VSL game 3: Kings vs. Wolves, 7/14, 7 PM Pacific

[King-Da-Yah]

Now I am intrigued... will have to check out Minnie board.

I knew C Webb was a Kings homer when he had Tyreke and Omri on an episode of GameTime back at the all-star break. He got that same little kid happy go lucky look on his face that he got in the final seconds of the game after we stopped the T-Pups in training.

He even gave our then rookies the "I'm not worthy" Waynes World worship signal to them and said "Kings in the house baby!". How can the King of Sacto not love his subjects? JTT, I was young at the time, but I considered C Webb the best PF in the league back then.

 

[Vlade4GM]

I think you're giving David Kahn a little too much credit. I understand you're trying to be rational and playing devil's advocate here, but it's perfectly okay to acknowledge incompetence when you see it. We saw and heard it from him tonight. He "obviously" wasn't trying to raise him up to Vlade's level? So what do the words "best passing big man I've ever seen, like Vlade" mean? You're reading too much into the stupidity.

Just take the man at face value. We tried to read into it last year, giving him the benefit of the doubt, but he really just confirmed everyone's suspicions this offseason with whiff (passing on Cousins) after whiff (taking multiple SFs and trading for even more) after whiff (signing Darko to a multi-year contract) after whiff (trading Al Jefferson for peanuts after killing his value in the press by announcing his intentions to trade him to the world). Kahn is an idiot. Just feel bad for the good people of Minnesota and let it be.

Webber isn't the only one on NBATV to take Kahn to task publicly. Rick Kamla, host of several shows on the network and a self-admitted Wolves fan, called him out after this year's draft, and it was just as funny to watch that interview as the one we were treated to today. It's not an anomaly, and it's not something that only a select few are able to see. It's apparent that people in this man's industry (Kenny Smith also calling him out on occasion) see the awful job he's doing up there.

I guess I didn't remember his exact words, but I totally agree that the guy is a moron, and I tried to give him as much benefit of the doubt as possible. I mean, it took me awhile before I believed he'd take Johnson over Cousins. The Vlade comment was obvious hyperbole, but it still seemed to me (at least as I remembered it) to be within typical gushing for a loudmouth like him.

It seems like every one of his moves contradict each other, I don't think the guy has any consistent plan whatsoever. He takes Rubio, but then instead of drafting Curry who can play both the 1 and 2, he drafts Flynn instead. He sounds like he's trying to build around Rubio, but even if he trades Sesssions, he still has Flynn and Ridnour. He wants to be able to run more for Rubio, but has Pekovic and Darko locked up at the 5 spot? They're really not any better fits than Jefferson is. And he says he also wants to run some triangle/princeton type sets, but he doesn't realize that a post up big that can pass like Cousins is fairly crucial in order to do that? Love is a good passer, high post guy, but he's more of a Horace Grant glue guy type. Also, if you're going to build around Rubio you better have an offense set up for pick and rolls and up tempo offense, because otherwise he's not a guy you make dramatic changes to your roster for. He pretty much blew all the picks they had in the draft. They had so many assets and he got pretty much nothing out of them. Now, he can't even get an actual player back for Jefferson? He's possibly set back that franchise for years and if he can't convince Rubio that Minnesota is a good team for him, then he's done it all for nothing.

I don't think Kamla has ever really hit Kahn that hard in interviews, but yes, he has hit him pretty hard in regular studio talk.

 

[jtt]

It would be a good idea to have him come in to talk to the kids ever so often to give them inspiration. He will enjoy that. He still wants to give to Sacto.

 

[Vlade4GM]

I would have to disagree with you. I heard the whole thing real time, (not saying you didn't), but when I heard it, it just seemed totally ridiculous that he dared to compare Darko to Vlade as a passer. Darko is a bust who may be able to throw a bounce pass (ok he still might work out). Vlade was perhaps the greatest passing big man of all time. It was an insult to Vlade's game, even if Kahn was to oblivious to realize it. You just can't have that go unaddressed on TV. Of course Kahn is grasping at straws for examples of big men with passing skills who flourished when they found the right team, but the comparison to Webber, to his face no less was equally insulting, no matter Kahn's level of awareness of it. Weber was rookie of the friggin year and led his team back to the playoffs. INSULT. You gotta show more respect than that... trying to fabricate on national TV how there is a comparison between Webb and the latest widely criticized wacko signing you just made.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with what you're saying, I just think he was trying to be a bit playful and didn't realize that Webber would be very defensive of his pre-kings career and Vlade's passing ability, and he also didn't realize that the rest of the world sees Darko as the marginal NBA player that he is. I love that Webber stuck it to him, because the jackass really deserves it. Webber has got to be the coolest guy on TNT/NBA TV and there's a lot of cool guys on that network.

 

[Gary]

My favorite part of all of this is seeing the Minni fans come up with bizarre excuses for Kahn's behavior and deals as well as trying to find excuses for not picking DMC.

Been reading their forums after the game and they all want to crawl into a hole and die.. =/ Can't say that I blame them.

 

[Gary]

I do think Kahn was being an *** to Webber, but Webber was pressing him a little harder than what you expect with interviews like that, but then again Kahn really does ask for it with his moves and how much of a blathering press whore he is.

See when he brought the kid up at the start? Why was he acting like such a jerk at the start? I was thinking to myself "does the guy know he's on TV?" he was ignoring them and cutting them off saying here is a kid or such and such.. Found that kind of weird.

 

[jalfa]

And he says he also wants to run some triangle/princeton type sets, but he doesn't realize that a post up big that can pass like Cousins is fairly crucial in order to do that?

He must be really, *really* scared of ever taking anybody that might not want to play for his team. To me, this means that a) he's aware that the Rubio pick was a mistake (alienating Rubio by drafting more pgs probably even moreso, but i don't think his self awareness has reached that level) and that b) Rubio might not even be in his plans anymore.

 

[Bricklayer]

I can't beleive I am going to defend any of Kahn's moves here, but:

a) that team's biggest weakness last year was outside shooting and SG/SF play. They were pathetic. So he drafts Johnson and adds Webster which should solve the problem. I'm sure the Ridnour signing was to address the same problem.

b) comparing Darko to Vlade and Webber is ridiculous, but after they got Darko midseason last year and coaxed him out of his shell he played pretty well for them -- 8.3pts 5.5reb 1.4blk are certainly big man numbers you might not mind resigning. In fact it was clear that the Wolves were basiclaly the only team who Darko would sign with, otherwise he was going back to Europe.

 

[Arco Thunder]

I know these servers can only hold around 200 people ( or so it seems ) but I love the excitement everyone has over this young Kings team. Its the third summer league game and I'm as excited over tonights win as I have been for a while. I hope it translates into getting people to buy tickets. These guys need to see some support out there.

...and hopefully drum up more support for this site, so we can get a better server!! Contributers are welcome any time. We will all thank you for it!!!!

 

[Kingstime]

I'm not gonna go so overboard being that it's Summer League and all but that was a fun game to watch. I'm love DMC out there commanding the rock and going to work, I even love that he keeps his cool when challenged and puts it to good use. Donte is looking great out there just fitting in and playing a good role and it's looking like this will for sure be his year. I also enjoyed watching Omri out there, I really love his drive to not be stopped out there although I still think sometimes he needs to give up the rock on the break.

As for the guys who are trying to make this team I really hope that the Sloan deal isn't set in stone because I'm really liking Tyrese Rice. He played a nice game tonight getting his shots and setting others up all while controlling the tempo(The best way you can hope for in SL games). I also liked how Dionte Christmas came out gunning in the 4th knocking down some jumpers to get the team going while Ellington got hot.

Overall entertaining game from CWebb v Kahn to DMC v random scrub, I can't wait for October.

 

[Vlade4GM]

He must be really, *really* scared of ever taking anybody that might not want to play for his team. To me, this means that a) he's aware that the Rubio pick was a mistake (alienating Rubio by drafting more pgs probably even moreso, but i don't think his self awareness has reached that level) and that b) Rubio might not even be in his plans anymore.

I don't think he thinks Rubio was a mistake or not in the plans, he wouldn't be mentioning him in every statement he makes if that were the case. I can't blame him for taking Rubio at all, he had two picks and with one of them he took Rubio who was considered a top 2 talent in the draft at one point. You don't pass on that because he might stay overseas.

 

[UK_King]

That interview between C-Webb and Kahn was full of needle!

"i dont want to mention me and Darko in the same sentence" lol!

and then at the end when Webb says "good luck" in a totally sarcastic way. Hillarious!

 

[Vlade4GM]

I can't beleive I am going to defend any of Kahn's moves here, but:

a) that team's biggest weakness last year was outside shooting and SG/SF play. They were pathetic. So he drafts Johnson and adds Webster which should solve the problem. I'm sure the Ridnour signing was to address the same problem.

b) comparing Darko to Vlade and Webber is ridiculous, but after they got Darko midseason last year and coaxed him out of his shell he played pretty well for them -- 8.3pts 5.5reb 1.4blk are certainly big man numbers you might not mind resigning. In fact it was clear that the Wolves were basiclaly the only team who Darko would sign with, otherwise he was going back to Europe.

a.) Solving those weaknesses at the 4 pick when there is a very good center prospect available is excessive. I like Johnson but you can solve that weakness in other ways much easier than you can getting a true low post center. I mean, they drafted and traded away a pretty solid wing prospect in Luke Babbitt with their 16th pick, which just shows that it's a relatively easy weakness to solve.

b.) Darko could put up those numbers since the Magic gave him a shot, that's about as well as he's going to do and it's not really a huge revelation. I don't think the signing of him is necessarily that bad, but having him and Pekovic at the 5 instead of Jefferson really doesn't make a ton of sense to me. I've thought for a while now that they needed to trade Jefferson, but replacing him with Milicic and Pekovic kind of defeats the point a bit.

 

[Gary]

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nba_tv/2010/07/14/kahn_intv.nba/index.html

Hahah Webber at the end.

ROFL "Good luck"... The way he said it was like uhhhhhh... I don't think Webber likes the guy personally lol.

 

[NME]

ROFL "Good luck"... The way he said it was like uhhhhhh...

It kind of rhymes with "good luck" and ends with "yourself."

 

[Kingster]

That interview between C-Webb and Kahn was full of needle!

"i dont want to mention me and Darko in the same sentence" lol!

and then at the end when Webb says "good luck" in a totally sarcastic way. Hillarious!

What was even more hilarious was when Kahn was trying to engage Webber in conversation about his own play. Kahn was trying to ask the question of when Webber thought his play really took off. (Kahn mumbled the Kings). Webber seemed non-plussed. I really think Webber was thinking: What do you mean. I took off in my rookie year, dumbell!

 

[NME]

CWebb probably could have put up 8 and 5 in the NBA at about age 16, if they'd let him play.

 

[sackings]

haha. did anyone catch PTI today? they talked about kahn comments regarding webber vs darko.

 

[upinsmoke]

MUHAHAHAHA


What did they say on PTI?

 

[OnYouLikeGlue]

They both agreed with Webber. They said Webber was comfortable in the league from day 1, and his ROY season was evidence of that. Those also clowned Kahn for the Vlade comment. And they said despite the fact they are rooting for Kahn to do well, they just don't get some of the moves he's made.

 

[Larry89]

wtf @ the 14k views this thread has

 

[NME]

wtf @ the 14k views this thread has

Minnesota visitors, you betcha!

 

[T4L3NT3D530]

update from kahn/webber situation-

On being something of a youtube sensation for a contentious NBA TV interview with Chris Webber from NBA Summer League last week: "He's kind of a schmuck, isn't he/ Methinks that he spent a lot of time on NBA TV with a former Timberwolves person and he seemed to come into the interview with an agenda. Tough questions are fine, but I felt like he was a little defensive about some of the things."