Is Rosas really in the same league as Kahn?

[60WinTim]

That's the way a number of posters seemed to feel a week or two ago. Heck, even monster was ready to abandon ship!!!

I think the way Rosas has transformed this team over a single season is pretty amazing. While every single transaction or move can be heralded, lambasted or yawned at, I cannot help but notice the growing opTIMism about the team as it is currently constructed. For those with access to TheAthletic (they are running a $1/month promo right now), Jon K. posted an informative article including insider information that may help quell some of the anti-Rosas takes we have seen recently:

https://theathletic.com/2222746/2020/11/27/ricky-rubio-anthony-edwards-timberwolves-draft-trades/

Mentioned are the attempts to move up in the draft for Saddiq Bey or Precious Achiuwa. Derrick Jones Jr, Paul Millsap, Jae Crowder and JaMychal Green were all FA contacts. And draft night trades were explored for Aaron Gordon, PJ Tucker and Larry Nance Jr. It seems Juancho was not necessarily a first choice at PF, where the Wolves were not willing to pay Juancho what he wanted.

Rosas has certainly built up a number of tradeable assets (although no 1st rounders). I certainly wouldn't be surprised if he pursues some of those PF names in the future.

Any way, I just thought it worth noting that Rosas has done some really good things in his short stint with the Wolves. And given some of the people he has surrounded himself with both in the FO and on the coaching staff, I can't help but feel encouraged about the direction the Wolves are headed.

[Lipoli390]

Thanks for your opTIMistic take and for posting the Jon K article. You're such a great part of this message board, always giving us an optimistic, but also an informed and thoughtful, perspective.

[KG4Ever]

Time will tell where Rosas ranks. If acquiring Edwards, Culver and DLO all turn out to be bad moves, then I'd have to rank him among Kahn and Thibs as terrible GMs. However if Edwards or Culver turn into two way stars and DLO can actually have a positive on court impact, and enough so to support his max deal, then he will rank much better. I'm a bit pessimistic about these moves, but we should have a better idea in a year.

[Lipoli390]

Time will tell where Rosas ranks. If acquiring Edwards, Culver and DLO all turn out to be bad moves, then I'd have to rank him among Kahn and Thibs as terrible GMs. However if Edwards or Culver turn into two way stars and DLO can actually have a positive on court impact, and enough so to support his max deal, then he will rank much better. I'm a bit skeptical, but we should have a better idea in a year.

I think that's pretty much spot on.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Just a side note, but this offseason is actually his 3rd team transformation already which is why it's hard to believe in him and his vision. Last offseason he brought in a bunch of guys to fill in around the edges and then he proceeded to trade away half the team mid-season including a lot of players he had just brought in that offseason. We basically were two different teams last year. Now this year is a 3rd look that has become much more focused on guards. Over each transformation we have gotten smaller and smaller as a team. We are on a dangerous path to end up like Houston was last year with no bigs playing at all and that's just not a style of basketball that's gonna work. Houston got worse by going to the extreme and Rosas hasn't seemed to pick up on that message. I don't think Rosas is as bad as Kahn...yet. But he's not been trending in the right direction. Kahn was too focused on guys who couldn't play basketball and had perceived untapped potential. Rosas is way too focused on a specific way to play basketball and not letting his personnel dictate how the team plays to the point where he's just shoving as much small ball in as he can to force that style. Good teams get the best players they can and shape the way they play to something that works with those players. Rosas is only getting players that fit his style so we aren't maximizing the talent we are acquiring to improve the team.

[SameOldNudityDrew]

For the record, I think you mean there is reason to feel opDOUGism.

I think it's definitely too early to say Rosas is bad. Personally, I am very skeptical of building a team with KAT and DLO as your two highest-paid guys. They are skilled offensive players, no doubt, but they are also poor defenders, neither of them is physical, and I don't really see much leadership from either of them. That's not entirely on Rosas. He inherited KAT, and we know KAT was pushing for DLO, so the logical goal of keeping your best player happy may have been a factor in getting him. Plus, in getting DLO, he got rid of Wiggins' contract, which was really an albatross. So I'm skeptical of the team's future, but I don't put that all at Rosas' feet. At least for now.

Also, Kahn was truly horrible. Not just in his decisions, but he really was smug and self-righteous. I've heard Rosas described that way here, but I get the sense he's mostly just trying to hold his cards close to the vest and be professional. You could tell by the way Kahn looked to be trying to restrain a sarcastic smile in interviews, or the obvious pleasure he took in pushing back against guys like Chris Webber when they questioned things like the Darko signing, that he was a guy who was convinced he was right and others were wrong. That's not a guy who was ever going to learn and grow and get the best decisions. From what I've seen from Rosas, he seems to really want to get as much information legitimately from as many people as possible in the decision-making process.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

I wouldn't say Gersson Rosas is David Kahn bad, but I also wouldn't say it's impossible he becomes that bad. The jury is still out on him. Right now, I think Rosas' moves are a mixed bag because some of his moves thus far I view as clearly good moves and others I'm highly skeptical about, to say it nicely.

What he does have in common with Kahn, unfortunately, is that he's not a basketball guy. His strengths clearly revolve around business administration and personnel management. Pair that with a high ego and you can create an executive that strives to be the "smartest guy in the room" versus an executive that strives to build a winner.

[Monster]

I wouldn't say Gersson Rosas is David Kahn bad, but I also wouldn't say it's impossible he becomes that bad. The jury is still out on him. Right now, I think Rosas' moves are a mixed bag because some of his moves thus far I view as clearly good moves and others I'm highly skeptical about, to say it nicely.

What he does have in common with Kahn, unfortunately, is that he's not a basketball guy. His strengths clearly revolve around business administration and personnel management. Pair that with a high ego and you can create an executive that strives to be the "smartest guy in the room" versus an executive that strives to build a winner.

I get what you are saying but I will say I'm not sure that its quite fair to Rosas to say he isn't a basketball guy at least compared to Kahn. Rosas has spent his entire career as a basketball guy. He is a former scout, heck he was an assistant HS coach for the legendary Ebi. lol Kahn was a lawyer and a sportswriter... Kahn acted like he was THE smartest guy in the room. He literally drove other talented talent evaluators etc away from him. Rosas is all about collaboration so the hope is they aren't all idiots and only chasing a certain way of playing. Will that approach pay off? We will see. Regardless even if Rosas strengths are what you say and I don't want this post to sound like I am pushing back too hard on your premise...Rosas abilities are likely more worthwhile than Kahn who...I'm not sure what he was/is good at. Thats a pretty low bar though. =)

Kahn's first coaching hire (and assistant coaches) was a disaster. Rosas sticking with Ryan...does merit plenty of skepticism. The assistants are a pretty good group and seem to fit together unlike that Group working for Rambis.

I agree its hard to be as bad as Kahn. He endorsed prioritizing touches for Ryan Hollins and even Darko ahead of Kevin Love. He never really seemed to believe in Love and yet one of the things he never did do was trade him thank goodness.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Rosas has to be so ridiculously terrible + extremely unlikable + would have to get caught picking his ear AND EATING the wax on a live telecast to ever match Kahn.

That's a huge hill to climb/or tumble from...

[mrhockey89]

TIM, if nothing else, Rosas has given us a reason to watch the Wolves. Had we moved forward with Wiggins and the previous roster, minus Jimmy Buckets, this team would have looked the same except adding Anthony Edwards. We would already know the result, and all our hopes would be pinned on one guy.

Now, we get to see how all these young, yet talented, players can fit together. A year ago at this time, we had a bunch of 1 year cap minimum players bound for big minutes to determine who will be part of the future of this team. Fast forward to this year, we still have guys that we are needing to figure out if they fit, however with much more talented pieces, and guys we could get something on the trade market for. RoCo was nice, but not on the timeline of our young guys, we needed to inject new blood and keep throwing things at the wall until they stick.