That trade rumor of recent vintage – Gerald Wallace to the Minnesota Timberwolves for two expiring contracts ( Jason Collins and Rashad McCants) is totally bogus, according to Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins.
Beyond it making little sense – you’d dump a core player for nothing but salary-cap relief? – Higgins said it’s never even been discussed. He said he’s never had a conversation with the T’Wolves involving Wallace.
On Sunday, Taylor asked McHale to leave the front office and become the head coach. He gave McHale the day to decide. McHale said his wife, Lynn, urged him not to return to coaching. He made up his mind while attending mass Sunday, where, he said, “I got that calm, peaceful feeling.”
“I thought long and hard,” he said. “I love the practices and the games. I didn’t like the travel [his first time coaching]. If you can play all home games, I’m in. I’m just traveled out.”
McHale told Taylor Sunday night that he would coach. On Monday morning, Taylor fired Wittman — who joined the Wolves as an assistant just after Taylor bought the team 14 years ago — with the rest of this season remaining on Wittman’s contract. McHale will proceed without a contract.
“He’s never had a contract since he has worked with me,” Taylor said. “Still doesn’t.”
Named full-time coach Monday to replace the fired Randy Wittman, the Wolves’ former vice president of basketball operations said he has two main goals going forward.
“Once you have an identity and a style of play, you’re going to step on the floor and do the same thing over and over again,” he said. “That’s what we’ve got to do. I think the style of play and an identity gives the team a comfort level and gives them a chance to go out there and play.”
McHale wouldn’t say what lineup changes, if any, might go along with that, but he provided a general outline of how he wants his team to play.
“Of course, playing off Al (Jefferson), but we’ve got to get some pace in the game offensively,” he said. “It’s an offense that should flow, and you shouldn’t have to look over at the coach very much. You should be up and down the floor.”
On whether he will look to hire another vice president now that McHale has relinquished his post with the team as vice president of basketball operations: “We’re not going to do anything until the end of the year. Let’s just see how this plays out. I have complete confidence that the people that are in place will handle this year. How we go forward after that, give me time to think about that and evaluate that.”
On the perception that McHale has been hired to complete this season as coach and then hire someone else to coach the team with McHale returning to his vice president role: “That would be the wrong decision to make.”
Bob Sansevere/Pioneer Press interviews former Timberwolves player Tony Campbell.
Rashad McCants and Mike Miller attended a Reading Time Out with 2nd graders from City View Elementary School on December 8, 2008 at Build-A-Bear in Ridgedale Mall in Minnetonka, Minnesota.
Click here for the forum’s thread on tonight’s game against Utah.
Game previews:
And color Sloan, who celebrates the anniversary when Jazz visit the 4-15 Timberwolves tonight, disappointed.
“I hate to hear that,” Sloan said of the fourth coach firing in the NBA this season, along with those in Oklahoma City (P.J. Carlesimo), Washington (Eddie Jordan) and Toronto (Sam Mitchell).
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