Taylor: KG tanked it
Posted on March 18th, 2008 – 1:56 PMBy Jerry Zgoda
Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, never a man at a loss for words or a candid answer, was asked Tuesday morning at the team’s annual photo shoot why the Wolves are winning now — four of their last six — with extra NBA draft lottery chances on the line after they seemingly did everything they could the last two seasons to lose and keep their protected draft pick from the Clippers.
“I don’t like that so much, I don’t like that,” Taylor said of the notion the Wolves tanked last season. “It was more like, I’d say, K.G. tanked it.”
Taylor said Garnett took himself out of the lineup with five games to play last season for what the team called an injured quadriceps muscle.
“The other guys still wanted to play and stuff like this here,” Taylor said. “But it sure changed the team. It didn’t make us as (good). We wanted to play Randy (Foye) and some of the other younger guys. But this year, if they win, they win.”
Garnett’s agent, Andy Miller, called Taylor’s comments “without merit.”
He said there is “general consensus” among basketball people “as as far as K.G.’s effort and competitiveness and drive for team success is concerned. Nothing has everbeen more of a priority than winning for Kevin Garnett. I don’t think anyone would question that unless they had an agenda.”
Taylor said it’s important for his team to win as often as it can in the season’s final weeks for the players and the fans.
“I think we have to show the fans that there is a plan,” he said. “That we’re going to improve and you can see where we were and you can see where we’re going and that next year we should be a better team.”
Taylor said the organization should do nothing to rein in a young, growing team.
“This is not about winning and losing,” he said. “I said that at the beginning. It’s just how you’re going to play. I don’t want to change at all. We have the young guys out there. I don’t know how you’d lose. You’d have to put the veteran guys (back in there).”
121 Responses to "Taylor: KG tanked it"
I suppose it was KG who made Madsen jack up all those threes?
Mad Dog time “Swish”
Finally, the real info on KG is coming out. Last year, when KG was told that his minutes would be reduced from 38 mins to 22 mins to allow for the younger guys to play, his first reaction was that he wouldn’t be able to keep his stats up. His second reaction was to head to Malibu without telling anyone in the organization. Pure class, KG.
And in his return to Target Center this year, KG was upset the Wolves didn’t do any more for him other than a 1 minute intro, and insisted on approving the way the announcer introduced him. Diva.
Good riddance to that cancer.
NEWSFLASH:
With 5 games left in a probable 50 loss season, a star player decided to sit on the bench rather than get hurt in garbage ball time.
winning sucks I want Michael Beasley
Remember, this is coming from the guy that keeps Kevin McHale employed.
Poor wording by Glen Taylor. Seeing as how its already the 2nd story on the Strib, I’m sure the papers will try to get some run out of this non-story. Anyways, what GT is saying is probably true, but how do you blame Kevin Garnett for wanting the team to get Oden or Durant? KG wanted to stay here and needed to have more help around him. This franchise needs to dump McHale before he screws up what looks like a promising future.
Oh Glenn…too bad, so sad that you and dummy Kevin McHale (the Kevin you should have sent packing long ago) have no clue how to run a professional franchise of any kind.
Fired Flipp as your scapegoat, now it is that KG didn’t want to play anymore? Ok, whatever you say Glenn…
Hows about 3,000 in attendance next season sound?
Glen Taylor has lost his mind. He lost his credibility when he decided to keep McHale around to completely demolish the franchise that he ruined in the first place. Now he has the temerity to criticize Kevin Garnett (the only real reason people had to go out to see that garbage they call a team). Garnett didn’t sign 18 point guards all at the same time. Garnett didn’t try to sign Joe Smith to a secret contract. Garnett didn’t get suspended from the league for unethical conduct. If Taylor wants to blame someone for the demise of the Timberwolves he can get in his limo and go to McHale’s office so they can both have a long look in the mirror.
I almost forgot one: Garnett didn’t draft Brandon Roy and then trade him to Portland for absolutely no reason.
Screw Taylor. Was it Garnett that screwed with Joe Smith’s contract. Taylor and McHale tanked the whole dang team the past few years. I am sick and tired of Taylor always ripping on Garnett, yet his boyfriend McHale gets to make bad decision after bad decision and keep his job. Casey has proven to be a better coach than Whitman, yet McHale’s boy keeps his job. This entire organization stinks. I wonder if they are associated with the Lynx. Taylor/McHale, you had a gem with Garnett and YOU GUYS failed to surround him with any decent talent. Look what KG is doing now. Goodbye Wolves….thank god Tubby is now providing some real entertainment. That is where my basketball dollar is going to go.
Hoopster: no but it was KG who demanded Joe be signed long term. Same with Hudson. Casey also had a COMPLETELY different team. Casey was also McHale’s boy–he hired him didn’t he?
KG also had a gem of a contract. Thus he bears some responsibility. KG is also in the Eastern Conference.
I guess K G was behind the Joe Smith fiasco also..As long as Kevin McFale is not responsible for anything at all this organization is in big trouble
N ever
B een
A acquitted
What a joke. Shut up and get back to inking illegal contracts and squandering draft picks.
Sid says Garnett will never work in this town again.
Does Taylor think this is going to make the fans like him? Why would he come out with these statements? What is up with saying it isn’t about winning and losing, but then stating that it’s important for the team to win as many games as it can in the final weeks? If winning isn’t what professional sports is about then I must be missing something.
Why is he not upset with the current situation of the franchise? Not only is he losing a ton of money but his team isn’t even competing.
I suppose the only people he can blame anything on is KG, Flipp, and Casey because they’re the only people that have left the team in the last decade. Has he ever stated that McHale has made a bad decision? This article is unbelievable and it angers me that he can be so blind.
KG Tanked it?? HUH? He was playing on a no talent team for years!! Taylor YOU tanked it and continue to do so keeping McHale employed.
Hey Arenal-Any “GM” that allows a player to make personnel decisions might as well give that job to the player? Either McHale/Taylor let a player run the team, which is unbelievably ridiculous, or they ran the team into the ground themselves.
Also, how was the squad that went 20-20 under Casey so much different than what Wittman had?
its not about the winning/losing. per se. look at the partiots and the filming. if its all about winning–whats the big fuss? the end do not justify the means my friend.
Its important for them to win as many games now b/c they are learning/growing. lose both when you tank the rest of the season.
I just think Taylor was honest. He was asked a question and he answered it, gave his perspective/interpretation. thats all.
Team wasn’t competing before KG trade. At least now there is a plan, and its being enacted. Progress can be seen. Like Taylor cares about losing a few million. please.
Yes he has stated many times that McHale has made bad decisions, also that some of those decisions were not McHale’s ie. Billups. That was Flip.
First of all, how can anybody hold Taylor responsible for tanking anything. To say that would imply that he has some sort of foresight, common sense and general basketball knowledge. I think it is obvious that Taylor lacks all of these qualities with regard to basketball…as evidenced by the fact that McHale is still employed, the Joe Smith stupidity, the Clippers trade, the first Boston trade…need I go on?
And so what if KG did tank it? Taylor had more than enough time to put a winning team around and failed. Not just failed, but failed miserably. Tanking the final games should never enter into the discussion when you have one of, if not the, best player(s) in the NBA.
And there was a time when people were pining for Taylor to buy the Twins? You muct be crazy. The only thing that trumps the Pohlads cheapness is the stupidity and ineptitude of Taylor.
Even if it was KG who decided to tank (I don’t think this is the case) I’m okay with that. The team did what it had to do to keep the lottery pick. Why aren’t they doing the same thing this year? Everyone else is doing whatever is possible to lose and Wittman won’t even limit Al’s minutes or play Doleac or Madsen.
How Glen Taylor has made his millions will always astound me. Look up “clueless” in the dictionary and you’ll see Taylor’s mug.
He’s a bigger idiot than Mchale! Which is job security for Kevin.
Glen Taylor continues his pattern of blaming everyone else other than himself for what has happened with this team. Until he understands that the buck stops with him, things aren’t going to get better.
arenal
You are ridiculous, what progress has been seen? And Taylor has lost more than a few million. It has been reported that he has lost close to $40 million over the last 2-3 years. That isn’t pocket change for anyone.
Also, if you’re a good GM you don’t let Coaches or Star players make decisions that are going to greatly hurt the organization. That’s the point of being the guy in charge, you have to make the hard decisions. Tim Duncan has stated being upset when some players have left, but guess what it was in the best interest of the team so they had to go. I still don’t understand why you approve of the job that McHale has done.
KG is a bum, a gangsta wannabe. He not only tanked at the end of the season, he tanked when it came to shaking hands with his adoring kid fans. He’s rather sit on the bus and make calls than sign an autograph for those who paid for the seats.
This franchise is going nowhere. Beasley is not the answer they already have him in the rhino..Mcants wants to jack up 20 shots a game..the #1 pick for this season cant score..Jaric..YUK!
Foye..ok pretty good. Al..play some fricking D! Where are they going after winning 20 games this year? Another 20 next year. Taylor is a very smart man as evidenced by his fortune. But this article is so ridiculously unimportant. whether KG tanked it or not, who the heck is in charge and why is Brandon Roy not a Puppie now! Thats on KG too. Yeah yeah.. you have no plan moron!
Remember when KG succer-punched aspiring rookie Rick Rickert, sending the former Gopher to the hospital and dentist. By the way, Rickert reportedly had no insurance at the time and KG never offered to pick up the medical bills.
Apparently we need KG back this season to ‘tank’ a few more games to win the Beasley sweepstakes!
Do people really care? This is the State of Hockey, does it even matter what a low rent basketball team owner says or what the players do or don’t do? Are you all serious?
Aspiring rookie??? Rick Rickert???
Only prob I have with KG is getting the organization to sign T-Hud to that ridiculous contract. He was a chucker and always will be. That is if he gets off IR. McHale should have gone long ago. So sad to see this team so dismal.
Call a jake a jake.
Irregardless of how many games we loose this year, our future sucks with the troika of Taylor/McHale/Wittman at the helm. We first need to rid ourselves of the butcher McHale. He has no business in an NBA office, unless of course he’s ordering coffee or post-it notes for the rest of the staff.
Even if true… it’s one of the most disingenuous statements I’ve ever heard from an organization.
Two seasons ago, Taylor and Co. watched idly by as Mark Madsen shot 1 - 15 with 7 three pointers (SIX coming in OT) in the last game of the regular season. A double OT loss.
A team that SAT Garnett that same season for the final six games due to a mysterious injury.
Why do I still [sort of] follow this team?
Since when was Rick Rickert an “aspiring” rookie? Our GM did the guy a favor by drafting him in the first place. If anything, Garnett should’ve slugged McHale for drafting the guy.
First we fire a coach that was .500 and let Mr. Idiot coach, then we have a owner who cheated with Joe blow smith,as well as drafting Endi Ebe(I thinks thats how you spell it)and he has the nerve to say anything bad about the best basketball playere we seen around here since the Laker days.
I agree with most of these comments. For Glen and the Timberwolves organization there will always be an excuse. Two years ago it was the coach, last year it was the franchise player, this year it’s youth. They never stop singing the same old song.
How are you going to blame KG, when you’re in charge of the team and you’re the one who signs the contract for each player. This just shows the class of this organization.
Hey arenal send your resume over Mcfail at the target center. The three stooges sound like they need to add another idiot to the triumvirate
Come on! You are using K.G as an excuse for this poor showing basketball team. Really! Glen you have to be kidding!
“Remember when KG succer-punched aspiring rookie Rick Rickert, sending the former Gopher to the hospital and dentist. By the way, Rickert reportedly had no insurance at the time and KG never offered to pick up the medical bills.”
Hahahahaha.. This is funny. This should be a commercial for Hillary Clinton. I can just here Hillary say, “I’m Hillary Clinton and I approve message.” Universal healthcare. Even million dollar basketball players need it.
Taylor and McHale deserve each other. When it comes to owning and managing a pro team, I really can not think of a duo that has so mucked up a team. I still would like someone to offer an honest opinion as to why McHale should not have been fired years ago. Somehow the Wolves will finish 5th from the bottom this year and we will once again draft a lousy player. BTW, sure glad we traded Roy for Foye ….another joke of a trade by McHale.
Brew - you’re a bit off with regard to your comment about letting a player run a team…
In the age of guaranteed money in the NBA, players have way too much power. The Wolves needed a motivated KG, so when he asked for contracts for Thud, Hassel, Brandon, Joe Smith, etc, Taylor and McHale did it.
As an example of KG’s petulant behavior…here is the case of Mike James: KG decided he didn’t like Mike James (3 months after convincing James to come to MN). KG did immature things like freeze James out, and turn as many members of the team against James. Naturally, James saw the writing on the wall, and realized that he would have to put up numbers so he would have greater value. Is James a great player? not really….but it illustrates KG’s problems.
Are Taylor and McHale blameless? Far from it. Taylor gave McHale way too much leeway in running the team (contracts, drafts, trades). Taylor wasn’t involved in the team nearly as much as he should have been. McHale? He really ought to crawl under the nearest rock and save all of us from his bball management skills.
And another thing - if KG really wanted players around him, he could have asked for less than max contract…but he wanted max…it was all about the cash with Kevin. A ring is secondary to the money for him. I know for a fact that KG wouldn’t have opted out of his contract…his agent was asking for a max contract extension in April of 2006.
In regards to contract. At the end of the day, no matter who it is, the amount it is, Glen’s signature needs to be on it. Unless it was forge, Glen shouldn’t be complaining. It’s like me charging up my credit line and not paying it afterwards.
I think that the near consensus opinion in these comments shows how estranged from reality the Twolves’ brain trust really is.
Players only have the power you let them have. KG should have input, but it’s McHale and Taylor who have the final say. They need to be the adults and make the right moves, not the ones KG wants.
And the problem wasn’t Taylor not being involved enough. Taylor was far too involved, in large part because McHale was incompetent. Why was Taylor negotiating with Joe Smith’s agent? Why did Taylor have to take over the Garnett negotiations for his two extensions? What any good owner should do is hire good people and get out of the way.
John
I agree that KG wanted his money but how many players in the NBA haven’t signed a max deal when they could have? Plus KG signed for less with the Celtics because there were players around him. Having a player with a max contract is a horrible excuse for not getting other good players. How did the Lakers have both Kobe and Shaqed signed? How do the Spurs continually succeed with Duncan making as much as he does? How about Shaq in Miami? Teams can win championships with one player making a lot of money, the difference between those teams and the Wolves is their management. Those teams had a plan and stuck with it, McHale and the bunch seem to always be doing things on the fly. That is why this franchise will never be successful with the current regime in charge.
Hopefully Fred the mayor will take over for MC Idiot and Zigi will by the Wolves.
Yeah, great idea, Little J. Hire McHale’s apprentice to take over. Brilliant!
If KG “tanked” the last 5 games of last year as Taylor calls it, at least he didn’t stink it up on the court, which can’t be said for the rest of the team. I for one couldn’t be happier KG is playing for a contender now and Taylor is getting bitter. The Wolves had their chance and they blew it and the person to blame THE LEAST was KG. He played with heart day in and day out, unlike the management, who have “tanked” the last several years.
With the fifth pick of the 2008 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select Spencer Tollackson, the aspiring center from Minnesota.
Taylor’s making himself look like a chump. What a classless statement. KG is gone and taking this kind of swipe at him not only shows Taylor is clueless about where the franchise messed up; it shows he’s unwilling to take responsibility for the sorry current and future state of this team.
Glen Taylor, enjoy wasting more money on your horse-crap franchise! How you ever became a billionaire is beyond me!
KARMA:
Your giving them to much credit with that pick.
They might as well throw the rest of the season. Why change now?
Owners are best seen and not heard…. I haven’t seen one instance where McHale or Taylor, the T-Wolves brain trust has made the team a winner. KG played his heart out, lose or win. Who blames him wanting to save himself at the end of the year….
Sean -but the problem with players meddling in management is far more complex than just saying management needs to be the adult. It’s just not that simple, especially when the player in question is the de facto captain of the team. This is not uncommon in the NBA, and has everything to do with guaranteed money. Imagine if Terrell Owens was an NBA player….
And to your point about Taylor being too involved…simply not the case, esp. when the Smith contract was signed. Fleischer was negotiating with McHale, not Taylor. The impetus for the illegal commitment was that Taylor was having heart surgery, and Fleischer went to McHale, convinced him that they needed to put their intentions in writing before Taylor’s surgery (in case he died). McHale and Fleischer went to the hospital, where Taylor was being prepped for surgery, and Glen signed the agreement. He knows it was a mistake, and you’ll note that he’s never blamed anyone but himself for it. Further, these under-the-table agreements happen all over the league…which is why the Wolves were punished so severely. And it’s not that they were stupid…the agreement came out as part of evidence discovery in Fleischer’s lawsuit against another agent for poaching players.
Taylor became much more involved 2006-7. Prior to that, his involvement revolved around approving the big contracts from a financial perspective, while (mistakenly) relying on McHale to vouch for the qualitative analysis.
Taylor has been successful precisely because he has hired well - not in McHale’s instance, but in his corporation.
Two words.
Randy Moss.
jama: AJ is better than he was last year, and is the focal point of the team and the oppositions defensive efforts. still is a beast. McCants is back from his injury. Brewer is getting experience at guarding the oppositions best. Telfair has made major strides. Ratliff and Green are already gone—money is freeing up. Rhino has gotten better. Miami trade was an improvement. Snyder may be the steal of the year. Foye appears healthy and at least on the road to a full recovery. you want more?
Oh dear god—40M for a billionaire. Lordy.
I simply said it was Flip who said Billups wouldn’t make it. As a GM you wouldn’t listen to your coach? who happenes to have been a guard? a PG? please. If you want your star players to hang around…yes you listen, yes you take heed. at that point in time, no one knew it was going to hurt the organization. not like he’d been passed around the league. not like he was alot like Marko then—one splendid game, then disappear for 2wks.
The point of being the man in charge is you have to trust your people. He trusted Flip’s judgement–why wouldn’t he?
I never said i approve of the job he has done. I simply have said it should’ve been expected given the fact he had absolutely no experience. Low and behold now that he does….things are improving. fast. well i never….
Gimmie a break; KG, McHale, and GT are all guilty as sin for what this team has done in the past 4-5. GT is simply trying to save some face for a dying franchise that is losing money.
ps.
McHale sucks Donkey D*ck!
Spree is out of work and needing some cash. Can’t we bring him back?
Unbelievable! Every time Glen opens his mouth he makes it quite clear why the Wolves can’t fill the seats. A savvy businessman? Yes, but he obviously lacks the knowledge and the FUNdamentals of running a successful basketball franchise. For him to say that about K.G. says it all. Love him or hate him (if any real fan did) K.G. busted his butt every game. Who would blame him for not playing during garbage time when the season was over? Let the rookies play and develop. Poor Glen, you are running out of people to blame.
[…] owner Glen Taylor seems to think so. How do we know? He says so… “I don’t like that so much, I don’t like that,” Taylor said of the notion the Wolves […]
I really hope KG gets his ring this year. My girlsfriends and I No longer attend Wolves games.
Money should never be a problem in the NBA. You have Mark Madsen making 3 million dollars sitting on the bench. You Antoine Walker at 9 million, in nice suit sitting next to Mark Madsen. And you blame KG, who pours, BLOOD, SWEAT and TEAR for making 22 million. If you do the NBA math, I think KG is only getting what he’s worth.
It takes a loser to point fingers and a winner to take responsibility. I would be scared if I was within either the Timberwolves or Taylor Corp. Neither one of these organizations will see a penny from me. My question to those within theses organizations is when profits are down, who does Glen point the finger at? Someone should put a mirror in front of his face.
Tonya:I Will take you to a game we would be able to sit anywere we want pretty much.
“It was more like, I’d say, McHale tanked it.” Taylor your a sellout, KG made you a lot of money!!!!!
Yes, I have attended only one game this year, thanks to free tickets. I used to go (and pay) to games, approx 10-12 times per year. The Gophers are actually more entertaining. Glen has lost this fan.
We could have drinks at Champps in Minnetonka and pretend to watch it on the big screen. That’s where the girls and I watch them. We used to chat with KG when he stopped by after games. We miss him this year.
Taylor paid KG a quarter of a billion dollars to play here and doesn’t appreciate the way KG dissed him. Apparently KG didn’t even talk to him when they came back to town for the game. I guess he didn’t even look in his direction. I don
t thin KG is not going to say anything on this one and its going to get very ugly.
I’m there
Jared - if KG says anything, he’ll have to explain why he left the team for Malibu. He wasn’t injured - he just didn’t want to give up playing time and watch his stats drop (specifically rebounds…that’s always been his focus).
I don’t expect he’ll say anything.
Well, a KGless Wolves team this year is going to be a ton worse than last years team with KG. Let’s face it, the Wolves management destroyed this franchise, KG was just caught in the cross fire. I can’t complain if KG actually did take tank the last few games. Losing takes its toll, and KG has way too much competitive fire not to be impacted.
Come on GT, give us all a break and sell this team, it’s bad enough you don’t have the B@lls to fire McHale, but to rip the ONLY good player you’ve ever had because he’d had enough of your crap….that’s just insane. your team is going to be horrible for a minimum of 3 more years, get out now!!!!! we can’t take it anymore.
hasn’t McHale been “tanking it” also?
“He wasn’t injured - he just didn’t want to give up playing time and watch his stats drop (specifically rebounds…that’s always been his focus).”
You must be a mind reader. There is no other way you could know this.
“KG did immature things like freeze James out, and turn as many members of the team against James.”
You must have been in the locker room for all this. How else could you know this?
Jared - if KG says anything, he’ll have to explain why he left the team for Malibu. He wasn’t injured - he just didn’t want to give up playing time and watch his stats drop (specifically rebounds…that’s always been his focus).
I don’t expect he’ll say anything.
Why should KG say anything? He’s inarguably the best player on the best team in the league! And, oh by the way, his stats are down across the board this year… he must be devastated by that! Haha.
The best revenge is living well. While Taylor takes his pot shots from the peanut gallery, KG is LIVING LARGE on the best team in the league. So, no, I don’t expect him to comment on Taylor’s delusional ramblings.
“KG did immature things like freeze James out, and turn as many members of the team against James.”
Yeah, KG was Mike James’ problem because look how much better James has been this year, having been freed from the KG Freeze Out.
BS…This is/was the case with KG - I have firsthand knowledge. I realize that’s not much of an answer. Sorry. Believe it or don’t believe it.
Hoopster-
You really would want another 30 win season with KG in the west where a team might win 50 games and not make the playoffs? They made the right move by starting over. I personally think everybody is to blame including the NBA for stripping this team of 5 first round picks. McHale made some bad trades thats well documeted. They’ve got a good core of young players to build around. When everybody in the west starts to decline with age in a couple years, the sonics, blazers and wolves will be blossoming.
KG’s agent is getting in on it.
Andy Miller, Garnett’s agent, vehemently denies that his client “tanked it”
Every person is entitled to his or her own opinion,” said Miller. “While I believe this opinion is somewhat jaded and skewed, I think it speaks for itself. K.G. is a consummate professional, one of the most competitive and team-success driven players I’ve ever known and probably anyone in the NBA has ever known. His effort and care and consideration for the game of basketball and for his teammates, the organization and the individuals that play with him speaks for itself.”
Miller says Garnett was injured.
“He was absolutely injured at the end of last season,” Miller said. “He was injured throughout the entire season and played through the injury. There’s nothing K.G. wanted more than to win and bring a championship to Minnesota. Anyone that would question his effort is delusional and self-serving.
“We’ve moved on obviously to a different and higher place, from K.G’s point of view. As far as Minnesota is concerned, I hope they would move on. They’re in a different place now. Their goals and situation is much different.”
SBG - I didn’t say Mike James was good…you missed my point.
I wouldn’t say KG tanked it, more like McHale has had the T’wolves in the tank since he started running the show.
Well, Taylor’s comments exemplify what’s been wrong with the Wolves. Losing teams start at the top, with you, Glen. You kept McHale through more boneheaded moves than we can count, and you never got a team around Garnett that could win (how many teams has Wally been traded to now? Such a prize.) KG stuck it out longer than many of us thought he should have, and it’s accepted around the league to rest starters if you have no hope at the end so you can get some playing time for the younger guys. This is just a cheap shot at a player who’s in a better situation now.
I’m actually frightened by how dumb Glen Taylor is. How did he get rich again? He’s an idiot. His empire will some day crumble like Steve Martin’s did in The Jerk. He had to have lucked into his fortune. What an imbecile.
How are there people here who are siding with Taylor over KG? How can you question KG’s commitment?
Oh my gosh. I can’t believe how many dumb people there are out there.
How did this man ever become a millionaire/billionaire? He is a complete idiot.
Just how close is the relationship between Taylor and McHale? Or did they both take night courses at “Fly-by-Night Business College”? I happen to live out in the boonies, 50 miles from the nearest shopping center, 150 from the Twin Cities. I have always considered it a thrill and a priveledge to obtain tickets to see the Twins, Vikes, Wild and Wolves. It just makes me sick to have a good team (By good, I mean one worth watching, not a perenial powerhose) dump their drawing card (Moss, Garnett, etc. ad nauseum) for “the future”, and then hearing the people who can attend maybe more than one game a year crow about “Gee, now we can move down to the better seats!” And that apparently is lost on the management-they have to slam the people that someone like myself drove all the way across the state to see. Taylor isn’t happy with sellouts-what does he want? Jared, you say they have a good core: how long is Big Al’s contract? Yeah, I miss KG. And until the Wolves get someone “blossomed” to the point that they can lead the team to respectabilty, I won’t make that 150 mile drive. And i may not ever until they get rid of Kevin McHale!!
The NBA is done in this town for the near future.
Who cares?!?
Go away Kg, go away McFail, go away GT, go away Wolves!
Glen Taylor is sipping that Hatorade. He’s the most worthless owner in pro sports. Perhaps he should stop talking to the media and spend more time working some clandestine wink-wink deal (a la Joe Smith) to ensure Marko Jaric remains a Timberwolf for another 5 years.
Also, while I realize that high draft choices are important, I think that losing for the sake of improving your team’s chances of getting the “best” player in college is nothing short of cheating!
…And haven’t we had way too much of that in pro sports????
Something I thought I’d never say: GO CELTICS!
Move the T-Wolves to Crawford, TX.
SBG - I didn’t say Mike James was good…you missed my point.
What is your point? That KG “froze out” a guy who can’t play? The Rockets loved him so much this year that he was not playing at all. Then, he got traded to NO where, wait for it, he’s not playing at all. But, KG is somehow — what? — for figuring out that the guy can’t play, a conclusion reached by at least two other teams this year.
“Believe it or don’t believe it.”
I dont, at least not coming from a guy on a blog. There were too many other people throwing in the towel first for me to believe Garnett tanked it. More like got fed up.
I love hearing how great KG was, played his heart out, gave all his blood sweat and tears, had a competitiev fire….. which he did except for that small period of time called the fourt quarter, you know, cruch time when you expect your main man to really get fired up and show his stuff. Kg always showed his stuff in the fourth quarter you know how to hold on to the ball until he could find someone else to give it to as he didn’t have the fire and desire to carry “his” team at cruch time. AJ wants the ball and the pressure and will be wearing a ring before KG ever will.
So winning this year is going to benefit them when they lose out on a low draft choice with an owner that wont spend money and a dumba** runiing the team there best way to improve is through the draft.
SBG,
All Jon#1 is saying is that, wait what the hell are you saying?
Jon#1 can you explain with your first hand knowledge, which by definition means KG told you himself, why Madsen was throwing up 7 threes in a 2OT season finale?
Matt-
I think McHale is not a very good GM, but a lot of things have been out of his control.
1) Marbury forced the trade
2) T Brandon’s career ending knee injury, allowing the Timberwolves to not be able to pay Billups.
3) Taylor’s under the table agreement with Joe Smith’s agent, who after getting fired ratted them out to the NBA. Resulting in the lost of 5 first round picks that I’m sure McHale would have screwed up, but you never know.
4) Googs going to Phoenix for his wife cause she wanted to be somewhere warm.
5) Spree turning down big money because he over-evaluated his worth.
6) Another thing that hurts us is not being able to sign free agents. The number one reason behind this is the climate. Minnesota is great 7 months out of the year but it really sucks in the winter. The NBA season is Nov. thru April. Who would want to come up here to work in those months?
I do think Taylor’s comments were distasteful and there were a lot of things going on behind the scene we did not know of. He should have tried to be the bigger man. This is not what this team needs right now, especially with a dwindeling fan base.
Why all the crude, abusive comments? If you hate this team so much, just ignore them. Perhaps the haters would prefer a different owner (such as the owner of Supersonics) or a different coach (such as the coach of the Bulls or Knicks) or more dynamic players (such as Ron Artest). There are many things that affect winning and losing. Stop the personal attacks. It just diminishes the person doing the attacking.
“T Brandon’s career ending knee injury, allowing the Timberwolves to not be able to pay Billups.”
But some how the next year they had enough to sign T DUD? Not likely. Poor talent evaluation as usual.
Little wolf I like your comments. It just sucks for the players on this team who are playing for a franchise that is hated by everybody because of their front office. They do have some really good young players that will be good in a couple years.
Has everyone seen the clip of KG being interviewed by John Thompson? KG broke into tears over the struggles of trying to win with the Wolves. This is the same guy who would throw games for draft picks? Doubtful.
Second, if it was to prevent a possible injury or to heal an actual injury, I’d say that was smart! Five games is nothing, and wouldn’t change the fact they weren’t going to be contenders (or anywhere close). Why would this be even newsworthy? Look at Wade in Miami: it just makes sense to sit if the only thing at risk is injuring the star player.
For those bashing KG alongside Taylor, I guess you’ll have something to talk about in those nearly empty stands at Target Center. Meanwhile, Taylor and McHale will continue to put together teams that are destined to fail. KG was a wannabe thug and a jerk to the fans? I’ve seen enough of the (new) Wolves games on TV to see the huge attitude problem with the young guys: Al rolling his eyes at a huddle, McCants blowing off Whitman, Telfair running his mouth and not being able to back it up. But yes, I’m sure KG is a locker room cancer (sarcasm). I would take KG over anybody else in the NBA today for his devotion and dedication to winning.
Taylor, just tuck your tail between your legs and continue to deny the fact that the only reason people watched the Wolves in the first place was because of KG. It must be embarrassing to have so many fans defect and buy another team’s jersey in a profession where being traded is commonplace.
The fact that this story was even published shows how ridiculous the Star Tribune is. The media in Minnesota never really accepted KG, because they couldn’t fathom why he couldn’t win titles all by himself. Like has been said, this is a non-story - with bias and the intent to create a controversy. Shame on us for reading it, I guess.
Sorry, that post at 5:36p is from a different Matt (Me - I guess I’ll call myself Matt2).
Good for KG, he devoted enough time to this franchise…sometimes a guy can only give so much…he deserves a ring, and it wouldnt happen here no matter how much time he did, or didnt,play…Upper management may want to look at how they have ‘tanked it’ over the years…Not much of a bb fan, but I watched part of the Celtics-Rockets last night, didnt know the Wolves were playin’…
Way to call out a fan-favorite and, in the process, keep the T-Wolves irrelevant to Twin Cities sports fans.
really? KG, the guy who bleed for 10+ years on the Target Centers court, is getting remarks from this guy? how many times did KG play with an injure that he never told anyone because he wanted to help the team win? yea, thanks alot KG for the best ten years of your life. jeez what a sleez, I can not believe any one could say that about KG. really?
Remember when Mark Madsen threw up a bunch of three pointers on the last day of the season a couple years ago? It was part of an effort to lose a game in order to ensure a draft pick.
I call allowing Madsen to shoot a bunch of 3 pointers an organization’s effort to tank a game. What Taylor said today was a joke.
This from the biggest cheat in NBA history for the Joe Smith debacle. He is a poor owner and buried his team with stupid decisions, of course he has Kevin.
That was a stupid thing to say. KG was the face of Minnesota for 10 years and now Glen is going to talk bad about KG? That is a dumb thing to say. KG is and will always be my favorite player because he gives it all each and every game! and even if he wasn’t injured that badly the last few games last year, who cares!!! its not like we were even close to making the playoffs
Taylor, you jackass! As someone who has watched almost every one of the games since 89, I am astonished to read anything negative about Garnett. He left it on the court every game. You’re the idiot that continued to employ McHale for no understandable reason. I’m so pissed off at you right now, I can hardly think.
Dear Glen,
In case you were unaware, you have very little support from the fan base in this town. Your team is in rebuilding mode because of terrible general management. You had one of the best players in the history of the game and could not find a way to surround him with the type of players to get him and this team a championship.
Now almost a year after dealing him to another franchise you throw him under the bus? You put the onus on him for how last season ended? The last 2 seasons where the hens coming home to rest. It sounds cliche, but my mom always said, “unless you have something nice to say don’t say anything at all.” Yet here you are attempting to blame KG for how your team has ended up. Classless.
I wrote your front office an email to confirm that I was no longer going to support your team the day that Dwane Casey was fired. For taking the time to contact the fan relations group, I was offered a pair of tickets to any game. Needless to say, I did not accept them and furthermore will completely discontinue all forms of support for this team.
Thank God for March Madness and High School Tournaments!
1 thing I remember… KG turned down 100 + million. GT was worried to lose his franchise KGarnett. GT paid KG 126 million and tried to get the league to not count it all against a league cap that was formed after KG signed. The league declined to give the wolves that exemption. It crippled the Twolves cap space. Forever since then, the Wolves have been in cap trouble. KG was part of the problem when he did not renegotiate to help save $$ and allow the Wolves to sign players. KG did not have to give $$ back, just get creative on the future. Instead, the franchise took chances like cASSel, Joe smith, and Spending Spree well
Jimbo, name the 15 best players in teh NBA and they all make nearly what KG does. Secondly, NBA players are not allowed to renegotiate their contracts. Please actually know what you are talking about before you write. Finally, KG gave everything to win in this town. Anyone who says that all of the bad moves where made because he demanded them is dilusional. If any of that is true then you really should blame Mchale for being spineless. McHale is the worst GM in sports. This is not an exaggeration. It is a fact. The pattern of gross errors in judgement this moron has made is unbelievable. I still can not understand how you trade Brandon Roy for another 6′ 2″ point guard. Sorry folks…Foye will never be as good as Roy. Finally, it takes more than one great player to win a championship. Evidence of how great KG is displayed when the one time they actually surrounded him with aging talent they went to the Western Conference finals. Imagine if Mchale actually did one thing right, and surround Garnett with another young superstar…gasp….doesn’t seem like such a difficult thing for Mitch Kupchak , Popovich, Riley, and any of the other competent GMs in the league to do with their star players that make nearly as much as KG. Have any of you actually seen the rosters of the Suns, Mavericks, Lakers, and yes Celtics….funny how they manage to build contenders with the same salary cap restraints…
Well said Tom, I agree completely.
Screw you Taylor, saying anymore gives you more credit than you deserve. Garnett did so much for this team in the years he was here. For Taylor to be critical of him and give McHale a free pass is just plain insane. Taylor, I will NEVER go to another Wolves game again.
Anyone who goes off on KG is a moron with revisionist history tendencies. KG was, and almost asuredly will always be the greatest Timberwolves player ever, and Taylor’s stupid mouth (which proves further that the brain-wizardry of the wolves are all inept from owner to coaching staff) just may have caused the Timberwolves a spot in the NBA Hall of Fame.
If I’m KG and I read that, especially on pace for an MVP, and a Ring in Boston… I might want to think about going to the HOF in Celtic Green, and that my friends is a tragedy.
Taylor can’t and won’t shoulder the blame, he refuses to put the blame on the stupidest GM/VP in the history of professional sports, or his coach who is so stupid he loses all season, and then when it’s time to tank the season he starts winning games against other teams trying to tank the season. So when we get the 4th to the 7th pick in the draft this year I want David Stern to step in and demand that Taylor sell the team!
At this point in time I’d rather have just about anyone own the team… Pohlad and Taylor can both count their billions on their time not on sports fans time! We need new blood running these organizations!
Taylor tanked this team when he took a short cut on Joe Smith and lost 5 first round draft choices. KG stood in there throughout all of those days - for Taylor to jump in and get on his case for an injury at the end is actually kind of fitting - find someone to blame for a lot of bad management decisions.
Mr. Taylor, T-wolves’ fans are wondering aloud what you had for breakfast. You are so off-base that some of us ask that you go back and review what you did over the years to reduce KG to a phrase “tanked it.” KG gave you and your inept staff a lot. That is a “thank you.” I remind you of Joe Smith, Flip, Spree, Cassell, and more! Go look at the mirror. It may be your money, but the fans still count.
Sell the team to anyone, anyone!
Glen Taylor is such an idiot, it boggles my mind. He should be kissing Kevin Garnett’s feet for what he did for the Timberwolves franchise. I guess watching his new team beat the Houston Rockets tonight might remind him of that.
[…] Minnesota owner Glen Taylor suggests Kevin Garnett did not play as hard as he might have last year. […]
Way to show what kind of people stand behind the Timberwolves organization. I sure am glad that my favorite sports teams have owners like this. Refusing to ever support franchise players with surrounding talent and then bitterly stabbing them in the back when they leave. Well played Glen Taylor. Way to take a cheap shot at the only good thing that ever happened to Minnesota basketball.
