Timberwolves: McHale offers perspective on prospects, perceptions
Steve Aschburner

Kevin McHale, with 11 seasons on the job as Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations, ranks third among NBA general managers (official or de facto) in longevity with one team.

After two seasons in which his team went 77-87, changed coaches twice and shed all but four players from the 2004 conference finals squad, McHale has his work cut out for him this offseason:

Q What does having the No. 6 pick in this year's draft mean to you?

A It means you had a bad year. There will be a very good player there, but if you're expecting him to come in and turn your franchise around, I don't think that's realistic. He's going to be a kid who will play in this league for 10 years, have a very good NBA career. Anything other than that, it's hard to say.

Q Even if the fans were patient and you were willing to stick around for another 11 years, wouldn't this franchise have a clock ticking on Kevin Garnett's career?

A We're very aware. I've talked to KG about that, and we want to build around Kevin as much as we can. That means you've got to be cognizant of how many young guys vs. guys in their prime, and different things.

Q So does a lottery pick fit with building around Garnett?

A If you're being honest with yourself, you say that lottery pick may not play a lot next year. I'd be surprised if we get, at [No. 6], a player as ready to play mentally and physically as Rashad [McCants] was at [No. 14] last year. He just had to learn the NBA game and he played much better down the stretch.

Q Wouldn't an established veteran -- someone you could get by trading the pick, say Al Harrington or Jamaal Magloire -- fit better?

A Those guys are under contract. I can't talk about them. But of course there's a point where you say, this player would be way better for our team for the next four or five years than that rookie. Then you make the [trade] decision.

Q Garnett voiced frustration late in the season and didn't play in the final six games. What is his mood these days?

A Kevin wants to win. Kevin is very competitive. The last conversation we had -- about a week ago, he came in for a couple of hours and we talked -- he said he understands where we're at with this team and how, hopefully, a piece or two could make a real difference.

Q When other GMs call up and ask about Garnett, how do you respond?

A We're not trading Kevin Garnett.

Q How key is free agency this summer and do you have the tools to do enough?

A We can be very active, I think. We have the [$5 million] midlevel exception. We have a [$4.2 million] trade exception. We have the [bi-annual $1.7 million] exception, and we have the trade market. We want to add a player or two, maybe three.

so minny isn't that high on the #6 pick. they are not trading KG. AND they have a $4.2 mil trade exception.

the following deal works:

steph + #20 + #29 for jaric + hassell + $4.2 TE + #6

we can then use the $4.2 TE in any ensuing deal - like to atlanta for al harrington in a S&T. that trade exception makes a WORLD of difference.

Wow very intersting to say the least. Honestly, if Isiah has been offered a deal from the Wolves that includes Marbury and the #6 pick then I sincerely hope he has thought about taking it.

If you look at the Wolves, their really not losing anything here. They are gaining a piece in Marbury that they think can help put them over the hump to play with KG, Ricky Davis and Blount, Steph fits in there. All they are giving up is a PG that didn't play well for them, Hassell (whose defense would be missed) for the 6th pick in the draft, which doesnt help them becuase they don't have the chance to wait on him bloom.

Very interesting.

Posted by Bonn1997:

Are you sure we can then trade the trade exception? I'm not familiar with one trade exception being passed around from team to team in trades. I thought it was just used once to complete one deal and then that was it.

i'm not sure. but if we can't use it, that's even better. that means we're just taking back jaric + hassel + #6.

for the CBA experts, can a trade exemption be packaged in a deal or can it only be used in a "one-off"? in other words, is the deal i proposed legal?

Posted by djsunyc:

for the CBA experts, can a trade exemption be packaged in a deal or can it only be used in a "one-off"? in other words, is the deal i proposed legal?

as far as my understanding goes, u can use it in a 1 off type trade only, but a deal of the trade exception & a pick for a guy like Al Harrington in a S&T can be done since ATL is under the cap... but the problem would be in getting the trade exception from MIN to begin with w/what we have to offer since they're over the cap & so are we... i don't think the trade is possible as you outlined it above, but i could be wrong.

this deal is moot.

you can't package a trade exception with a player (only with cash or a pick).

We would need a big ass sweetner there if we wanted anyone to take Steph. Like Lee. Getting back the #6 isn't realistic unless we included a young player.

Moving Marbury to Minnesota is a good idea. If we can get the 6th pick, great, but I highly doubt we can get the 6th pick. I'd like to get Griffin, Hassell and Jaric. That's a solid package of players Brown would use. Assuming Brown stays. Sigh.

Posted by eViL:

Posted by djsunyc:

this deal is moot.

you can't package a trade exception with a player (only with cash or a pick).

What about Jerome James for the Trade Exception + #6 pick? You make the contract contingent on the Marbury deal.

here's a heavy collusion deal:

waive marbury. minny picks him up for the full MLE. which means we pay $13 mil/year for him, while minny pays $5 mil/year.

we then trade malik for jaric + #6.

two seperate deals that REEK of collusion.

Posted by djsunyc:

Posted by eViL:

Posted by djsunyc:

this deal is moot.

you can't package a trade exception with a player (only with cash or a pick).

What about Jerome James for the Trade Exception + #6 pick? You make the contract contingent on the Marbury deal.

here's a heavy collusion deal:

waive marbury. minny picks him up for the full MLE. which means we pay $13 mil/year for him, while minny pays $5 mil/year.

we then trade malik for jaric + #6.

two seperate deals that REEK of collusion.

LOL!!! DJ is the Kenneth Lay of Basketball Trades.

There is no way in hell Minny touches something like that. Why? Two Words: Joe Smith.

They have been down this road before, and it wasn't kind to them.

[Edited by - killa4luv on 06-05-2006 4:15 PM]

I'd be happy with any deal of Marbury out of town that doesn't bring back more money- and I think the notion of getting the 6th pick is a bit farfetched.