Although his franchise hasn’t made the playoffs since 2004 and has never been to the NBA Finals, Wolves owner Glen Taylor wants to build a championship team. He’s starting over in the front office with new president of basketball operations David Kahn who was welcomed to town last month by a franchise that has won 46 and lost 118 games the last two seasons.
But the Wolves have three picks in the first round and two in the second of this month’s NBA draft. They also figure to have salary cap room to add players in 2010 when the league free agent market is expected to be exceptional. Plus, the Wolves have a promising forward in 20-year-old Kevin Love and a star in 24-year-old center Al Jefferson.
Despite a season ticket base of about 6,000 and red ink flowing after recent seasons, Taylor told Sports Headliners he’s willing to spend money to win. “Money is not necessarily what is going to take us to the championship, but if that was the only thing, it won’t stop us,” he said.
Whether the Wolves will be more successful in acquiring productive players than in the past is the $64,000 question at 600 First Ave. North. Kahn, although he isn’t a former NBA player or coach, will be the major decision maker on both drafting players and acquiring players already in the league.
Taylor expects Kahn to surround himself with a basketball expert staff that can invigorate the process. “…I think it’s important that you have input from other people that are going to look at it a little different than he is,” Taylor said. “…He’s willing to do that. Some other people are not so willing to do that. That they just sort of rely on their gut instinct on what’s the best. It’s just kind of a cold decision and my preference is that a person gets a lot of advice first before you make that last decision.”
Kahn, a former sports columnist turned lawyer, then basketball man, has a resume that includes nine years with the Indiana Pacers. Four of those years he was the team’s general manager. He learned about not only judging talent but how the finances in the NBA work, including structuring salaries so they fit within the league’s cap guidelines.
Kahn told Sports Headliners a person can be the “greatest talent evaluator in the world” but the process of building a roster will be stymied without knowledge of “how to put a deal together or fit things in the salary structure.”
“I hope the different skill sets I bring will be my greatest strength,” he said. “I am not a specific guy in one respect. I hope that I am capable in many areas. Time will tell.”
Kahn expects to do some college scouting for the 2010 draft but wants to learn what he’s got with the Wolves, too. “I am certain I will see my share of games next year during the college season, and I am certain I will scout, but I really want to focus on the team right now, and what we have,” he said. “And I want other people to primarily be the people out on the road.”