Worst season to be a fan?

[thedoper]

This year has been one of the most frustrating as a fan. The first 10 years of the franchise I expected nothing. When KG came on board there were ups and downs. Marbury leaving was tough, but at least a bit of talent cam back. The Joe Smith fiasco hamstringing this franchise. KGs final two years were brutal (Mike James, Ricky Davis, need I say more?). The post KG era has been filled with teams that lived up to their expectations for the most part. I never had a hard time with all the losing because I expected it. This year has shown more improvement than those previous years, yet I find myself more frustrated with this team then ever. Am I just spurning hope because of my trauma? I am curious about other fans who have followed this team since the beginning. I remember what it felt like to lose Marbury. I feel that this year has sealed the fact that Love is gone. I just don't see how being a 6 or 7 seed next year will change his mind. This team needed a home run. Signing Bud and Martin does nothing for the long term prospects/outlook because they are both on the tail end of their careers and breaking down. There is no way this franchise becomes a contender with this roster and/or our assets. We won't trade Pek or Rubio for a star at this point. We can't afford to lose any more draft picks. Somehow for me being on the bubble feels a lot worse than being horrible. I know there are a lot of positive assessments of the Wolves that have been bantered about on this board and I apologize in advance for this, but our team may be in the worst shape we have ever been in. I really believe if a top down solution (a new dynamic owner) isn't found for this team in the next 5 years, this team will move. I am happy to be convinced otherwise, and I know I will stay a die hard fan. But this one hurt bad.

[mjs34]

This year has been one of the most frustrating as a fan. The first 10 years of the franchise I expected nothing. When KG came on board there were ups and downs. Marbury leaving was tough, but at least a bit of talent cam back. The Joe Smith fiasco hamstringing this franchise. KGs final two years were brutal (Mike James, Ricky Davis, need I say more?). The post KG era has been filled with teams that lived up to their expectations for the most part. I never had a hard time with all the losing because I expected it. This year has shown more improvement than those previous years, yet I find myself more frustrated with this team then ever. Am I just spurning hope because of my trauma? I am curious about other fans who have followed this team since the beginning. I remember what it felt like to lose Marbury. I feel that this year has sealed the fact that Love is gone. I just don't see how being a 6 or 7 seed next year will change his mind. This team needed a home run. Signing Bud and Martin does nothing for the long term prospects/outlook because they are both on the tail end of their careers and breaking down. There is no way this franchise becomes a contender with this roster and/or our assets. We won't trade Pek or Rubio for a star at this point. We can't afford to lose any more draft picks. Somehow for me being on the bubble feels a lot worse than being horrible. I know there are a lot of positive assessments of the Wolves that have been bantered about on this board and I apologize in advance for this, but our team may be in the worst shape we have ever been in. I really believe if a top down solution (a new dynamic owner) isn't found for this team in the next 5 years, this team will move. I am happy to be convinced otherwise, and I know I will stay a die hard fan. But this one hurt bad.

You touched on something similar to what I have been saying since last summer. Long term prospects are what I believe love will be looking at when he decides where to sign next year. Making the PO's are important, but not near as important as what the team will look like for the future.

It is one of the biggest reasons not to trade draft picks and young players for role playing vets that you can overpay for in FA. Buddinger is a shining example of what not to do. You don't waste a first round pick on a role player in the last year of his contract. You also don't over pay for a guy coming off an injury. Why didn't the wolves (kahn) wait one season and sign Bud when he was a FA. Why did we waste a pick on him?

I like bringing Martin aboard and think the deal was fine other than the 4 years, but if we replace him in the starting lineup and reduce his minutes, he can still be a good contributor based on his shooting alone.

[AbeVigodaLive]

It's been one of the oddest seasons.

I may not know how I truly feel until it's over and I can process what a strange fu$%ing season it's been. On one hand, it's the most capable, or even functional, team in about a decade. And we've seen the evolution of Kevin Love continue as he looks to be closer to superstar status.

Then, you have all the ridiculous stats (for those into that sort of thing). A top 10 offense. A top 10 defense. And, a .500 record.

Even thought its "Expected W/L record" is 40 - 23 according to the wonderful basketballreference.com site.

1 - 12 in close games. Rubio's and Barea's and even Love's 4th quarter foibles.

The string of 30-point blowouts.

They've been maddeningly consistent in their inconsistency. Or, is it maddeningly inconsistent in their consistency? Either way, I can understand why people would be frustrated.

But this is a franchise that is just reached 32 wins for the FIRST without Kevin Garnett on the roster after battling "gamely" against the talented Bucks. That's progress... with more than a tinge of sarcasm.

Sadly, I've felt a sense of doom with this organization the moment I heard on the radio that Love accepted the "3" year deal from Kahn. It remains arguably the most myopic, dumb move in a series of dumb moves from the 2nd worst (and dropping) franchise in modern NBA history.

_____________________________

All that being said. No. It's not the worst season to be a fan. We haven't hit that point yet. It's coming. Maybe it's next year. Maybe the year after.

But we're looking at another 60-loss rebuilding project in front of 15,000 empty seats and an apathetic fanbase (outside of a few of us) that will get the relocation rumor mill churning out stories about how the NBA failed for the 2nd time in MN.

Doomsday is coming.
Talk me off the ledge.

[thedoper]

Sadly, I've felt a sense of doom with this organization the moment I heard on the radio that Love accepted the "3" year deal from Kahn. It remains arguably the most myopic, dumb move in a series of dumb moves from the 2nd worst (and dropping) franchise in modern NBA history.

_____________________________

All that being said. No. It's not the worst season to be a fan. We haven't hit that point yet. It's coming. Maybe it's next year. Maybe the year after.

But we're looking at another 60-loss rebuilding project in front of 15,000 empty seats and an apathetic fanbase (outside of a few of us) that will get the relocation rumor mill churning out stories about how the NBA failed for the 2nd time in MN.

Doomsday is coming.
Talk me off the ledge.

I keep going back to Taylor on this one. I know Kahn negotiated the deal, but I can't see how Taylor didn't have something to do with it. At the very least Taylor should have had the business sense to step in and say "No David, give him the extra year". I really don't think Flip is doing a poor job or will be a bad GM. It just scared me that he is another retread and made Taylor change his mind about selling the team.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Sadly, I've felt a sense of doom with this organization the moment I heard on the radio that Love accepted the "3" year deal from Kahn. It remains arguably the most myopic, dumb move in a series of dumb moves from the 2nd worst (and dropping) franchise in modern NBA history.

_____________________________

All that being said. No. It's not the worst season to be a fan. We haven't hit that point yet. It's coming. Maybe it's next year. Maybe the year after.

But we're looking at another 60-loss rebuilding project in front of 15,000 empty seats and an apathetic fanbase (outside of a few of us) that will get the relocation rumor mill churning out stories about how the NBA failed for the 2nd time in MN.

Doomsday is coming.
Talk me off the ledge.

I keep going back to Taylor on this one. I know Kahn negotiated the deal, but I can't see how Taylor didn't have something to do with it. At the very least Taylor should have had the business sense to step in and say "No David, give him the extra year". I really don't think Flip is doing a poor job or will be a bad GM. It just scared me that he is another retread and made Taylor change his mind about selling the team.

I agree. Taylor has to step in there. It's his investment.

Lousy team. Awful team actually. No identity. Bad reputation. Bad weather. Bad locale for star players. Bad history.

Yet the best player (and 2nd best in franchise history) is practically begging to stay despite that. And the team says "NO."

They deserve what happens next.



[Note: Unfortunately, Wolves fans don't... and they'll be hit the hardest.]

[Lipoli390]

It's definitely on Taylor. It's on Taylor for hiring Kahn who had no track record running a NBA basketball operation and no track record of success evaluating talent. It's on Taylor for not interceding to make sure Love got the 5-year deal he sought from Kahn and for agreeing to or possibly even encouraging the weird series of trades in 2011 that led to drafting Malcolm Lee while passing over the likes of Kenneth Faried and Chandler Parsons. It's on Taylor again for replacing Kahn with a country club retread fired three times as a head coach who has no experience heading up a NBA basketball operation, no track record of success evaluating and selecting talent other than supporting McHale's decisions to draft KG and Marbury's, and whose history making personnel recommendations includes recommending Brandon over Billups.

[mjs34]

Taylor already came out in a TV interview and said it was decision not to give Love the 5th year, and also said he didn't hire Kahn to do talent evaluation, but never hired anyone else to take the duties over.

I have no idea what Taylor was thinking when hiring Flip. Maybe he thought it would get the media off his back because they couldn't rip Kahn enough. Funny that the media never go after Flip. Even in the article by Brit Robison that Abe linked in another thread, he never actually comes out and rips Adelman. Only suggesting lineup changes, but not questioning why they haven't already happened.

[alexftbl8181 [enjin:6648741]]

A thing that nobody is thinking about with Love leaving is that Kurt Rambis is on the Laker staff. He's rumored to possibly take over for Mike D after he's fired. It's no secret that Love hates Rambis and I can't see Love going there if Rambis is there plus the Laker roster needs everything

[Lipoli390]

Taylor already came out in a TV interview and said it was decision not to give Love the 5th year, and also said he didn't hire Kahn to do talent evaluation, but never hired anyone else to take the duties over.

I have no idea what Taylor was thinking when hiring Flip. Maybe he thought it would get the media off his back because they couldn't rip Kahn enough. Funny that the media never go after Flip. Even in the article by Brit Robison that Abe linked in another thread, he never actually comes out and rips Adelman. Only suggesting lineup changes, but not questioning why they haven't already happened.

Good points, SJM.

I remember Taylor taking responsibility for deciding not to give Love the 5th year. But I suspect Taylor and Kahn were on the same page and that Kahn could have convinced Taylor to give the 5th year. Taylor is responsible either way. I also recall Taylor saying he didn't hire Kahn to do talent evaluation, hiring him instead to manage the basketball operations department. But Kahn had no track record successfully running/managing a NBA basketball operation. Even worse, Taylor watched as Kahn failed to hire proven successful talent evaluators.

No surprise the media never go after Flip. One thing he is good at is sucking up to and building relationships with the local media guys. Local media have been easy on Adelman because he's a coaching icon in addition to being a great guy.

[KiwiMatt]

I'm more optimistic about this teams future than others.

Finishing at .500 in a tough Western Conference is nothing to be disappointed about, especially with all the new faces on this roster. Look at all the teams ahead of us, they're established teams with low player turnovers and established cores.

We are not as far off as most people think. Look at Portland's transformation from last season to this season. It's the path we need to follow and a realistic one at that, without having to blow up the roster again.

These are the things that need to happen in the offseason for us to make the next step:

* Hire a defensive minded coach good at developing players (Hollins, Skiles etc).
* The continued development of Muhammad and Dieng.
* Draft the BPA with 1st round pick (provided we keep it).
* Upgrade the backup PG and PF's spots.
* Rubio becoming more of an scoring threat.