Grade David Kahn

[Scott M]

Kahn was hired before the draft last year and listed 5 things and 17 months that he needed to get this franchise pointed in the right direction. His last event is the free agent signing period that begins at the end of the week.

Between 2 drafts, 2 free agency periods, and one year of evaluation, what grade do you give Kahn and why?

[Scott M]

I gave him a "D." Hopefully the poll language isn't leading the pollee too much. He would have to hit a home run in this year's free agency to win me over. I felt like he bombed last year's draft and took the easy route in this years...I feel like he keeps saving up to do something, but then never does anything. I'd rather have a Sam Presti or a Daryl Morey. Then I know the Wolves could win without any talent.

[Coach1310]

I gave him a D as well. I just don't see where he is going.... We aren't going to get a really good free agent in unless we really overpay which will set us back once/if is probably better, our young guys come around and we become relevant.

I think he should move Al, make a run at some free agents, but no big deal if it doesn't work out. Throw the youngs guys out there and see what happens. If Rubio doesn't want to come here, trade him for a first rounder next year, that we don't have because of the Jarich deal and keep going.

***For the record.... I love Babbitt and I hated the Webster deal, we still don't have a true 2 guard and word keeps coming out from NBA insiders that this "Kahn guy" doesn't know what the h e double hockey sticks he is doing...

I'm bummed we couldn't make Pritchard part of the Webster/Babbitt deal

[zamboni]

Am I the only one that thinks drafting Rubio last year was a joke? The NBA should force the issue on him as well. Not gonna play in the NBA? Don't enter the draft. But the Wolves drafting him to me was alos a big joke, they knew what they were getting into. Like buying a brand new car then not being able to drive it for 2 years. Noone would do that

[zepman]

I answered B...Things are moving slowly and no one really knows if the right direction has been mapped out...yet. I'll hold back any real critisicm until he makes a move with big Al and the Rubio situation has played itself out to its entirety. IMO...these two items need to be major difference makers...if they're not...he has failed miserably!!

I'm not a huge basketball fan but I would follow and tune in to the Wolves if they were more relevant...right now they're far from that.

[Scott K]

I didnt grade him, I think he needs 2 more years behind the wheel before it is fair to see if his system will work. I dont think it is fair to judge him when he has only had 1 season to get players to play his type of game. I will make my call at the end of the 2011 season.

If I had to make a grade now, I am not at all impressed with him, he had some good players, and tried to force them to play a scheme the players dont fit into, and didnt use the players strong points.

But like I said, he needs the players for his system, then time to teach the system to the new players, then I will grade him, and give him the boot, but I think he deserves time to get the pieces into place first.

[ozzie]

I am not writing Kahn off yet as it is too early in his reign as leader of this club to give him a failing grade....where we are currently to where we were when he took over a little over a year ago is night and day....I still think taking Rubio was the right thing as if you ask anyone in the NBA he is one of our biggest commodities right now if he plays for us or not he is very valuable to this club!! The only real complaint I have is that last year they went to the draft without a coach and then they get Rambis and his triangle offense but drafted a pick and roll PG in Johnny Flynn.

[Coach1310]

But like I said, he needs the players for his system, then time to teach the system to the new players, then I will grade him, and give him the boot, but I think he deserves time to get the pieces into place first.

The whole "system" thing is part of the problem. We drafted guys last year not knowing what "system" we would have because we didn't have a coach. He kept going on and on about up tempo and such and after the draft how good of a fit Flynn and Rubio would be in our up tempo game and then we bring in a coach who runs the triangle..... not really your quintessential up tempo system.

It maybe isn't fair to judge him yet, but he has had a LOT of pieces to work with the last couple years in the draft and what do we have to show for it? Flynn who I think will be alright, Rubio... a guy who doesn't want to play for us and Johnson who I think will be a pretty good player, but not great..

To me, with all he had, we could have done better than that, but I hope I am eating crow in a few years and the wolves are relavant again.

[thatoneguy]

Grade David Kahn?

Short-term: F---------

Long-term: Too early to tell, but it doesn't look good. He seems to be pretty much a lateral move from McHale. We'll have to see what he does with this year's free agent period.

[Getanet]

I voted B, with the key word being slowly. Unfortunately, we need to win soon or the Wolves will hardly be an afterthought in this state. I don't know if the team can survive another two years of being irrelevant.

[Scott K]

Taylor has the funds to make it a couple years without a profit

[ozzie]

who do you know that tells you Rubio won't play for Minnesota???? The guy didn't have alot of choice after he was drafted to leave his situation without the financial endorsements that couldn't be guarenteed and when not in a major market he wasn't going to make enough for it to make sense to leave Europe. But if you believe what Kahn says then he wants to play in the NBA and currently he plans to next year regardless of what team. I don't think he would spend so much time with Kahn and the Wolves if he had absolutley no intrest of playing for us.

[Born2Fish]

Sounds like the Wolves are going to go after Memphis forward Rudy Gay. Read an article online in the trib about this. Also saying that Kahn would not identify another agent he will be calling. I heard that the Wolves might offer Gay the max so they could not match it. So it sounds like they are actually TRYING to go out and put some kind of team together.

[Juan Grande]

I don't think Gay is a max deal player. Free agency is going to be like that this summer though. Lots of teams with money to spend means guys get overpaid.

I'm curious how they would split up time between Wes Johnson, Brewer, Gay and Webster at the #2 and #3 spots.

If they're paying Gay max type money then they'll want to play him 35+ minutes a game which will mean slow development for Johnson.

[Born2Fish]

I also find it odd that we are adding so many forwards to the team, or trying to anyway. Who really knows what they will do as far as free agents. From what Kahn keeps saying is, we will all know by 12:04am Thursday morning!

[koonie]

Gay can move over to shooting guard. Same with Johnson. Not that big of a deal. The only difference really is the defensive assignment. Offensively shooting guard/small forward aren't that different in the triangle.

[PDXFisher]

Webster was drafted to be Portland's SG of the future, personnel has dictated that he play the SF instead. He can play either, especially on the defensive side of the ball. He will work his tail off, he just needs to be shown what to do. He's not the smartest, though I wonder how much he was just afraid to make a mistake in McMillan's system. Many players in that system look lazy and lost. I want another coach.

He's a really sweet guy, easy to root for. He's fast and can jump quite high. He's not particularly quick laterally, and he doesn't handle the ball very well, which is a really bad combo if you expect him to penetrate and draw fouls. He loses a lot of balls that way. That said, he has improved over the years and is still young, so he will probably keep getting better. I think he'll be able to spread his wings a little more on the T-Wolves which should help his growth tremendously. Obviously, he can shoot to a long distance with a beautiful stroke. I'm sad to see him go, but excited for his new opportunity. Take good care of Web.

[Coach1310]

who do you know that tells you Rubio won't play for Minnesota???? The guy didn't have alot of choice after he was drafted to leave his situation without the financial endorsements that couldn't be guarenteed and when not in a major market he wasn't going to make enough for it to make sense to leave Europe. But if you believe what Kahn says then he wants to play in the NBA and currently he plans to next year regardless of what team. I don't think he would spend so much time with Kahn and the Wolves if he had absolutley no intrest of playing for us.

To me, it seems he doesn't have a lot of interest in playing in our market. He was so worried about the "market" in MN, I just don't see him playing here. I know he has spent the time with the Wolves, but he knows better then to look like an you-know-what and tell the Wolves to go fly a kite. I don't see him playing for the Wolves....

I hope he plays for the Wolves, turns into a stud and I am proven WRONG... I really hope that happens, I just don't see it

[ozzie]

I think he (Rubio) will use the Wolves to kick off his NBA career and then when he has the first chance will bolt or we will trade him after a year or 2 with the Wolves. That way he gets accustomed to the NBA without as much pressure as playing in a major market and we can hopefully get more in return for him.

[Juan Grande]

I agree ozzie, although it will hurt our bagaining power since teams will know he wants to leave badly.

I still say we'll end up trading him to the Clippers in leu of that uprotected pick next year.

[zamboni]

who do you know that tells you Rubio won't play for Minnesota???? The guy didn't have alot of choice after he was drafted to leave his situation without the financial endorsements that couldn't be guarenteed and when not in a major market he wasn't going to make enough for it to make sense to leave Europe. But if you believe what Kahn says then he wants to play in the NBA and currently he plans to next year regardless of what team. I don't think he would spend so much time with Kahn and the Wolves if he had absolutley no intrest of playing for us.

Never said he won't play for us, but he should not have entered the draft with his situation. The NBA should have pressed the issue, and the Wolves knew going in what the deal was. Like I said, like buying a brand new car, then not being able to drive it for two years-

[Scott K]

Rubio is a young kid, he is actually learning more over there, then what we could have taught him with the team we have had on the court the last few years. We dont have to pay him anything to get the learning he is.

I think it is more like getting a brand new car, and having someone else pay to have all the accessories put on, and polished up, and you dont need to pay a dime until they are done, yet you still need to pay the same sticker price.