David Kahn, Minnesota Timberwolves Making a Mess of the NBA off-Season... Again!

It's been 7 season since the Minnesota Timberwolves made the NBA Playoffs. Over that span the franchise has won less than 27 games per season. Since hiring David Kahn, the T-Pups have averaged only 16 wins. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of the team's rebuilding process. The Wolves are well under the salary cap and boast a promising young All-Star in Kevin Love, but after another summer filled with blunders, David Kahn's days may be numbered.

2009-2010

Timberwolves' GM and President of Basketball Operations David Kahn made his auspicious debut in the summer of 2009, trading away Randy Foye and Mike Miller, who had combined to score 26.2 ppg and make 108 starts the year before.

After adding the #5 pick to the Wolves' #6 pick, Kahn dubiously chose two point guards in Finally-a-T-Wolf Ricky Rubio and Now-Rocket Jonny Flynn. Inexplicably, his next move was hiring triangle “guru” Kurt Rambis to lead a group centered on dynamic, young point guards.

Rubio stayed in Spain, but Flynn started 81 games on his way to 13.5 points and 4.4 assists per game.

The team won 15 games, the second-worst record in the league behind historically terrible New Jersey. Even with the Nets chasing the all-time worst record in NBA history, Kahn was the laughing stock of the league.

2010-2011

Before the draft, Kahn made a no-brainer acquisition of talented but troubled forward Michael Beasley, sending only a second round draft pick to Miami. Next, the Wolves chose need over value with the #4 pick, drafting Wesley Johnson over DeMarcus Cousins.

Rubio stayed in Spain yet again, posting disappointing numbers for a very good Barcelona team. Flynn hobbled his way to 36% shooting in less than 19 mpg in only 53 games. Kahn's reputation continued to devolve.

Johnson was second-team All Rookie after scoring 9 ppg (on 39.7% shooting) while Cousins was first-team All Rookie, averaging 14.1, 8.6, and more assists per minute than Johnson.

Beasley showed flashes of brilliance, including a streak of six straight 25+ point games in November, but appeared to be at his best when the team was at its worst.

Kahn acquired Anthony Randolph in the Carmelo Anthony deal for Corey Brewer and Kosta Koufus, a second shrewd move in one season for a man without much history in that area.

The team won only 17 games, the worst record in the league. Rambis won only 32 games in his first two seasons, meaning the team didn't win enough games in two seasons to make the playoffs!

Questions circled regarding the Wolves' coaching staff and front office.

2011-2012

There was no coaching change.

Kahn reportedly wanted to move the pick for veteran talent, feeling #2 prospect Derrick Williams was too similar to Beasley. The trade never came.

Instead, the Wolves drafted Williams and made five draft day trades with their other pick, turning the #20 pick into the #43 pick (Malcolm Lee) and a 2013 second-rounder.

Still, there was no coaching change.

The first trade sent the 22-year old Flynn, the #20 pick, and a second-rounder to Houston for 35-year old Brad Miller, the #23 pick, and a future first-rounder.

In two years, Kahn had turned the #6 pick into a 35-year old rotation player on an expiring deal and the difference between the 23^rd and 33^rd picks. So much for shrewd David Kahn...

The Rambis Debacle

Last Tuesday, 19 days after the draft, Rambis was finally fired. But only after he was offered a promotion to the front office! Since when does 32-132 get you a promotion?

The most unbelievable aspect of Rambis' firing, however, was its timing.

Four coaches have already been hired this off-season (Mike Brown, Kevin McHale, Mark Jackson and Dwane Casey), and this close to the upcoming season, college coaches are also off the market.

Kahn's passivity also allowed former Wolves' assistant and potential coach-in-waiting J.B. Bickerstaff to sign on as an assistant in Houston.

The Wolves' decidedly uninspiring short list appears to be Don Nelson, Rick Adelman, and J.B.'s dad Bernie.

If it wasn't enough to make numerous questionable draft day trades and publicly botch the team's coaching search, Kahn may have made things worse by illegally commenting on both Rubio and Brad Miller at the June 12 Rambis press conference.

Yet again, Kahn finds himself looking up at the rest of the league in terms of both tact and tactics.

He'll likely pay for his latest indiscretion out of his own pocket, but the damage Kahn has done to the public perception and reputation of the Minnesota Timberwolves is undeniable.

Kahn's positive relationship with Wolves' owner Glen Taylor has shielded him from much of the blame up until this point, but if things don't turn around soon, the NBA will have to find a new whipping boy because Kahn will be out of a job.