They don't have many fans left, but that doesn't stop the Wolves front office from pissing all over them. Here's Glen Taylor speaking through the thick journalism-free zone of Grandpa Sid:
Wolves won't sign expensive free agents
Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said because the team has to pay millions of dollars to players whose contracts were bought out such as Troy Hudson and Juwan Howard, there won't be a lot of money available to sign big-money free agents for the 2008-09 season.
For next season, the team will have to improve by experience of the current squad and the draft.
It's almost like he thinks Troy Hudson and Juwan Howard showed up on their own.
Of course this story was conveniently placed after the trading deadline. Grandpa Sid's lack of journalistic standards and plain common decency prevent him from asking some pretty obvious follow-up questions, but the message to those of us who pay attention to the club is clear: you thought Ratliff's deal was for other free-agents? No, no, this is for our guys, and since the trading deadline has passed...well, sorry about Theo's contract.
Actually, this little article provides a pretty fair case study into one of the central problems in Minnesota sports: Sid Hartman.
Grandpa Sid had the cozy media coverage thing going long before your Hannity and Colmeses. Access uber alles has led to a journalistic climate where actual reporting and accountability come in a distant second to toting the company line and/or running interference for the boys you want to take to Manny's for a couple of good steaks.
In this case, Grandpa Sid ran a post-trading deadline story about how the Wolves really weren't going to be free-agent in the off season all along, and that the team is losing money left and right, and...this is the best part...in a round-a-bout way infers that the club would really like to be spending more but the NBA won't let them because of credit rules. If there is a journalism hell, Grandpa Sid already has his ticket punched. How does this man have a job? I'm sure the answer to that question isn't pretty and involves large amounts of alcohol and guilt.
For weeks and weeks, Grandpa Sid (and several other prominent Minnesota sports personalities--I refuse to call them "journalists" anymore) has devoted time on his radio show to point out the benefits of letting Theo Ratliff's contract expire. For weeks and weeks the team has done nothing to dissuade fans of this mistaken notion because the NBA's salary cap/collective bargaining structure is confusing enough to prevent most casual fans from putting 2 and 2 together to realize that free agency action is 2-3 years away (if at all). From Paul Allen to Mike Max to Mark Rosen to some random idiot I heard by chance on AM1500, Grandpa Sid's journalistic incompetence/indifference is indicative of the type of coverage that has allowed Glen Taylor to get away with pissing all over his fans without the slightest bit of criticism and feedback. Canis Hoopus has been saying for months that the Wolves will not and, more importantly, cannot operate in this year's free agent season. Canis Hoopus has been saying for months that the only way to increase personnel options on this club is to move Ratliff's salary for players and picks (which could have been done in a way that was just as cost effective as re-signing the Rhino and some anonymous front court player). How did we do this? How could we know such things? With The Google and about 15 minutes.
There is nothing wrong with Glen Taylor wanting to save money. Mr. Taylor has operated above the luxury mark for years and as a fan I appreciate that. What I don't appreciate is the fact that when the KG trade went down, the benefits were compartmentalized as Celtic players, draft picks, and salary cap space for free agency moves after the 2007-08 season. This was a falsehood from the get-go; the Wolves won't be players in the free agency market until, at the very least, after the 2009-09 season. This falsehood was important because it allowed the team to say that Ratliff's deal couldn't be moved because it provided off-season "options", which could only mean free-agency spending. Once Ratliff's contract couldn't be moved via trade, suddenly the "options" drifted into thin air and/or the pocketbooks of role players on an 11-win squad.
That's arrogance.
Right on. If the club has
Right on. If the club has decided that it doesn't want the salary commitments next year, ie, they want Ratliff to just expire, that's their prerogative. But, the media has completely misreported this story, like so many others. They should, however, be at least questioned about it by the media, if the media is going to cover the Wolves.
I guess I shouldn't expect
I guess I shouldn't expect so much from Sid, but I know he probably just reprinted a press release or took a quote from Taylor so I think the Wolves should take a little heat for this too. It's just so chummy and that's about the last thing the country club need with press coverage...more chumminess.
The off-season "options"
The off-season "options" Glen Taylor discussed are the options to bring back our own restricted free agents, or a small free agent, in addition to paying for our own picks. All NBA teams are owned by very rich men, but 25-of-30 still stay under the luxury tax limit. Why? No one is argueing that free agents aren't expensive in today's market, but for teams over the lux they need to pay double. I listed these options at the end of the following piece I wrote last month:
If you love the idea of bringing in a free agent, then you should be hoping that Walker isn't bought out. His contract could be used in a trade in a sustainable way, that wasn't possible with Ratliff, and Juwon and Troy still on the books this coming year.
I am hoping that Toine isn't
I am hoping that Toine isn't bought out. I don't hope we bring in a free agent. I've said on numerous occasions that free agents are 2-3 years down the road and that they should be priced-to-move vets. I want them to overload on draft picks and then target 2-3 players in the draft and move assets to get them. I agree with your correct assessment of the team's financial situation next year but I think they'd be better off taking a 1 year 4-8 mil hit on the lux cap to a) gather additional picks and b) jettison Smith and Richard in favor of overpriced 2 year frontcourt contracts that could be had in return for Ratliff's deal. When the KG deal went down, Ratliff's contract was in no way, shape, or form pitched as a way to keep Bassy, Gomes, and the Rhino around. With 12 wins on the books, this idea seems even sillier. Maintaining the status quo on a 12-win squad is not "options". Again, I get the financial situation...I just think they would be better served in the long run to take a 1 year hit...especially when the biggest reason for their financial situation is T-Hud and Howard. Hopefully they'll find a meaningful deal for Walker's salary next year.