Timberwolves – Page 103 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Saunders Tested Buyer Interest in Wolves

Posted on May 8, 2013May 8, 2013 by David Shama

Write down the names of well-known Upper Midwest businessmen T. Denny Sanford and Bill McGuire as potential Timberwolves owners. Flip Saunders told Sports Headliners he contacted representatives of both men last summer about the Minneapolis-based NBA franchise.

At that time Wolves owner Glen Taylor was interested in identifying a majority owner for the club who would eventually take over for him. Since then Taylor decided to remain in control but less than a year ago Saunders, then looking for his next basketball opportunity, made contacts with Sanford and McGuire representatives.

Saunders, a former NBA coach who last week was named by Taylor as the Wolves’ president of basketball operations, thought that Sanford and McGuire, both wealthy basketball fans, “would be good people” for the organization. It might be that one day either or both are involved financially.

Saunders himself is now a minority owner. “The reason I’ve invested is because I believe we’re moving forward,” he said.

Saunders didn’t barter his undisclosed minority share. He paid cash and plans to buy more interest in the club some day.

The Wolves were devastated by injuries last season, finishing with a 31-51 record. The club is much better than the record indicates with Olympian forward Kevin Love, promising point guard Ricky Rubio and other worthy players but Saunders knows he has plenty of work ahead in building a better roster.

“If I had to say a word, it’s going to be a process. I am realistic. I am not going to buy into it’s great and everything is rosy… (and) everything is ready built because there are 30 other teams in the league and a lot of those teams are saying the same thing. So it’s a process but we have some pieces to put together.”

Worth Noting

Good guy and former Gopher basketball player Larry Overskei is disappointed his nephew Chris Halvorsen, a non-scholarship player, is no longer on new coach Rick Pitino’s Minnesota team. Halvorsen participated in a few workouts but since has been told the Gophers are going in a “different direction,” according to an e-mail Overskei sent at the request of Sports Headliners.

Overskei’s comments included this: “So now we have an ’M’ man, all-Academic Big Ten and graduating on May 10th with a degree in Bio-medical Engineering and he is told he is not wanted back for his last year of eligibility. GO FIGURE! Plus his uncle is a basketball alumni.”

Halvorsen, 22, played in seven games for the Gophers last season and averaged 0.6 points per game. The 6-8 former Henry Sibley High School graduate transferred to Minnesota from Valparaiso after the 2009-10 season.

Goalie Niklas Backstrom has missed all four Wild playoff games including last night’s 3-0 loss to the Blackhawks. His unavailability for the team’s first playoff series since 2008 can’t be helpful for his future with the club.

Backstrom is an unrestricted free agent this summer. At 35, he earns a reported $6 million in the last year of his contract. A pro hockey source, speaking on condition of anonymity, speculated the Wild will let Backstrom go elsewhere and use Josh Harding and Darcy Kuemper in goal for 2013-2014.

Other Wild players with expiring contacts as unrestricted free agents are forwards Matt Cullen and Pierre-Marc Bouchard. Both might be playing their final games this spring for the Wild, although the source said Cullen is especially valued for his attitude. “He is a coach in the locker room,” the source added.

After last night’s game the Wild trail 3-1 in the playoffs and while “anything can happen” in postseason hockey the source also said Minnesota’s speed among its players is “not close to Chicago.” “My observation is their depth and team speed needs to improve,” he added.

He predicted this summer the NHL will announce the 2015 NHL Winter Classic will be hosted by the Wild, with Target Field the more likely site than TFC Bank Stadium.

Sports Headliners reader Tim Hoff e-mailed that on a trip to Israel he and his wife unexpectedly saw Vikings’ owner Zygi Wilf. “In Jerusalem we stayed at the Ramada. While there we noticed Zygi Wilf in the lobby and were told he owned the Ramada. During our stay we toured the Israeli Museum which features the Dead Sea Scrolls as well as the King Herod display. During the tour we were told one of the exhibits would soon be dedicated. The Wilf name appeared on this exhibit.”

Former Viking running back Ted Brown, who was drafted out of North Carolina State, was announced yesterday by the National Football Foundation as one of 12 players named to the 2013 College Football Hall of Fame.

Saint Benedict’s first-year second baseman Kim Lidstone saw her near-season-long 31-game hitting streak come to an end last week — the longest since 2004 in NCAA Division III softball and tied for fourth longest ever.

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U Not Gaining or Losing in Tyus Chase

Posted on May 6, 2013May 6, 2013 by David Shama

Debbie Jones told Sports Headliners her son Tyus remains interested in the Gophers. She also said the highly coveted Apple Valley junior point guard may choose a college as part of a group decision with Jahlil Okafor from Chicago and Justise Winslow from Houston.

Tubby Smith and his staff spent time pursuing Tyus but Smith was fired as Gopher coach in March. During the search process for a new head coach it appeared Flip Saunders might succeed Smith. Saunders, a former point guard who made a career coaching in the NBA, knows Tyus and local recruiting observers thought Saunders might win a recruiting derby for Debbie’s son who could be the best player nationally in the prep class of 2014.

With a new Gopher coach in Richard Pitino, who is only 30 with one year of head coaching experience, are the Gophers behind or ahead where they once were in the recruiting process with Tyus?

“I think they’re the same as they always have been,” Debbie said. “Tyus has it narrowed down to seven schools and Minnesota is one of those seven. They were there kind of regardless of who is coaching there. I think the new coach, coach Pitino he’s reached out and we’ve had a number of conversations. They’re still in the running.”

The seven schools are Baylor, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, Minnesota and Ohio State. Pitino is no power coach like Mike Krzyzewski, Bill Self, John Calipari, Tom Izzo and Thad Matta but the Gophers are the hometown team. Coach Scott Drew and Baylor in faraway Waco, Texas might seem like an unusual final seven choice.

On the Baylor staff is former Hopkins High School standout Jared Nuness, a distant cousin of Tyus. He has long admired Nuness. “It’s family and so you know…it’s a consideration,” Debbie said. “It’s always nice to know somebody and stuff like that.”

Does Pitino’s lack of experience as a head coach work against him in eventually convincing Tyus to become a Gopher? “Well, I guess it’s just something you take into consideration as he (Tyus) goes through this process and we’re looking at all the schools,” Debbie said. “You kind of take everything into consideration. I don’t know that that will be a determining factor but you consider all the things when you look at the seven schools.”

In the Rivals.com top 150 for the national high school class of 2014, Okafor, a center, is rated No. 1 while Tyus is No. 3 and Winslow, a forward, is No. 10. If those three decided on the same university, boosters would immediately make airline and lodging reservations in Indianapolis for the 2015 Final Four. How much credibility is there about a possible Tyus-Okafor-Winslow package?

“I know Tyus and Jahlil talk about it frequently and I really believe that that will happen,” Debbie said. “Justise from Texas is another one — that they’ve talked about going somewhere together. I do see that happening. So as we get right down to it and taking some official visits, narrowing things down, I think it’s a real possibility.”

Worth Noting

Tyus Jones’ grandfather, Dennis Deutsch, may have a kidney transplant but must have more tests. Deutsch and Tyus have a close relationship.

Will Rashad Vaughn, the shooting guard who is rated the No. 6 player in the country by Rivals.com for the class of 2014, play his senior year for Robbinsdale Cooper or go elsewhere? Perhaps to a prep school outside Minnesota?

Each Wild home playoff game is worth about $5 million to the franchise, according to a pro hockey source who asked not to be named. The Wild hosts the Blackhawks tomorrow night for their second 2013 home playoff game. Revenue sources include mostly ticket sales but also suites, merchandise and local TV broadcasts.

Another hockey source, FSN’s Kevin Gorg, said the key for the Wild to even the series at two games each tomorrow night will be for Minnesota to “slow down” the pace against the more talented Blackhawks. Gorg said Wild veteran Pierre Marc-Bouchard probably played his best game ever for Minnesota in its win yesterday.

A Timberwolves’ official said new president of basketball operations Flip Saunders will be paid a “mid-market” NBA salary. That might mean compensation in the range of $2.5 to $3.5 million.

Although Saunders has more than 13 years of NBA head coaching experience, he wasn’t hired as a potential emergency replacement for Rick Adelman if the 67-year-old Wolves’ coach abruptly decides to retire because of his wife’s health concerns.

“I think Flip would have the potential of finding us the right coach,” said Wolves’ owner Glen Taylor. “That’s how I really have looked at it. But at this point I have only looked at Rick as our coach. I have a high degree of confidence that he is going to stay. I didn’t ask Flip to come here because he could coach. That was not part of my consideration.”

With a devastating run of injuries that turned the Wolves into a team that had a 31-51 record, the team’s TV ratings for 2012-13 averaged 2.2, a decline from 2.9 the previous season. A Wolves’ spokesman emailed that information and said a playoff contending club could produce numbers two and three times the 2.2.

Vikings’ defensive tackle Shariff Floyd, the team’s first selection in the first round of last month’s NFL draft, said his sleeve length is 31 inches. Draft observers have questioned his ability to pass rush because of short arms but Floyd told Sports Headliners that’s “not a factor at all.”

Floyd, 6-3, 297, has asked for help from retired Vikings’ defensive lineman Pat Williams who played at 6-3, 317. Williams has agreed to mentor Floyd.

Cordarrelle Patterson, another of the team’s first round draft choices, said the playbook has already been more manageable for him than expected because he’s been given time to absorb the material and coaches have been helpful. He’s open to whatever assignments the team gives him as a wide receiver, punt returner or kickoff returner.

Community involved former Viking and St. Paul native Matt Birk is the honoree at the annual Bobby Jones dinner tonight at Interlachen Country Club in Edina.

Murray’s Restaurant owner Tim Murray has another summer baseball trip planned with friends. This year’s itinerary will feature games in New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore.

Paul Allen, the radio play-by-play voice of the Vikings, will speak to the C.O.R.E.S. group on Thursday at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Bloomington. Author Jim Bruton and former Viking Dave Osborn will autograph copies of Bruton’s book on the Vikings’ 50 greatest players. Anyone interested in attending the luncheon and program should contact Jim Dotseth by Tuesday, dotsethj@comcast.net.

Allen is the track announcer at Canterbury Park where the Shakopee racing facility had an estimated 11,000 patrons on Saturday for the Kentucky Derby and set a simulcast wagering record of more than $1.61 million. The previous record of $1.48 million was set in 2004 on Derby Day.

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Taylor May Change Wolves Sale Plan

Posted on April 17, 2013April 17, 2013 by David Shama

Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners on Monday he might change his intent to find a majority buyer for his Timberwolves. He also said the future of his team for next season starts with coach Rick Adelman who he believes will decide to stay with the franchise.

Taylor, the club’s majority owner since the mid-1990s, has been shopping the team for awhile because at 71 years old he thought that might be a good idea if he encountered health problems. While Taylor has identified potential out of town buyers, he hasn’t found one from Minnesota and he wants the Wolves to continue to play in Minneapolis.

“I don’t have a deal (to sell),” said Taylor who turns 72 tomorrow. “I may go back to what I originally started out with. Go out and look for some minority interests. I would look for people who do live in the state to replace some of the people that have been my partners in the past. … So I may just change my tactic next summer and go back to talking to some of those people — that maybe their interest isn’t to run the club — but they would like to be a partner in it.”

Former UnitedHealth executive Bill McGuire is the new owner of the Minnesota United FC soccer team. McGuire was a high school basketball player and is a Wolves season ticket holder. He has the financial resources to become the Wolves’ majority owner, keeping a Minnesotan in charge of the franchise.

Taylor said McGuire hasn’t expressed interest in buying him out but could be on a list of potential minority investors. “He’s the type of person I would ask. He’s a friend and I respect him. He’s a good business guy, and he’s got an interest in the Timberwolves.”

Crushed by injuries, the Timberwolves end their regular season tonight at San Antonio. The team’s hard luck year included the absence of Adelman who left the team for 11 games to support his wife Mary Kay. She suffers from seizures and Adelman’s coaching future is uncertain.

Taylor said Adelman is waiting for medical consultation on his wife and that information could come in the next 30 days. “We’re hoping so, yes,” Taylor said.

Adelman, 66, is among the NBA’s most admired coaches and it’s believed if necessary he will retire to spend more time with his wife. Although Taylor has a president of basketball operations (David Kahn) with an expiring contract and challenges with player personnel, it is the coach and his availability for next season that is priority No. 1. He described Adelman as “the key” to the immediate future.

“I think right now the No. 1 decision for me is Rick,” Taylor said. “I just think with his experience and his relationships with these players and this team, that’s such a critical part of our plan. And whatever he decides could affect some of the other decisions.”

Kahn’s contract expires May 27. Taylor said all the injuries this season make it difficult to evaluate whether to retain Kahn, and the Wolves’ owner wouldn’t say whether he will announce a decision prior to late May.

Flip Saunders began his Timberwolves’ career as the team’s general manager and then was quickly given the coaching job. Would Taylor consider Saunders for either the coaching or general manager positions?

“I just think that I should just not answer that question but first find out what Rick’s decision is going to be,” Taylor said. “I just think that’s way premature to say what I might do because at this point I believe Rick is going to stay. He hasn’t said that but that’s my belief.”

Taylor said he recalled in 2005 then general manager Kevin McHale fired Saunders because McHale thought a change was needed. The Wolves were losing games and Taylor was told by McHale the players-coach relationship wasn’t what it should be. But later Taylor didn’t hesitate to recommend Saunders for another head coaching job in the NBA. Saunders is now involved with NBA commentary for ESPN but he and Taylor are friends.

Raising Taylor’s optimism for next season are conversations he’s had with his two star players, power forward Kevin Love and point guard Ricky Rubio. Love played in only 18 games this season because of injuries and Rubio missed early games recovering from the torn ACL that sidelined him a year ago March.

The two players have informed Taylor about their summer plans to prepare for the 2013-14 season, describing not only what they intend to do but also the names of people who will assist them. Love and Rubio also told Taylor they welcome having a Wolves’ assistant coach monitor their work. “To me, it speaks of confidence,” Taylor said.

Worth Noting

A decision regarding the site for the NHL’s Winter Classic in 2015 could be announced next month, according to a knowledgeable pro hockey source. He said it’s not known when the league will make its choice but the Wild is pushing for 2015.

Both TCF Bank Stadium and Target Field are under consideration for the outdoor game annually played on New Year’s Day. The Twins want the game, and they and the Wild can use the attraction to reward season ticket holders who will receive priority seating.

The NHL likes to involve teams who have North American appeal and the Wild have attractive players in Niklas Backstrom, Mikko Koivu, Zach Parise, Jason Pominville and Ryan Suter, but the franchise has yet to establish itself as a postseason winner. “If they make the playoffs (this spring) they have an outstanding chance of getting the game (for 2015),” the source said.

The 2014 Winter Classic will be hosted by the Red Wings and played at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.

The Wild are ranked No. 15 among 30 teams in the latest ESPN.com NHL power rankings.

Sports Illustrated looks clairvoyant regarding Twins’ rookie center fielder Aaron Hicks who has only two hits in 45 at bats this season. In its April 1 baseball issue the magazine said Hicks’ .370 batting average and four home runs in spring training were misleading, pointing out that most of his success came against “fringe” major league and minor league pitching. S.I. said the four home runs came with an “asterisk,” pointing out three were wind-aided.

Meanwhile, the Twins’ two regular center fielders from last season are having mixed results. Denard Span is hitting .313 with two stolen bases in 13 games for the Nationals. Ben Revere, now with the Phillies, is hitting .207 with five stolen bases in 14 games but he made headlines with an extraordinary catch earlier this week.

The Twins (6-7) have a two-game winning streak after defeating the Angels last night, 8-6. The Angels (4-10) are tied for the worst start in franchise history, matching the 1961 season when the club was in its first season ever.

The Gophers had their 10^th spring practice yesterday and all sessions have been indoors. Rather than risk pulled muscles or other cold weather induced problems, the Gophers have stayed inside where they can also better focus on execution.

Happy birthday to former Gophers’ basketball coach Jim Dutcher who turns 80 today.

G.G. Smith, Tubby Smith’s son who had been an assistant men’s basketball coach at Loyola University Maryland, was promoted last week to the head job there. Does that mean Tubby’s son Saul Smith, who was an assistant at Minnesota, will be added to the Texas Tech staff where his dad now coaches?

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