letter to Wolves followers, this time with his team off to a 1-9 start that includes a nine-game losing streak.
Here it is…
Dear Timberwolves Fans and Supporters:
I am writing this to you while on the plane from Minneapolis to Memphis, on Friday night following our loss to Dallas. We are 1-9, having lost nine in a row. Our record was to be expected – but it will not be accepted.
Big difference, I think.
What matters most to me is how we respond to adversity this season – knowing it will come in heavy doses occasionally. Our last nine opponents are a collective 51-30, and there will be similar tough stretches throughout the season.
Specifically, I am eager to determine if the team:
• Improves week to week, month to month, first half to second half. This should occur as everything becomes more familiar and our young players develop. Jonny Flynn and Wayne Ellington in particular need to take advantage of the rare opportunity to play significant minutes as rookies – to learn what works and what doesn’t work at this level and eliminate the mistakes.
• Displays a physical and mental toughness, even when we lose. We cannot lose as we did at Golden State – without a fight. I liked the fact that we fought Dallas until the end tonight and won the fourth quarter. Our crowd appreciated it. I expect that to be the norm. I not only expect that to be part of our culture, but also will demand it.
• Starts running and attacking more on offense, as Kurt and I envision this team playing in the long term.
On that last point, it has been hard for us to sustain a running game without our best rebounder, Kevin Love, and with Al Jefferson still not all the way back from his ACL knee injury. And our defense has been poor at times. It is extremely difficult to run when you are taking the ball out of the basket. But make no mistake – this will become a running team and that will be our identity.
I also don’t want to use Kevin and Al as excuses. Everybody has injuries. Everybody has tough parts of the schedule. Everybody has adversity. We will not be a team that makes excuses.
At times like these, I am motivated to work harder. I want to scout more, watch more film, crunch more numbers, ask more questions. I know Kurt and the coaching staff feel the same. The coaches are the strength of our ballclub right now – I am proud to be working with them. We all recognized when we signed up for this mission that it takes a Herculean effort, from all corners, to turn around a franchise and make it championship-caliber.
We obviously are not working hard enough yet. We need to do more. And we will.
Best regards,
David Kahn
69 Responses to "From David Kahn"
One interesting thing: He says the record was to be expected. Even with Kevin Love out, did you expect 1-9?
I had a little more hope for a better record, but most of the losses have been nothing short of embarrassing.
I didn’t expect it to be as poor. from the earlier games, the team was a lot closer, and should have won games like at Boston and LA.
Gawd, I can’t wait to watch another symbolic victory….
Oh, did I mention: worse.than.mchale
I actually think they overachieved by winning that one game.
Yes Marty, you did mention it. Multiple times. And you sound like a bigger moron every time you say it. If you honestly expected this team to be good after Kahn blew up McHale’s disaster of an organization, then you’re a fool. So give it a rest, eh?
To answer Jerry’s question: yes, I expected them to be this bad. Like I said, you can’t completely rebuild from the ground up and instantly be contenders. But as long as this team plays hard and makes things entertaining (unlike the Clippers game) I’ll keep watching.
Oh, John, you are soooo stupid!
Tell me how you blow up one disaster by creating another one? If this is the “ground” you’re brain is six-feet under it.
Obviously you know nothing about basketball because, if you did, watching the Wolves would evoke projectile vomit. Or, then again, maybe that’s what you like about watching the current Wolves.
I second that John! Yea, I expected mostly losses and some discouragement because some people only accept winning. In some cases, winning will take a little time because certain factors; ie, talent level, inexperience, chemistry, trust, morale, will work against that. Mr Kahn tells it like it is, and lack of fan support will not help the team. The future will be better, but we must navigate the present first. I wish I could say differently, that we should win all the games, but that is not current reality. Resist the negativity and reach for patience. Anger will not help.
This just in…..Marty McFly voted biggest fag on the Wolves Star Tribune Blog!!! Congats
Kahn’s moves this summer MAY be laying the groundwork for a better team in future years, but I am a little dumbfounded in how Kahn thinks this team could be better than they are right now. The talent on this team simply isn’t at an NBA level.
I also dislike how Kahn injects himself into the conversation about how the team should play, a la “running and attacking…as Kurt and I envision…” Kahn must ensure the coaching staff is working as it should be, but at some point he needs to cede authority of how the game is played to the coaching staff.
Marty McFart strikes again. That rump humper can’t get enough of that McFail poster on his wall.
blah
This at least confirms that Kahn is still very thoroughly in evaluation mode. The things he’s “eager to determine” are subtle hints to what he feels are the team’s current shortcomings….dropping off in the second half, failing to maximize opportunities and minimize mistakes, etc.
So I take this as Kahn basically saying “I’m watching, there’s things I’m unhappy about, and if they don’t improve I’m making another sweep of changes”. Exactly what he should be doing.
Oh, and also, the King are reportedly working on a deal to acquire Emeka Okafor for Kenny Thomas. Clearly a salary dump move.
I think we could certainly offer something more worthwhile than Kenny Thomas…
Okafor would be really solid…too bad.
If you’d told me Love would be out and if I knew just how limited Al would be, the record would have been disappointing, but not a surprise. The blowouts have been disappointing as well, but look around. It’s like this in Jersey, Memphis, there are a lot of bad teams in the NBA, most of whom actually have a lot more talent than this squad.
What I think is interesting is that Kahn doesn’t talk down to the fans. There’s a lot of substance in his letter that is aimed directly at the hardcore fans that populate sites like this. He continues to say and do what I want out of the GM, the most important being that he’s engaged and clearly seeing the same things we’re all seeing: A young, overmatched product.
Okafor’s the kind of player and contract you try to get rid of, not the kind you take on unless you have all the other pieces you need to contend and don’t mind paying a stiff $10 mil a year down the road.
In other news, there’s a report that Jamaal Tinsley is going to sign with the Grizzlies. Hilarious. They should probably just go ahead and bring Vernon Maxwell and Rod Strickland out of retirement as long as they’re at it. Just goes to show you there’s a lot of ways to be terrible in the NBA.
oh, yes, didn’t look at his contract…
If that Okafor rumor proves true it’s going to accelerate Chris Paul’s exit from New Orleans. Insert Kahn/Point Guard joke right…here.
Lot of talent out there either via trade or free agency; maybe more talent than teams who can afford them.
Okafor and Love frontcourt might work with a Flynn, Wall/Turner, Brewer backcourt.
The point isn’t so much what Okafor does/doesn’t bring, if he does/doesn’t fit, what is is/isn’t being paid…
It’s that if the Kings could get him for Kenny Thomas, we could get him for Mark Blount. Don’t tell me you would trade Mark Blount for Emeka Okafor.
Blount for Okafor, I would do that, NO’s might not, they should try to get Kevin Martin for Okafor and 1st rounder or something. Then Paul, West and Martin could start over and play a different type of system.
I would do Blount and Gomes for Okafor if they would do that. That would lead to Jefferson probably traded eventually, but he will probably be traded anyways.
Hey Kahn, go back to writing. You were a better writer than you are a Pres.
This should not have been expected and it should not be accepted. You’re in the big leagues now, not the D-league. Time to play with the big boys and assemble a team that can entertain the fans.
I guess you could always take Souhan’s job. You’re good at B.S.ing the fans.
lol, Souhan
Granger looks like the best player on the court in the Pacers vs. Celtics game, they will probably lose but its close now and Granger is really good.
Off topic. Ramon Sessions NEVER makes both free throws. He always makes one and misses the other.
they haven’t been on tv, so I know there winning but how well are they playing
I’m gonna go find it on the internet somewhere
atdhe.net
Sessions just made 1 of 2 again.
What is his deal?
Okafor doesn’t help for the future, 10 mil a year for worse than Al no way.
As for the embarassing losses, that is coaching not talent in the game against the Warriors. The players quit because they knew what they were being told wouldn’t work. I sorry I live out here in California and the Warriors are not good. If you can play the Celts tough and get blown away by the Warriors, that’s means the coach blew that one. I would hope Rambis would admit that himself.
mine just has audio and no picture when I go there, lol
Chris A., why bother posting if you’re so disenfranchised. ALL of us would rather have a winning team. There was not a single move Kahn could have done to make this year be a winning team, unless you count being a perpetual .500 team a winning team. Kahn had to blow it up. No one, and that includes you, knows if the moves made by Kahn will work in the long run or not. I like the direction Kahn is pointing the team. And I look forward to this team improving.
hmmm, not sure why that is
I don’t think the game is televised ANYWHERE. But I’d like to thank haugenma for the link.
haugenma, the webpage states it is an audio feed only, no TV available.
Gomes has a new nickname.
TO. As in Turn OVER! Sheesh.
it usually works great. Im working right now so not watching either, but following the gamecast.
Jennings just put up 29 points in the 3rd quarter against the Warriors…
normally it has worked for some reason only audio tonight
I would not trade Blount for Okafor. You are losing all your payroll flexiblity for a player that isn’t a difference maker. Okafor is a high end role player that makes way too much money. I’d prefer they use that flexibilty in another way. By the way that trade makes no sense for the Kings in my opinion. I haven’t followed them much this year other than a litttle of what Evans does but are Thompson and Hawes busts already?
I am so glad I grabbed Jennings at the end of my fantasy draft. He has 39 points, 4 rebs, 4 ast, and only 1 TO. In the 4th quarter right now and 5-6 from 3. And if the Bucks win tonight they will be 5-2 I believe.
Thompson looks good, I don’t know about Hawes, I saw him start shooting a lot of 3’s and I was like who does he think he is Dirk, lol. He is 0-12 from 3 and only 41% from the field
williamdrew your welcome.
Thank Jerry too. I am surprised
he hasnt been harassed for posting it
“you’ll never shut down the real Napster”
Jennings finishes with 55…129-124 win over the Warriors.
Where was Jennings on Wolves radar? Not many fans heard about him because of the Euro thing. Kahn and company surely should of known about him. He’s playing circles around Flynn and Sessions. No wonder Bucks didn’t offer Sessions more than 3.2M for 2 years. “I,m going to work harder” Kahn gave him over !6M. Memphis joked on the Wolves tonight. They have 2 wins and took us to the woodshed. 8 more wins to tie all-time futility mark set by Philly.
I said it once, I will say it again.
KAHNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jennings was on my radar, I didn’t draft Flynn, but I wanted Jennings. I knew Jennings, Redd and Bogut were all they had. And Redd and Bogut are hurt a lot(like Redd now) so somebody would have to score. Jennings won the points category for me by himself today.
Well, Zgoda made the point that the Wolves should dig up every single bit of info on Jennings before the draft. Never heard how much they actually did.
Kahn was clearly gunning for Tyreke Evans, and then Jonny won him over in workouts.
It’s a tough outlook now since both Jennings and Lawson are lighting it up, while Jonny’s struggling with the triangle. We have every reason to think we’ll come out ahead in the end when Jonny’s through the learning curve and Rubio finally arrives, but it’s a long two years until then.
C-note what does the C stand for? Clueless? You and Bryan the BK guy run that department. Let Johnny run the pick and roll with Love and watch him score fitty.
Golden State plays no D.
Wolves dont either.
I recall Jennings didnt exactly
light it up against us.
4-16 and only 9 points head to head against Flynn. Jonny was 9-17 and had 20.
Which then begs the question, why didn’t Jonny light up the Warriors?
Answer: because Rambis won’t let him run the pick-and-roll. hinthint Arenal aka Urinal
Arenal-
I don’t think Flynn’s jumper is as good as Jennings, I still think Flynn’s will be the better player but I said I took Jennings for fantasy reasons, not if I were building my team. The Knicks should have taken Jennings, they messed up.
agreed. If Jonny had the liberty. Head to head, he would smoke Jennings
On the bright side, the Vikings play the Lions tomorrow.
When Big Al and K-Love return, things are going to be different. (O.K, so I tried)
He’d definitely smoke Jennings. Finishes in contact better, defends better.
Arenal got it right this time, Flynn is a pick and roll player as are Al and Love. The problem is Rambis will only play the base Triangle which means that whoever is at the 2 gets 20 shots. Brewer is our 2 this is part of why we are losing so badly. So Kahn could have made a trade (what he made like 50) to get a player who could play the 2 in the Triangle.
Once Rambis opens the playbook and they can run a little pick and roll, we shouldn’t be getting blown out anymore (or worse losing to Memphis who have less talent than we do. Mayo, Gay and Gasol are all overrated)
Then we should have taken someone besides 2 pg’s but it will be good with Flynn, Jennings is good at pick and roll too. But Flynn is a better defender right now.
The triangle came after the draft but it doesn’t matter anymore, we will have the all-around better player in 3-4 years….. I hope I’m right.
I think Jonny will be the better player in the end. He just has the toughest climb of the rookie points guards this year.
And quite honestly, the best player we can get for the triangle right now is Evan Turner, which means our mass losing is helping us. Albeit in a very depressing way.
Jennings didn’t look good at all against us, so I am really surprised to see him put up 55.
Against the Wolves Skiles benched him halfway through the 3rd quarter and he didn’t appear again, as Ridnour led the Bucks to a late 3rd-4th quarter rout that was really depressing.
Arenal- why was I clueless, because I said I wanted Jennings over Flynn for fantasy reasons and has worked out amazingly for fantasy and has me in first place. You always just rip people instead of make points, what was clueless that I posted?
That was really the only bad game for Jennings this year, all his other games have been great
We won the fourth quarter? What in the world does that mean. (i know what it means, technically, but I have never heard a coach/GM/fan/announcer use it in a post game interview/blog/statement. I am a huge Wolves fan. Huge. And this is the worst team we have ever had in the history of the franchise. It’s not that we’re losing, it’s how we’re losing. United We Run? What? Big Al is the slowest thing on Earth. How are we going to run with him on the court? (i like him a lot as a player, and I think he’s great, but the guy is no runner. He doesn’t even pass out of triple teams in the block, how is he going to lob the ball down the court to JF or RS?) Something needs to happen. I have to say it hurts, really, really bad to see Brandon Jennings put up 55. We passed on him. Khan passed on him. Not good.
I will break it down for you guys. Kahn has no idea what he is doing. There is far too much analysis going on. The guy is clueless and we are destined to be the worst team in the league (the D-League).
Open letter to Mr. Kahn,
Recently you were credited with saying that the wolves probably should have traded Kevin Garnett sooner. The reason being, he couldn’t be surrounded with enough talent given his 20 million dollar yearly salary.
Newsflash: The Celtics could.
Mr. Kahn, the seats at the Target Center are going to be empty for a long time. I for one, won’t pay money to attend a wolves game to watch a hobbled Jefferson, a non-existent Rubio, Jonny Flynn handcuffed by the Rambis system, and Brewer jacking up hideous looking bricks. For your sake, I hope your boss is as generous with you as he was with Mr. McHale.
Sincerely,
A fan
[…] GM David Kahn recently wrote a letter to fans after his team lost nine games in a row. Here’s a link to the letter from Jerry Zgoda’s Wolves blog on the Strib’s website. Here’s a link to Deadspin making fun […]
[…] Speaking of the Timberwolves,* Monroe would be a great fit in Minneapolis. The Wolves’ most pressing need is at the wings, where Damien Wilkens and Sasha Pavlovic, stopgap players who won’t be with the team in the long term, and Wayne Ellington, an undersized guard who is best suited as a career reserve, currently toil. Despite the Wolves’ urgent need on the wings, adding a long, unselfish big man with passing skills, such as Monroe, to the nucleus of Kevin Love and, eventually, Ricky Rubio, would make coach Kurt Rambis’ currently foundering triangle offense a much more realistic option. Monroe’s passing and mid-range game would be a perfect fit in the triple post; his length would be a much-needed complement to the stubby incumbent front-court duo of Al Jefferson and Kevin Love; and his athleticism would fit into the running game Rambis and Wolves GM David Kahn are promising to implement. […]
