Wolves Updates 6/25 Part 2

From Jerry Zgoda’s twitter account:

Wolves source tells me Kahn is “shopping everybody hard” and wild times might be ahead. Could be an eventful draft night…

From Marc Stein/ESPN:

The message coming in from rival executives — while acknowledging that everything is fluid with so much chatter in the air — is that Memphis is looking increasingly likely to keep the No. 2 overall pick unless Minnesota sends No. 5 and No. 6 to the Grizzlies.

The Wolves, by all accounts, still aren’t ready to give up that much.

The latest scenario presented to me is that the Wolves, with those back-to-back picks, are leaning toward taking Stephen Curry and Tyreke Evans.

Yet it also must be acknowledged that the Wolves are at the heart of numerous trade scenarios with the four first-round picks they possess.

From Chad Ford/ESPN:

Watch out for the Houston Rockets. Sources say they have been really active during the past 24 hours, having contacted the Grizzlies, Thunder, Kings and Timberwolves about trying to get into the lottery.

It sounds as though virtually everyone on Houston’s roster is available. Teams report that the Rockets are trying to parlay Tracy McGrady’s expiring contract and Aaron Brooks’ newfound celebrity status into one of Minnesota’s lottery picks. Carl Landry and Shane Battier also were mentioned as possible trade pieces.

From Jerry Zgoda/Star Tribune:

Chad Ford just posted something about the Rockets using Tracy McGrady’s massive expiring $23.2 million contract and Aaron Brooks’ buzz to get one of the Timberwolves’ lottery picks, but the Wolves would have to deal about their whole team now, wouldn’t they, to make the salaries work?

You’re gonna hear all kinds of things today, and who knows, a lot of it could come true…

I see a lot of mock drafts today have the Wolves drafting James Harden with one of their two top picks and Tyreke Evans dropping down in the draft.

No way, I say.

There are some in the basketball operations office who think Harden, Arizona State’s sophomore guard, might be the second best player in the draft, but I don’t think Kahn shares that opinion and that’s all that matters at this point.

Dan Patrick/SI.com talked to David Kahn about tonight’s draft.

Kahn said two teams explored moving the No. 2 pick for their two picks. Kahn said he wasn’t sure how the two teams would obtain the second pick, implying possible three-way deals were being discussed.

— Kahn said the Timberwolves will not trade Kevin Love today. Kahn thinks Love is very young and has a huge upside.

From TrueHoop: What the Timberwolves Won’t Do: Nothing

From Andrew Katz/Dime Magazine: 5 NBA Draft Options for the Timberwolves

From Peter Vecsey/New York Post:

Desirous to create a big splash in his freshly painted position as T’Wolves president, David Kahn dove off the high board last week by disengaging coach/franchise face Kevin McHale.

Kahn, the Trail Blazers’ beat writer for the Oregonian for the late ’80s to early ’90s — pre law school/NBC/Pacers assistant GM/Development League owner of three teams — replicated his bravado by trading on-the-rise Randy Foye and multitalented Mike Miller for No. 5 and Darius Songaila, Etan Thomas and Oleksiy Pecherov.

Swan dive or belly flop?

No way of knowing until we hear the noise Kahn makes by either parlaying No. 5 or 6 with 18 for No. 2, or tip-toeing through the minefield using his collection of first-round choices. Then we’ll have to hide and check out how the higher ones develop over the next few seasons.

From Art Garcia/NBA.com:
Minnesota began the week with three first-round picks (Nos. 6, 18 and 28) and added No. 5 to the coffers in a Tuesday trade with Washington. The Timberwolves, looking to build around Al Jefferson, are getting their ducks in a row to make a major move. The second choice is possibly Minnesota’s target.

“I would be really surprised if Minnesota kept all those picks,” a Western Conference general manager said.

From Sam Amico/Pro Basketball News:

You should be excited about the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Yes, I’m talking about the same team that finished 24-58 this past season, the team that lost its best player to injury, the team that is currently without coach.

But I am here to tell you there will soon be a lot to like about this team.

From Steve Aschburner/SI.com:

Minnesota has tons riding on this draft. The Timberwolves have all those picks and a new, unproven basketball boss, no coach at the moment and zero buzz in the marketplace. Kahn has been prepping the team’s remaining fans by preaching a rebuilding plan requiring multiple seasons, but owner Glen Taylor and his limited partners are desperate to sell tickets now. Now on record as labeling Al Jefferson as the second-best player on an eventual contender, Kahn — sooner rather than later — will need to come up with a candidate to be the Wolves’ No. 1.

From Kelly Dwyer/Ball Don’t Lie:

But there are also a heap of teams that understand that this Draft is crap. And those teams have decided to play an active role in getting what they can out of this mess. That is, honestly, worth admiring.

Look at the Timberwolves. Look at David Kahn. Unsentimental. Doing what he can. Working with what lot he’s left with. Love that. Admire that.

From Jason Feldman and Guy Limbeck/Post-Bulletin: Faceoff: Good or bad, Wolves have created a buzz

From Joel Brigham/Hoopsworld:

The New York Knicks are trying to buy a second first-round pick, and rumors over the last 24 hours have indicated that pick could come from the Minnesota Timberwolves, most likely the #28. Wolves GM David Kahn has shot that down, but despite denials the trade could still be consummated at some point—if it becomes clear that moving up for Ricky Rubio simply is not going to happen. Minnesota’s first priority in this draft is to land Rubio, and until they get a firm answer they’re not going to be making any other deals. If they hear a definite “no” by the time the picks start going up on the board, or they hear a “yes” that doesn’t require the #28, this pick still could very well end up in the hands of the Knicks by the end of the evening.

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Wolves Updates 6/25 Part 2

Alan Draper

Alan Draper

Alan Draper