If this happens, David Kahn will have won the summer.
After having a second interview and some discussions about money, it appears that Rick Adelman is near a deal to take over as the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, reports Bill Ingram at HoopsWorld.
If, as reported, the choices really had come down to Adelman and Don Nelson, than this is a huge win for Minnesota. Actually, it’s a huge win any way you look at it.
Adelman has been to the playoffs 16 of the 20 years he has been a coach in the NBA and had title contenders in Portland and Sacramento. His teams play defense — something the Wolves were wretched at last season — and they run. That is the one thing they need to do with Ricky Rubio coming in, this needs to be a team that gets out in transition. Adelman’s half court “corner” offense uses a lot of the spacing principles of the triangle, so he is a good fit there.
Adelman also comes in with an established good relationship with Kevin Love. That was one of the failings of Kurt Rambis, but Adelman’s son played high school ball with Love and Love used to come over to the Adelman home.
Adelman reportedly wants $5 million a year for five years guaranteed, but if the Wolves are serious about winning that will be the toll.
If this comes together like it appears it will, Kahn will have convinced Rubio to leave Spain and come here despite the lockout, have drafted Derrick Williams No. 2 overall and gotten Adelman, a coach that can mold a lot of good young talent on the Wolves. He never should have let Rambis twist in the wind like he did, but bottom line is the Wolves will be a lot better on the court next season because of what Kahn did this summer. That’s a win.