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The Minnesota Timberwolves were such a mess on the court and in the accounting books that only the New York Knicks could claim superiority in the pantheon of mismanaged NBA franchises.
Marko Jaric had a contract worth more than $42 million. So did Mark Blount. Troy Hudson was in the middle of a six-year, $37 million deal. Trenton Hassell and Mike James both had contracts for more than $20 million. And Kevin Garnett was the proud star in the middle of it all, soaking up more than $20 million by himself that season alone.
That would be all fine and dandy if those players were putting up monster numbers and leading the Timberwolves deep into the playoffs every season. But Garnett was the only guy pulling his weight, and the Wolves missed the playoffs for the third straight year in 2006-07.
Kevin McHale was being rightfully assailed for turning a franchise on the brink of becoming a Western Conference power into a disaster through mismatching of personalities and irresponsible spending.
It seemed downright hopeless as the Wolves entered the offseason last year, with contracts believed to be untradeable and a brooding star who had it up to here with the lack of talent around him.
So McHale lifted the protective cover off the big red button that read “DO NOT PUSH” and pressed his lanky finger, blowing everything up to start from scratch.
He traded James to Houston for Juwan Howard and then bought out Howard. He traded Trenton Hassell to Dallas for Greg Buckner. He shipped Garnett to Boston for five youngsters and two first-round picks. He bought out Troy Hudson.
Blount and fellow head case Ricky Davis were next out the door, on their way to Miami for Antoine Walker, Michael Doleac, Wayne Simien, who never made the team, and a $2.8 million trade exception that would later prove valuable.
Then McHale deftly capitalized on Memphis GM Chris Wallace’s obsession with O.J. Mayo, force-feeding him Walker, Jaric and Buckner for the chance to land the USC star. McHale also got the guy he wanted in the draft all along — Kevin Love — and one of the NBA’s best shooters in Mike Miller in return.
Sure, he had to take on Brian Cardinal in the deal, but he’ll be gone after 2009-10.
The latest move came Wednesday when McHale picked up yet another first-round draft pick, swingman Rodney Carney, center Calvin Booth and enough cash to nearly cover the modest salaries of Carney and Booth this season.
It’s been a dizzying, and shrewd, 14 months for a basketball executive who has been the target of venom from disgruntled fans and fed-up sports columnists for the past four years.
It was all part of a philosophical change the Wolves made — from fringe contenders so desperate to improve that they threw ludicrous money at James to patient rebuilders trying to develop players and stockpile assets and cap room.
Now, for the first time in a loooooong time, the Timberwolves appear headed in the right direction. Al Jefferson is the only current player under contract longer than 2009-10. He signed a five-year, $65 million deal just before last season that looks more like a steal every time he backs his big posterior into the post and scores over an overmatched defender.
The rest of the young core — Randy Foye, Rashad McCants, Corey Brewer and Love — have a lot to prove, but there is no denying that there is talent in that group, unlike the misjudging of James, Blount and Jaric.
“Now we’re in a period where we have young guys, we’re letting them develop,” McHale said Wednesday. “We have some flexibility. We’re going to have a lot of, lot of flexibility in a couple years. So there’s a lot of things we can do.”
McHale’s moves set the Wolves up for a big-time role in free agency after the 2009-10 season, when a bumper crop of talented players are likely to hit the market. The list could include LeBron James (no chance), Dwyane Wade (good luck), Amare Stoudemire (unlikely), Josh Howard (getting warmer) and Joe Johnson (one heck of an attainable prize).
Of course, it all depends on the core improving to make Minnesota an attractive place for free agents and McHale making the right decisions on which of those free agents to chase with all the money he’ll have.
And that’s something he readily admits can be a bit of a gamble.
“Cap flexibility sounds good,” he said before alluding to Philadelphia using it on star power forward Elton Brand on Wednesday. “If you sign Elton Brand it really is good. But if you don’t, maybe it’s not as good.”
