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 The NBA Draft is normally all about the players – who’s going to be the big star, and difference maker for a franchise’s roster. Beyond Blake Griffin at No.1, and possibly Hasheem Thabeet for Memphis at No. 2 impact players were thin this year.
The draft was none the less compelling last night if for no reason than to watch what David Kahn and the Minnesota Timberwolves were up to. For the past week, Kahn, had been working deals in an attempt to move up the Draft board, by first sending Mike Miller and Randy Foye to the Wizards for the No. 5 pick and reserves Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila and Oleksiy Pecherov. From there, they looked to package picks and possibly a player to try and get Memphis’ No. 2 pick where Thabeet would be available. As ESPN reported, the Timberwolves weren't prepared to part with both the Nos. 5 and 6 picks or toss in Kevin Love in another scenario with just the No. 6 pick. With the Kahn and the T’Wolves unable to move up the board, eyes focused on the back-to-back slots the club would make. The big question mark leading up to the Draft was where Ricky Rubio might land. The 18-year-old Spaniard had been a YouTube sensation for his dazzling passing ability and flashy moves in transition. When the Thunder selected James Harden with No. 3 and the Kings taking Tyreke Evans at No. 4, the Timberwolves were suddenly left with a compelling player dropping into their sights. At this point, Kahn has decided to move into a game of high-stakes poker. There had been little to no buzz surrounding the T’Wolves having interest in Rubio, while conventional thinking had them focusing on either Flynn, Evans, and possibly Harden. With two of the three off the board, Kahn was left with options. In selecting Rubio at No. 5 and Jonny Flynn at No. 6, Kahn suddenly has two point guards on his hands, sending at least one member of the Minnesota media into head scratching. After all, Al Jefferson is coming off a serious knee injury placing the front court in a fragile state. The obvious is that Kahn and the Timberwolves aren’t done yet and are looking to move Rubio. Selecting Rubio as a value pick is daring and certainly fraught with some challenges. Rubio seems to have little interest in Minnesota based upon the chilly climate. His father, through the Spanish newspaper Marca said that he could stay in Europe this year, or possibly longer. Translated, he said, "He might go now or he might remain [in Europe] one more year ... or even two. It's all open, although the most likely scenario is that he stays in Europe more time. We have to talk with the folks in Minnesota... and see what happens, because, at this point, we can go to Minnesota or otherwise." Kahn, interviewed by ESPN after the Draft was asked whether both Rubio and Flynn would work together. "Absolutely!" he said. "Otherwise we wouldn't have done it." Kahn, although barely wet behind the ears in Minnesota, is hardly playing the part of a rookie GM. Saying that the selection of Rubio and Flynn was done as part of further moves would remove the leveraging capacity – lessen Rubio’s value on the market by making it known that they’re interested in moving him. Here’s where the deal takes a six-degrees-of-Pacers tinge. Reportedly, the Knicks’ Donnie Walsh, Kahn’s former boss with the Pacers, wants Rubio, but for the moment Kahn is resisting the advances, possibly looking to get more for the Spaniard. Kahn will have to move quickly, however, as the longer Rubio and Flynn are under draft control by the T’Wolves, the less leverage they have. Kahn has moved the pieces on the Timberwolves board in dramatic fashion early on, now it may be the final moves that will set his first year in Minnesota as daring success or possibly plans dashed. (see The Biz of Basketball interview with David Kahn)
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