KG interview on McHale

[Reality]

anyone catch it?  I did not but this is the ESPN version:

Garnett questions McHale's leadership in TV interview.

The Timberwolves' leader might be alienating himself from the rest of the pack.

In an interview televised on TNT Thursday night, Kevin Garnett questioned team vice president Kevin McHale's leadership when he took over as coach last year for the fired Flip Saunders halfway through a disappointing season, which was filled with player bickering and lackluster performances.

Garnett also said he believed Saunders wouldn't have been fired if the Wolves' front office had settled contract squabbles with Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell before the season.

Garnett said McHale, "wanted in his heart to coach, but he didn't want the responsibility of being a coach."

After the game, in which Garnett nearly had a triple double (25 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists) in leading Minnesota past the Wizards, the Timberwolves star didn't back down from his comments.

"Kevin has a very, very high basketball IQ," Garnett told reporters after the game. "But managing egos and things, I don't think he wants to do that."

Garnett told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he didn't think he said anything wrong.

"I don't feel I was disrespectful to anybody," Garnett told the newspaper. "Everything I said, everybody knows that's how I feel. Last year, it was pure hell for me. It was a circus."

McHale said he knows Garnett was frustrated with last season, in which the Wolves failed to make the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons.

"I hope he wants to be here," McHale said after the game. "There's a lot of uneasiness in the changes we've made."

One of major changes was hiring Dwane Casey, and Garnett made sure to say that he thinks the coach has the team on the right track. Garnett did not express any unhappiness with being in Minnesota.

"There has been not one negative thing about KG," Casey said in response to the pregame comments. "I love the guy."

 

[Reality]

"Garnett also said he believed Saunders wouldn't have been fired if the Wolves' front office had settled contract squabbles with Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell before the season."

True.  Yet how was MN and McHale supposed to "settle contract squabbles" with Cassel and especially Sprewells ridiculous demands?  No one was offering squat for Latrella in a sign and trade either.
 

[Skandery]

I think Kevin Garnett is right on about Kevin McHale.  A very intelligent basketball man who doesn't know the nuances of coaching ego's and dealing with today's pampered player.  They let a good coach go, and those are hard to come by today.  I think Garnett would be right to point out that Minnesota did not aggessively pursue some top notch free agents this summer.  That they had a part to play in the Cassell-Sprewell fiasco.  In general that there really isn't any excuse for Minnesota being a hum-drum borderline 500 team when they have the best complete basketball player in the world anchoring their team.  Give the man a team!!      

[Reality]

That they had a part to play in the Cassell-Sprewell fiasco.

By initially signing them, yes.  
After that, what part?

[Skandery]

There is a way of dealing with pampered, cry-baby, star players and Minnesota (with the exception of Garnett, which was a brain-dead scenario) has NEVER known how to do it.  They try to avoid it by going the cheap route, or WAY OVERPAY a player to minimize the number of years they have to deal with him.  Or completely bungle the entire process and end up breaking violations screwing themselves royally, Joe Smith.  

Sprewell is being a jackass, FINE wait until he strings together 2 good games and give 'em over to Atlanta + cash for Josh Smith or Josh Childress.  See if Charlotte will give you a draft pick + Jason Capono for a chance at a 15 ppg producer at the 2 (something Charlotte needs badly).  Hell...call Rob Babcock if everything else fails!!  GET something for Sprewell, instead of letting him rot in Minnesota, spoiling the locker room atmosphere all year long, and letting him walk for nothing after the year is out.

You at least got Jaric for Cassell, but they over-payed for Jaric's services.  How big of a player are they going to be in next year's free agent market.  

I'm not going to continue to give Minnesota a free pass on all these opportunities they keep squandering.  You're telling me Shareef wouldn't have welcomed a chance to play alongside Garnett at his natural 3 position.            

[Reality]

There is a way of dealing with pampered, cry-baby, star players and Minnesota (with the exception of Garnett, which was a brain-dead scenario) has NEVER known how to do it.  They try to avoid it by going the cheap route, or WAY OVERPAY a player to minimize the number of years they have to deal with him.  Or completely bungle the entire process and end up breaking violations screwing themselves royally, Joe Smith.  

Sprewell is being a jackass, FINE wait until he strings together 2 good games and give 'em over to Atlanta + cash for Josh Smith or Josh Childress.  See if Charlotte will give you a draft pick + Jason Capono for a chance at a 15 ppg producer at the 2 (something Charlotte needs badly).  Hell...call Rob Babcock if everything else fails!!  GET something for Sprewell, instead of letting him rot in Minnesota, spoiling the locker room atmosphere all year long, and letting him walk for nothing after the year is out.

 

Latrella is not even currently in the NBA, is he?

So teams were not willing to trade anyone or any draft pick for him, period.
let alone give up Josh Smith or Childress.

They should have offered him to any team with a cheerleader wanting to relocate to MN.  At least that would have been something.  However i think the Wolves did.  Simply no takers for MeWell, period.  There was always talk that Pop loved him.  Thank goodness that never took place. :nod:

As for Flip, i think he was being tuned out.  Not his fault.  I'm sure he is glad the way things turned out.

[westkoast]

True.  Yet how was MN and McHale supposed to "settle contract squabbles" with Cassel and especially Sprewells ridiculous demands?  No one was offering squat for Latrella in a sign and trade either.

The better question is why is Flip taking the fall for the front office dragging their feet?  That is not Flip's job to keep them happy in that sense.   Money issues have very little to do with him and he surely is not incharge of that part of the organization.

[Reality]

True.  Yet how was MN and McHale supposed to "settle contract squabbles" with Cassel and especially Sprewells ridiculous demands?  No one was offering squat for Latrella in a sign and trade either.

The better question is why is Flip taking the fall for the front office dragging their feet?  That is not Flip's job to keep them happy in that sense.   Money issues have very little to do with him and he surely is not incharge of that part of the organization.

I think McHale wanted to give coaching a try.  MN did go from .500 to finish like 20-12 with McHale.  Nonetheless I think we concur that he should have let Flip finish the year.

Oh well.  Flip came out smelling like a Rose and now McHale is in a house of Shambles.  Perhaps this is the beginnings of Marketing Manuverings for KG to become Perp n Golden in a trade for Kwame and Mihm.