Photo by dbking from Flickr
If the Minnesota Timberwolves can land Rick Adelman, the summer of David Kahn will be complete, and it will have been glorious.
Via “The New Age of Kahn†by Tom Ziller
Nary have more unbelievable words been written. David Kahn having a summer of glory reeks of insanity, but it actually is not far removed from being truth as Ziller notes in his article. For that truth to reach fruition, however, many “ifs†must come to favorably pass.
If Kevin Love maintains his historic rebounding, remains outstanding on offense and improves on defense. If Michael Beasley reverts to his early 2010-11 form. If Ricky Rubio can find a level success and production yet displayed in his professional hoops tenure in Spain. If Kahn can, indeed, land Rick Adelman as coach.
All these “ifs†reveal the limitations of an NBA GM’s power. Seemingly disastrous trades can eventually work out quite well (Memphis’s Paul Gasol trade). Seemingly great or merely adequate trades can prove to be an unforeseen swindle (Memphis’ trade of Kevin Love). Clearly, rushing to judge a GM can be a haphazard ordeal. Sure Isiah Thomas can be safely declared terrible, but Memphis’s Chris Wallace was once maligned and is now generally believed to be respectable, although still with moments of recklessness like the overpriced extension given to Mike Conley. However, if we had just cut off Wallace’s tenure as GM after the Pau Gasol trade, he would remain in the “maligned†category.
This fickle judgment isn’t relegated to the realm of sports either. In early August 1864, Abraham Lincoln was thoroughly convinced that he’d go down in defeat in the upcoming November election because the Civil War wasn’t going well enough for the public’s liking. However, a string of spectacular victories in the fall allowed Lincoln to win (even then, 45% voted against Lincoln. You can’t please everybody). Of course, Father Abraham had installed those commanders who gained victory, but their tactics and decisions on the battlefield were out of his hands and all he could do was hope for success.
If William T. Sherman could make good on his radical idea to march without a supply line through rebel territory. If David Farragut could “damn the torpedoes†and shell the Confederate batteries into submission. If Philip Sheridan could gallop at break neck speed for ten miles to rally his soldiers from defeat to victory.
If Lincoln’s presidency ended in August of 1864, it’d be a mixed-bag at best. Cut Wallace off in the early months of 2008 and he’d still be a laughing stock. Cut Kahn off now and he’d be KAAAHHHHNNNN!!!!  The weirdest part of all this is that triumph doesn’t change the virtue of the man. Success can add a glossy veneer, failure a smudgy smear. But the character’s substance would remain unchanged. Lincoln would still be humble yet determined. Kahn would still be crude, callous. And Chris Wallace would remain fair, balanced.
[...] close to maximizing KG’s exit, Adelman joins a group has IVs of Losing at its bedside. David Kahn has had a good summer capping it off with the Adelman hiring, but the question still remains, why now? The timing would [...]