Analysis: McHale heads to bench to deal with Wolves' mess

By Art Garcia, NBA.com
Posted Dec 8 2008 1:36PM

A fourth coaching pin fell today and it comes as no shock. The Timberwolves relieved Randy Wittman of his job, though he should feel relieved after dealing with rumors of his imminent demise all season.

Wittman hasn't lived up to the "goals and expectations" considering the "talent" he had to work with, according to Wolves owner Glen Taylor. Those are curious claims considering what Wittman had to run out there every night courtesy of Kevin McHale and Taylor.

Wittman could have coached Brandon Roy and O.J. Mayo. Instead, he had Randy Foye and Kevin Love. Those draft-day moves go on McHale's ledger and perhaps it's time for Minnesota's favorite basketball son to answer for them. McHale stepped down from his post as VP of basketball operations to coach the Wolves once again.

His last stint on the bench came during the final 31 games of 2004-05 after Flip Saunders, easily the most successful coach in franchise history, was ousted. The Wolves did go 19-12 under McHale and finished 44-38, but missed the playoffs in the ultra-competitive Western Conference.

Since McHale put this team together, he ought to be the one dealing with this 4-15 mess. Other than power forward Al Jefferson, the rest of the roster is either unrealized potential or veterans, such as Mike Miller, who aren't part of the future. Taylor sounds as if he's not letting McHale off the hook lightly.

"It is my expectation that Kevin will be able to get the most out of our team and our players," Taylor said in a statement released by the team.

Timberwolves coach Kevin McHale will have plenty of work to do to right Minnesota's ship. David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images

The Wolves could have as many as four first-round picks next summer. Minnesota needs to hit big in the Draft and/or put together a package to ease the pressure off Jefferson, while helping the development of Foye, Love and Corey Brewer, who recently suffered a season-ending knee injury.

"I truly believe that we have a talented group of players in our locker room who have a great amount of potential," McHale stated. "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."

Wittman probably wasn't the guy in Minnesota. His record (38-105) in nearly two full seasons on the job suggests as much. The thing is the Wolves may have had the right guy in place in Dwane Casey, who took the ax midway through his second season as coach.

Minnesota was 20-20 in 2006-07 as Casey coached the Wolves team fronted by Kevin Garnett. Those weren't the KG-Spree-Cassell Wolves. They were the KG-Ricky Davis-Mark Blount version.

Minnesota was only 33-49 in Casey's first season, but the Wolves made the kind of improvement the next season that Wittman was fired for not making in this one. Wittman finished out '06-07 at 12-30 and the Wolves haven't sniffed .500 since.

Wittman now joins the millionaire unemployment line with P.J. Carlesimo, Eddie Jordan and Sam Mitchell. Of the four coaches canned this season, Wittman and Carlesimo didn't have realistic playoff expectations.

Other than Saunders, no coach has given more to the Wolves than Wittman. He spent 10-plus seasons, in three different stints, as a Minnesota assistant before following Casey. That's quite a run for a franchise celebrating its 20th season.

There hasn't been much to celebrate lately. McHale, you're up.