Minnesota Timberwolves: David Kahn's Reign of Error Set to Continue

Allow me to start with this:

KAAAAAAAAAAHHHHNNNN!!!

Phew! Okay, now where was I? Ah, yes!

According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the Minnesota Timberwolves will welcome back general manager (and former sportswriter) David Kahn for a fourth season in the front office.

What a difference a year makes. Last season, the T'Wolves were one of the laughing stocks of the NBA, a wayward franchise with a budding superstar in Kevin Love whose front office, led by Kahn, seemed to think that the best way to fill a hole in the roster is to fill the roster with draft picks and free agents who play the same position and hope that one of them pans out.

However, with Minny at 21-19 and looking like a dark horse to poke its way into the Western Conference playoff picture, Principal Rooney Kahn and his curious approach to roster-building seem to be on the path to vindication now that the Wolves have escaped the pangs of perdition.

His patience with Ricky Rubio, in light of the Spaniard's previous struggles overseas, has been rewarded by a Rookie of the Year-caliber campaign, and from his glut of wings has emerged at least one budding young star (Derrick Williams) and another valuable trade chip (Michael Beasley).

Not to mention the hiring of Rick Adelman as the new head coach, though that move had as much to do with the influence of team owner Glen Taylor (and the size of the paycheck) as it did with anything Kahn contributed to the cause. Adelman was reportedly hesitant to take the job in Minnesota on account of his contentious relationship with Kahn, dating back to Adelman's days as the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers and Kahn's as the team's beat writer for the Oregonian.

That being said, there's still plenty of reason to believe that the T'Wolves are finally succeeding in spite of Kahn, rather than because of him. He had nary a hand in drafting Love, but is responsible for withholding a fifth year from the All-Star forward's new contract, from which Love can opt out after three years. Likewise, Kahn can't exactly be credited for the emergence of Nikola Pekovic, whom Kevin McHale took in the second round of the 2008 NBA draft after picking up Love.

On the other hand, Kahn can take credit for giving Darko Milicic his four-year, $20 million deal, Luke Ridnour his four-year, $16 million deal, and JJ Barea his four-year, $19 million deal.

If you really want to give credit where credit is due, then save it for Adelman and his coaching wizardry, Love and his growth into the best power forward on the planet, and Rubio for delivering on the lofty comparisons to "Pistol" Pete Maravich.

In the meantime, Kahn (like you) will keep a close eye on the Wolves from here on out, hoping that the steady improvement continues, and that this whole project—brought together as much by blind luck as by McHale's old moves—doesn't collapse into chaos at some point down the line.

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