In the middle, you will find Rambis. The 51-year old projects a sense of balance with his own set of plans for the Wolves’ but he will also rely on lessons learned from his mentors.
“You combine a work ethic and an intellectual approach to the game, you’re going to have some quality players developing out of your system,” Rambis reiterated.
Fans at the Target Center can expect a run-and-gun squad from the new-look Wolves. Rambis will not shy away from the possibility of featuring two point guards in the backcourt (Jonny Flynn and Ricky Rubio).
“We clearly have to get the Ricky Rubio situation addressed, one way or another,” Rambis said. “Jonny Flynn is a tremendous point guard. I see huge potential in both of those players.
“We’re going to play a style of ball that’s fun to watch, fun to play,” the former Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach said. “As we add players, we’re going to build a championship team here in the future.”
Wolves president of operations David Kahn said Rambis promised to play a fastbreak, running style of offense, while also taking full advantage of center Al Jefferson in the low post.
He also said it will be a priority for him and his staff to develop the team’s young players by giving them game experience, even at the possible expense of some wins.
“What an incredible opportunity for me. I’m extremely happy about the possibility of this team. I left an incredible job in Los Angeles. That team has a chance to win several NBA championships, but when an opportunity like this comes along — to build a team like I envision this team playing a style of ball I would like to teach, to work with quality individuals we already have — it could not be passed up.
“And I was not going to let it pass up. I did everything I possibly could to get this job and I’m incredibly excited to be here.”
Lots of NBA teams claim in September and October that they’re going to run, but come January and February, the league isn’t exactly littered with skidmarks from burning sneakers. Too many coaches get fed up with reckless play, bad decisions, costly turnovers and the lack of control that they can exert from the sideline when a team runs, rather than settling into a halfcourt attack. That’s when coaches look like their coaches, standing up, pointing fingers, calling plays, eating up the 24-second clock.
Rambis seems open to enduring the mistakes that come with running. Within reason.
“We don’t want to run with reckless abandon,” he said. “We will slowly show them what we want to do, give them the options they will have as they are working their way up the floor, and then we will increase the pace with which we play. … That does not mean I want them turning the ball over, that does not mean I want them taking ill-advised shots. We’re still going to work for quality possessions — we’re just going to try to do it at a quicker pace.”
“I know losing is part of it and if the players handle the situation, I’ll help guide them through that,” Rambis said. “Developing a distaste for losing yet all the while growing from the experiences so they can help avoid it in the future is going to be paramount for me as a coach and it’s going to help them learn as players when we finally turn this franchise around and start winning.”
Still, there is some trust involved for Rambis to leave the Lakers and take a job in a league with a high turnover rate for head coaches. Rambis said he wasn’t sure how long Jackson would continue coaching the Lakers and jumped at the opportunity to take over a team with plenty of financial flexibility, draft picks and young talent.
“I like his ideas and I like how excited he was,” Jefferson said. “He left a great job to come here and that meant a lot to me.”
“Kurt Rambis is renowned around the league as being committed to player development, as a hands-on teacher, a guy who will go out on the court and work with them,” said Kahn. “He is passionate and believing of a running style of play, which as you heard me say is something I think we have to do here with the Timberwolves.”
Rambis used Gasol as an example of players sacrificing to win. He pointed out that a lot of players will do the things on the court that they want to do. But only a few will do things that are hard for them to do.
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