McHale is #1

[Reality]

Just in case you wonder about how difficult it is to pass journalism class and land a media job:

This stunning item from Steve Aschburner of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

Forbes, that highly regarded, globally savvy business magazine, did an evaluation of the general managers in the four major professional sports and ranked them, No. 1 through No. 98 (GMs with three years service or more). The name at the top of a list on the publication's Web site (forbes.com) and presumably in its current print edition was (ta-dah!):

Kevin McHale.

“No. 1 best or No. 1 worst?” a surprised Timberwolves player said before tipoff yesterday.

Said Cedric Maxwell, a former Celtics teammate of McHale's and one of Boston's broadcasters: “This was national? This wasn't 'Forbes-Duluth'? A guy who signed Kevin Garnett to a $100-plus million contract? Well, I am slightly surprised. But God bless him.”

Among McHale's fellow NBA general managers, Detroit's Joe Dumars ranks No. 15, Memphis' widely respected Jerry West is 33, Indiana's Larry Bird is 36 and Dallas' Donnie Nelson is 40. Boston's Danny Ainge, another former Celtic, is ranked 92nd, six spots from the bottom.

Most NBA followers consider the Timberwolves franchise a mess, a team unable to find suitable complementary players for Garnett.

sidepoint of article:  Did you know?
By contract, NBA star Yao Ming is obligated to hand over 50 percent of his income (including endorsements) to the Chinese government.
end article.

Now i myself do not blame McHale for all the TWolves woes or even entirely for the Joe Smith trade debacle (I'll bet plenty of teams do that, Wolves just got caught).  But to call McHale #1.

[westkoast]

How is he #1?  He isn't even the best GM in the league.  I wouldn't even say he's top 10.  To give him the nod over Joe Dumars is LAME.

He has had issues with players.    He has had issues with a coach.  He now has an issue with his star player who has been honest, loyal, and worked his butt off.  Not to mention the fans have issues with him.

You didn't know about the whole Yao thing?  That was reported when he signed his deal.  Yes, there is a huge chance his money is going into the chinese military.  I don't see how the endorsement deal works tho.  How can they force him to cough over half of that?  I understand giving that up for rights to play in America since a chinese team did own his rights...but endorsements?

[Lurker]

How is he #1?  He isn't even the best GM in the league.  I wouldn't even say he's top 10.  To give him the nod over Joe Dumars is LAME.

He has had issues with players.    He has had issues with a coach.  He now has an issue with his star player who has been honest, loyal, and worked his butt off.  Not to mention the fans have issues with him.

I read on another site some of the methodology that went into the determination.  Record under the current GM compared to prior records, ranking of total salary in relation to the league average salary compared to the prior GM, etc.  In short McHale is #1 becuase A) the Wolves had a worse GM before him and B) KG is just too talented.

You didn't know about the whole Yao thing?  That was reported when he signed his deal.  Yes, there is a huge chance his money is going into the chinese military.  I don't see how the endorsement deal works tho.  How can they force him to cough over half of that?  I understand giving that up for rights to play in America since a chinese team did own his rights...but endorsements?

My understanding is that it is basically an income tax.  Doesn't matter what the source of your income - govt gets half.   Kind of like America...we just disguise it as Soc Sec tax, income tax, state income tax, sales tax, etc.

[Lurker]

General managers were graded on two things: performance vs. the performance of their predecessor, and payroll relative to the league median when compared to their predecessor. Because winning is more important than payroll, Forbes.com double-weighted winning percentage to penalize a GM who cut costs but also hurt his team's winning percentage.

McHale earned the top spot, according to Forbes.com, by leading Minnesota to eight playoff berths and a .539 regular-season win percentage. The Timberwolves won less than 25 percent of their games before McHale arrived.

Side note:  McHale's first year as GM = Garnett's 1st year in league.  Duh!!!!  Of course their record improved and it had nothing to do with McHale.

[Reality]

Which brings us to the long discussed still not resolved issue, what will McHale do re KGs contract?
Well, 2006-7 season trade deadlline has come and gone.

Since KG recently said "Thank goodness for the opt out", i believe he will not sign an ext in MN.  No way no how. 
Well wait, can they grease out and get Oden or Durant with a lotto ball?  Possible, very unlikely.

Since contract expires after 2007-8,McHale is now down to one of two options.
Trade KG this summer.
Trade KG during next seasons before the deadline.

What's it gonna be?

[jn]

That's incorrect Lurker.  McHale was around the  year before to
A. Hire Flip, which was considered a very risky move and which worked out very well.
B. Trade Donyell Marshall for Tom Gugliotta, which was the player move that moved the Wolves from total joke to at least some respectability.
C. Draft Garnett.

Yes, I think it's time for McHale to go and I suspect it will happen soon and we will see Fred Hoiberg in charge.  I am also, however, tired tired tired of the rant that McHale has NEVER done ANYTHING good for the Wolves. 

There is no single bottom line with McHale.  He took a moldering corpse of a franchise and made it a perrenial playoff team.  Then could not get the team over the top and when it slipped, could not find a way to rebuild and stubbornly refused to acknowledge his faults.

[Skandery]

I am also, however, tired tired tired of the rant that McHale has NEVER done ANYTHING good for the Wolves. 

There is no single bottom line with McHale.  He took a moldering corpse of a franchise and made it a perrenial playoff team.  Then could not get the team over the top and when it slipped, could not find a way to rebuild and stubbornly refused to acknowledge his faults.

AMEN!

[Lurker]

Thanks for the clarification, jn.  I wasn't sure if Mchale was there first or not.  I thought that his first moves were in the draft that year.

And I give credit to McHale for drafting KG but the methodology of this listing is based on a comparison with the prior GM.  So basically McHale "climbed" to the top of this list on KG's back.  Also, unlike many, I firmly place the Smith fiasco at Taylor's door.

[jn]

Funny, I am having exactly the same conversation on another basketball board and with 3 people by e-mail. Perhaps I should do some work?   

[Reality]

Not only the Smith fiasco but Wolves Terrell Brandon or Chauncy Billups decision of which McHale was all for extending Billups but nuked by MN owner in favor of Brandon.  Brandon as we know was great a couple years but was always injury prone.

2002 Playoffs as a MN starter Billups ave 22.0 points, 5.7 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.00 steals and 44.7 minutes in three playoff games.
 
Starbury, Spreewell and Troy Hudson both turning soft and Spreewell quiting.
All NBA GMs have had to deal with Punk Selfish NBA player but McHale and Bird got a couple of doozies.

[Rolando Blackman]

Hey jn!
   
one of the things that is missed most by this particular baketaball board is the diverity of fans that a broad-based readership provides.  Now, I will admit that some of the deader franchises, such as the Wizards, Hornets, Raptors and (of late) Magic seem to have never had any fans that posted anywhere, as far as I know...but it would be nice to see some news faces.  I am trying to get some my buds to join up, but the problemn is, they're all Lakers Fans!  aawe definitely don't need any more of them! LOL
   
- RB
Shaq #1