Timberwolves Struck Out Not Getting Iverson
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by user Leslie Monteiro
Last week, mercurial superstar Allen Iverson was traded to the Denver Nuggets for Andre Miller, Joe Smith, and a couple of first round draft picks. The Sixers and Iverson decided to end their ten year turbulent marriage because they got tired of each other. Iverson was tired of the team losing every night and the team was tired of his act, which grew old for years. This was an opportunity for the Timberwolves to seize it. Denver gave up nothing. If the Wolves gave up their prized rookie, Randy Foye, Iverson would be pairing up with Kevin Garnett. They decided that it was not worth giving up Foye so Iverson is in the Mile High City while Garnett and the Wolves fans are stuck in the cold.
This is very disappointing in so many ways. This team needed Iverson. They needed him for many reasons. He could have led them to the playoffs and maybe to the second or third round. He could have taken the scoring load of KG. He could have made Target Center sold out every night like in the 2003-2004 season when Sam Cassell and Latrell Spreewell came to town. The team’s television ratings could have been up. The NBA would matter in Minnesota. One would think that the Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor would realize it, but he apparently thought it was not worth giving up the future for a quick fix.
This will come back to haunt the Wolves. No one cares about this team. The diehards that actually care have been booing this team at home games and ripping them on message boards. Garnett has to be really ticked that his team has decided not to put the effort to go help him get to the playoffs. In fact, he was furious after Wednesday’s game against the Lakers. He called out his head coach, his general manager, and his owner. If Taylor does not care, why should the players and the fans care about this team anymore for this season. There are probably better things to do than watch a hapless team expose themselves for what they are.
This franchise seems to want to build around Foye. What is the guarantee that Foye will be great? He has not showed that he could be a Dwayne Wade, Gilbert Arenas, or Jason Richardson. He is a solid player at best. Maybe he will grow into that role. Who knows? The question is can Garnett wait for that to happen. It is a curious decision that the Wolves brain trust decided to go draft Foye instead of Pac-10 Player of the Year (2005-2006 season), Brandon Roy. Foye can play defense and show toughness by going to the hoop, but Roy is a playmaker who can score at sheer will. This team needs a scorer badly. Mike James and Ricky Davis are solid, but they are so inconsistent. As great as KG is, he is not a guy that the Wolves and their fans should trust in the fourth quarter. It is bad enough that the Wolves messed up drafting Foye, but now they have screwed up not trading him for a proven superstar and one-time MVP.
It is clear now that the Wolves could be ready to part with Kevin Garnett. This had to be their thinking considering they want to build around Foye. They must have said to themselves that losing in the first round in the playoffs is no better than missing out in the playoffs. The writing has to be in the wall here. It probably is time anyway. KG gave so many great years. They are not winning with him. It is unfortunate that it has come to this, but Garnett deserves better. If the organization does not want to help him, the least they can do is reward him for his service by taking him to a team that would win.
Sadly, the Wolves are not going to get anything for KG. It will be similar to what the Sixers might get because everyone knows the Wolves have no choice to trade KG so they can get him for nothing. Another question is why the Bulls and Lakers would give up their young core players for him when he can opt-out after next year. It makes sense on their part. If you are going to want to get a superstar, the logical sense is to build around him. This is the precise reason why most teams were willing to not to give up their assets for Iverson.
There are going to be repercussions for the failure of getting Iverson. Make no mistake about it. The fans have decided not to bother watching the team and for good reason. This team is not exciting. This team has zero playmakers. Most importantly, this team is not winning which is good enough to turns fans off for good. Garnett is going to want out too.
All signs are indicating that this team is going to rebuild. Before they can trade Garnett, they need to hire a GM who can build for the future. Fred Hoiberg is being groomed as the next GM in case if McHale had enough of it. If McHale actually leaves, this team can not be in the hands of Hoiberg. He is still learning the art of running a NBA franchise. This is no time to put him in that position with the team rebuilding at a crucial time. What they need is a proven man who has had success. Jerry West and Kiki Vandeweghe come to mind. West could be available next year because the Grizzlies will be under new ownership. Vandeweghe is currently working for ESPN. It makes sense, right. Mr. Taylor does not think so because those two would command top dollar and for this ridiculous perception that he spends money, that is not the case. He would rather keep McHale since he is not making much and he hired Dwane Casey instead of hiring a legitimate head coach like Paul Silas because Casey would work for peanuts. That type of thinking will not win championships.
The first move this franchise needs to do is to make sure Taylor’s run is over. It is time for Taylor to sell this team to Zygi Wilf, who will provide the funding and the pedigree to build a winning team.
This should be the franchise’s first move before trading Garnett.
Maybe the Wolves were never going to get him, but how about trying and being creative. This franchise has showed none of that during the McHale tenure.
Thanks for reading and responding.