1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

Wolves fire Wittman - McHale to take over

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by AstroMechPLZ, Dec 8, 2008.

  1. AstroMechPLZ

    AstroMechPLZ Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2007
    Messages:
    555
    Likes Received:
    119
    Wolves fire Wittman; McHale to coach

    The Minnesota Timberwolves fired Randy Wittman, who will be replaced by vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale on the bench.

    McHale will step down from his front-office duties to concentrate on coaching. The team has called an afternoon news conference.

    "There were certain goals and expectations that we had for this team at the start of the season, and we have not lived up to them," Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said in a statement. "I am disappointed in our record and believe that we have more talent than our record indicates. A change had to be made and with three-fourths of the season remaining, there is still time to make substantial progress this year. I want to thank Randy for all of his contributions to the Timberwolves through the years as both a head coach and an assistant coach, and wish him the best in the future."

    It is the NBA's fourth firing already this season, following dismissals in Oklahoma City (P.J. Carlesimo), Washington (Eddie Jordan) and Toronto (Sam Mitchell).

    McHale was successful as an interim coach before, guiding Minnesota to a 19-12 record in the second half of the 2004-05 season after firing Flip Saunders with the Wolves at 25-26.

    "Kevin has assembled the players on this team, and believes in their talent and skill level," Taylor said. "It is my expectation that Kevin will be able to get the most out of our team and our players in his new role as head coach. He has been involved in the NBA game for almost 30 years, is a tremendous teacher and has a wealth of basketball knowledge. I am confident that our players will respond to the new voice and perspective that Kevin will provide."

    When McHale coached previously, his roster was built around Kevin Garnett and still featured Sam Cassell, Latrell Sprewell and Wally Szczerbiak from the group that went to the 2004 Western Conference finals under Saunders in the most successful season in franchise history. These Wolves are much younger and still early in the rebuilding process after Garnett was traded to Boston in July 2007.

    "I truly believe that we have a talented group of players in our locker room who have a great amount of potential," said McHale. "I'm confident that we can get this turned around and get back to playing a brand of basketball that our fans can be proud of."

    McHale nonetheless said coming into the season that he thought that this team -- using last season's respectable 17-26 finish as a springboard -- could make a run at .500 ball. The Wolves are well off that pace, losing 15 of 18 games since an opening-night win over Sacramento and looking increasingly disengaged under Wittman, judging by their four consecutive double-digit losses this week. The last two defeats, away to New Jersey and the loss at home to the Clippers, came by a combined 52 points.

    "It's obvious that something has to change," one team source said Sunday.

    Al Jefferson, who replaced Garnett as the Wolves' cornerstone forward, touched on the growing effort concerns Saturday night after a loss to the Clippers when he told local reporters: "It starts in this locker room with us. They could have Jesus Christ himself come and coach us, but if we don't go out there and play hard and play together, it won't mean nothing."

    Wittman leaves the Wolves' bench with one of the lowest career winning percentages of all-time at .326. He has a career record of 100-207, going 62-102 in two seasons as Cleveland's coach (1999-2000 and 2000-01) and a record of 38-105 since taking over from Dwane Casey on Jan. 23, 2007. The Wolves were 20-20 in the 2006-07 season when Casey was dismissed, then went 12-30 under Wittman in Garnett's last days in Minnesota.

    After Saturday's heavy loss to the Clippers, when asked about his job security, Wittman told reporters: "If you start worrying about it, there's nothing you can worry about. When you get hired, you're bound to get fired. No, you don't worry about it. I'm not. I've got to prepare these guys on where they need to get better, and that's what I've got to do."

    Said Wolves rookie Kevin Love, who had 13 points and 15 rebounds in the defeat: "As you can imagine, no one is particularly excited. We have hit rock bottom."

    The Wolves could have as many as four first-round picks in the June draft, but McHale continues to absorb heavy criticism for his front-office moves. In addition to the controversial Garnett deal, McHale preferred Randy Foye over Brandon Roy in the 2006 draft, used the No. 7 overall pick in 2007 on Corey Brewer -- only for Brewer to struggle mightily as a rookie and then suffer the misfortune of a season-ending knee injury on Nov. 29 -- and surrendered Memphis' O.J. Mayo in a draft-day deal last June that brought back Love and perimeter specialist Mike Miller. Even in a deep rookie class, Mayo is widely regarded as the most serious threat to Chicago's Derrick Rose in the NBA's Rookie of the Year race.

    As recently as two weeks ago, Wolves owner Glen Taylor said Wittman's job was safe, telling the St. Paul Pioneer-Press: "If I worried about the short term, and I looked at the economy and all my companies, if I based things on that, then I'd fire all my presidents because they had a bad month. I've been through ups and downs. You've got to be patient. I think Randy has prepared [the players] well. We've just got to get them some confidence. They're still young."

    But the Wolves have looked increasingly uncompetitive since a stunning 26-point victory in Detroit on Nov. 23 which appeared to ease some of the pressure on Wittman.

    http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3754151
     
  2. The_Yoyo

    The_Yoyo Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Dec 25, 2001
    Messages:
    16,683
    Likes Received:
    2,872
    not surprised


    whats with the thread title makes no sense
     
  3. A_3PO

    A_3PO Member

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2006
    Messages:
    42,233
    Likes Received:
    5,576
    Next on the firing line: Iavaroni & Theus.

    mods, please change the thread title
     
  4. yobod

    yobod Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2002
    Messages:
    2,569
    Likes Received:
    40
    How is it that all these coaches keep getting fired around McHale, but McHale himself still has a job?? He don't understand what he could have possibly done to earn enough trust to oversee a rebuilding phase for the team. I'll admit that the trade for KG was about as good as they could have gotten, but that has everything to do with the fact that Al Jefferson is one of the hardest-working, classiest players in the league, and nothing else. But the fact still remains that they could have easily had Brandon Roy, OJ Mayo, and Al Jefferson ALL on that team....and we might be talking about the T-Wolves in the same vain as we talk about the Blazers. I understand the move for Mike Miller and his expiring contract, but that would suggest that they are making cap room for a major signing in the next couple of years, but I don't see a single free agent player who would want to go to Minnesota. If they had just kept their young stars instead, in 3-4 years time, they would be a formidable team.
     
  5. KeepKenny

    KeepKenny Contributing Member

    Joined:
    May 31, 2000
    Messages:
    2,721
    Likes Received:
    14
    As always, everything starts from the top. Ownership is the problem.
     
  6. tomato

    tomato Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2007
    Messages:
    1,640
    Likes Received:
    133
    i think it means Good Game, Randy or Good Going maybe
     
  7. OrangeRowdy95

    OrangeRowdy95 Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jul 15, 2007
    Messages:
    1,534
    Likes Received:
    22
    This would be a good team for Gundy in a couple of years
     
  8. tiger0330

    tiger0330 Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2003
    Messages:
    4,759
    Likes Received:
    63
    Agree, but when you're an NBA and Minnesota legend, I guess you can do no wrong.
     
  9. lalala902102001

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2002
    Messages:
    6,615
    Likes Received:
    429
    Will McHale fire himself once he realizes that he's screwed up the franchise so badly that it will recover anytime soon?
     
  10. BruceHR

    BruceHR Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2008
    Messages:
    659
    Likes Received:
    0
    4th person fired in NBA..
     
  11. roslolian

    roslolian Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2008
    Messages:
    24,195
    Likes Received:
    14,430
    Sure makes you glad we have Les Alexander and Daryl Morey at the helm, doesn't it? ;)

    Seriously, how is Kevin Mchale still the Wolve's GM after he wasted Kevin Garnett's career? Dude could have also had Ray Allen, Brandon Roy and OJ Mayo but somehow ended up with Stephon Marbury, Randy Foye and Kevin Love. If I could make a poll I'd probably ask which GM would you rather have run your franchise as GM and coach, Isiah Thomas or Kevin Mchale :cool: Hmmm, maybe I'd add the MJ and Larry Brown combo as a third option...
     
  12. Rocket River

    Rocket River Member

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 1999
    Messages:
    61,253
    Likes Received:
    28,757
    Matt Millen thinks McHale should be fired

    Rocket River
    :D
     

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now