NBA: 3 February takeaways and 3 March predictions

NBA February Takeaway: New Year, Same Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves fired head coach Ryan Saunders and hired Chris Finch to replace him just minutes later, indicating that the move was pretty obviously premeditated. It’s a move that looks pretty dirty on the surface, but when you look at the larger era of Glen Taylor’s ownership it becomes clear that this is just another red flag in what has been two and a half decades of ineptitude.

For all the problems Minnesota has had over the years, Glen Taylor is the one constant.

I drafted and re-drafted this over and over trying to best illustrate the ways in which Taylor has held the Timberwolves back, but figured a good old-fashioned resume showcasing his work would speak for itself. I’m sure I’m missing some, but this ought to drive the point home:

• 1999 – Traded 21-year-old Stephon Marbury, the second-best player on their team, for Terrell Brandon, Brian Evans, and a future first-round pick.
• 2000 – Timberwolves fined $3.5 million for their deal with Joe Smith, which violated the NBA’s salary cap rules. Taylor received a one-year suspension from the league and Minnesota was stripped of four first-round draft picks. Picks that would have been valuable during Kevin Garnett’s peak years.
• 2005 – Flip Saunders fired as head coach during the season, just months after taking Minnesota to the Western Conference Finals. They would go on to miss the playoffs every year until 2018.
• 2007 – Kevin Garnett traded to the Boston Celtics for 50 cents on the dollar. Minnesota received Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair, and two first-round picks.
• 2009 – Had the 5th and 6th picks in the NBA draft, passed on Stephen Curry with both picks for Ricky Rubio and Johnny Flynn. Curry was selected with the next pick.
• 2010 – Selected Wesley Johnson with the 4th pick in the NBA draft. DeMarcus Cousins was selected with the next pick.
• 2011 – Selected Derrick Williams with the 2nd pick in the NBA draft
• 2012 – Didn’t have a first-round pick because they traded it 7 years earlier along with Sam Cassell for Lionel Chambers and Marko Jaric
• 2014 – As part of a 3-team trade, they traded Kevin Love and Luc Mbah A Moute for Anthony Bennett, Andrew Wiggins, and Thaddeus Young.
• 2015 – After Flip Saunders passed away, Taylor backed out of the deal that would have brought Kevin Garnett in as part of the team’s front office/ownership group once he retired. Garnett has since refused to have his jersey retired in Minnesota, saying he “doesn’t do business with snakes.”
• 2018 – Undermined head coach Tom Thibodeau and GM Scott Layden during potential Jimmy Butler trades, with multiple high ranking league officials telling ESPN:

"“The owner’s trading him. It’s just a matter of when. That was made clear.” and “He basically said, ‘If you don’t get anywhere with [Layden] and you’ve got something good, bring it to me.”"

• 2020 – Traded Andrew Wiggins and a lightly protected 2021 first-round pick to the Golden State Warriors for D’Angelo Russell. It is believed they made this move to make Karl-Anthony Towns happy, as he and Russell are known to be good friends.
• 2005-2021 – 10 different head coaches and one playoff birth (first-round exit in 2018).
• 2021 – Fired head coach Ryan Saunders while on the road with the team, hired Chris Finch minutes later, indicating they had already made the decision to fire Saunders before he traveled with the team.

Like I said, two and a half decades of ineptitude. For all I know Chris Finch will be a good coach, but expecting him to transform Minnesota into a stable NBA franchise would be like throwing a Dixie cup of water at a house fire and expecting it to stop.