What Planet is this guy on?

by Tommy Dee on September 4th, 2009 at 2:00 pm


So let me get this straight.

You trade two starters to move up to the 5th pick in the draft.

You draft Rubio with the 5th pick, a player who you know is temperamental about where he sees himself playing, along with the notion that he has to earn enough money to buy himself out of his Euro deal.

You get him excited about the prospects of being a lead and starting NBA guard for about, oh, 4 minutes, then pick the next best point guard, immediately infuriating Rubio’s camp instead of filling a need with another position player (Stephen Curry) who can get your fanbase excited for years to come.

Then you tell the media the two point guards can play in the same backcourt together and you expect them to.

Like a new car that is about to be driven home Rubio’s trade value, which was a major reason to draft the kid, isn’t any higher than it is now, yet you don’t pull the trigger on a deal and Rubio stays home to live in his parent’s basement.

Then you sign ANOTHER point guard to compete with Flynn for the next four years?

Wolves fans, you better hope that Mr. Kahn gets proper value when he ultimately trades Rubio.

At the end of the day, if the Wolves were hoping that Kahn would come in and bring solace to a rocky organization, then you can’t be overly comfortable after his first off season.
  • dino2008

    Who cares about the Wolves. The bottom line is I will be disgusted watching chris duhon as the pg of the New York Knicks. Sessions was perfect for us and Donnie made a mistake. Khan will be able to move Sessions at any deadline. I mean come on theres always a team that needs a pg at the deadline. For example, when Jameer Nelson went down last year they needed a point. This doesnt make sense, I am fruststrated and devastated. Tommy, anyway news as to when and if Walsh will discuss this because i would really like to here what he says about this. thanks alot.

  • bob go knicks

    let me get this straight tommy,david kahn signs ramon sessions,and instead of getting on donnie walsh,you get on david kahn?walsh is the one who desperately needs a point guard(do you want chris duhon playing 37 minutes per?as far as pick n roll goes,d’antonis syste4,m wasnt pick n roll until he had to turn it into such because of duhons shortcommings(or the whole knicks teams shortcommings) this blog title should read”WHAT PLANET IS THIS GUY ON”?MEANING DONNIE WALSH! chrissakes where are we gonna gety more guards before the season starts?we cannot possibly go into this coming season with this roster.also not only do the wolves have sessions,they still have the rights to rubio,and i believe that in time will only become a more valuable trade chip

  • bob go knicks

    i feel the frustration dino

  • bob go knicks

    i know i just took a big chance righting what i did,i can now faintly hear the kool-aid drinkers saying “HAVE PATIENCE,STICK TO THE 20210 PLAN,WE CANT GO OVER THE CAp” i dont think any one of you wants to watch knicks hoops in 2009,as new york fans we deserve to watch something this coming season.for the fans who pay good money to see the KNICKS,you cant just throw away 2 or three seasons,especially now ,when we will definately be in the lottery without a pick………man am i pissed! sessions didnt cost that much

  • Dave the Rave

    Walsh is smart. He is being patient in maneuvering to get the Knix out out a deep hell hole. This season does not matter. There is no hope of playoffs, so forget it. He knows the only way to build a championship team is with stars. Sessions would be a waste of money for a guy who will never be all-star caliber, and he is not better than Duhon. Walsh will sign a few stars in a few years and a great draft pick or 2 will come along and then it’ll make you laugh to think about signing scrubs like Sessions. Think big, not small. Think superstars.

    DTR

  • bob go knicks

    how can you say hell never be all-star caliber? thats just nuts

  • dino2008

    And especially in Mike’s system…. of course he can be an all star. And what draft picks are you talkign about, the one utah has that is ours for next year and since when do we have anything of value to get a draft pick. it will be even more heartbreaking if utah gets a top 5 pick, especially with all those studs in the draft next year. sessions should be a knick… donnie walsh made a big time mistake here. and how is sessions a scrub????

  • James

    Sour grapes, Tommy. No one expected Rubio to fall to 5, and sportwriters would be killing Kahn if he’d passed him up. Were Miller and Foye truly going to be difference-makers this season? Kahn has an asset now, and has almost certainly secured a better lotto pick for 2010.

    Be honest: you’re only so hot about this because you desperately wanted Rubio to be a Knick, and even went out on a limb several times saying that he would be. You were wrong. Suck it up.

  • MrFurious

    I dunno if it’s a big time mistake but it sure doesn’t look good. For crying out loud 4 mil for 4 years is busting our bank.?.WTF? I’m a big Donnie supporter but this off-season has been pretty mediocre. I guess the proof will be on the court, but I’m not encouraged.

  • MrFurious

    You can bust on Tommy about being wrong about Rubio coming here but you can’t honestly agree that Kahn’s moves are smart? He gambled and lost with Rubio. Yes, he still has an “asset” but that could just as easily devalue over the next 2 years (see injury, porr performance) In the meantime, the timberwolves sorely need talent now and has little to show for their additional lottery pick. That’s a D- if not a outright fail.

  • dino2008

    This is the Knicksblog… who cares about Khan. The bottom line OUR gm screwed up by not signing Ramon Sessions. Honestly, stop the Kahn non-sense… atleast Khan has 2 stud pgs, not including Rubio while we have Chris Duhon. The only mistake Kahn made was taking Flynn over Curry IMO. Otherwise he has done a very nice job. I would have taken Rubio 2 in a heartbeat but not Flynn…. which he must have known would piss rubio off.

  • James

    He certainly gambled but I don’t think anyone can say he’s lost yet; it simply can’t be judged at this point. And his value can increase just as easily as decrease; that argument is a wash, at best.

    Again: Rubio, projected universally as a top 3 pick, was available at 5 (and, in spite of what Kahn had to say, obviously unlikely to want anything to do with Minny). Which player should he have taken instead?

    I’m not busting on Tommy for being wrong, that’s what bloggers are there for. I’m busting on him for throwing a Kahn-centric tantrum just because the GM had the gall to not trade Rubio to the Knicks and then sign away Sessions (of whom Tommy has suddenly revised his opinion now that he won’t be a Knick). Dressing up fandom as “journalism”.

  • bob go knicks

    RAMON SESSIONS would have been a great “building block” for the way i would like the KNICKS to be built! PHUK LEBRON

  • BobbyFromBK

    I agree 1000%, Bob. Tommy, what the hell are you smokin’? This guy Kahn has hit the ground running since he became the Wolves GM. From the beginning, he’s been his own man and has shown time and time again, unlike Walsh, he’s not afraid to take chances. From what I’ve seen, he’s positioning his team to be major players for years to come. Kahn isn’t waiting for a ‘Lebron’ or a ‘Wade’ pipe dream. He’s building his team for NOW. Soon as Kahn’s contract is up, if I was Dolan, I’d break my neck to sign him. Donnie Walsh is a has been.

  • ScottD

    Cheer up Bob, it could be Isiah sailing the ship!

  • ScottD

    Bobby from BK,

    I wouldn’t wait for LeBron or Wade either if I were Khan.
    They simply would never play in Minnesota.

  • ScottD

    DTR,

    You hit the nail square on the head!!!!!

  • ScottD

    If Ramon Sessions is simply so amazing, and a can’t miss, then why was he not signed by one of the other twenty-nine teams?
    After all they could have had him for less than the mid-level exception!

    Can someone explain?

  • ScottD

    Unfortunately, this is the NBA, and not your personal fantasy league!
    Walsh builds, we watch.

  • bob go knicks

    not amazing,just another piece to build the KNICKS on.he was an upgrade to chris duhon and a nice little additin to making our team better for 2009.cuz we sure do need a point guard of the future ,and i remember the EWING teams always needing that point guard,turned out every year we had a different one mark jackson,mo cheeks,doc rivers,harper,charlie ward ,chris childs.if they had kept ,rookie of the year mark jackson,instead of trading him ,we wouldve had a steady point guard for years and maybe would have pulled one out(a championship) that we didnt

  • Dave the Rave

    Right on, ScottD!

    Sessions is too expensive to fit into Walsh’s big plan, and Duhon could not be traded for him, so the signing does not help things. Do yas want a little redundant piece of the puzzle now or a big piece later? Walsh knows his job: build a powerhouse asap, and don’t delay it by expanding the payroll now. Don’t blame him — blame the previous clown, I. T. It will take 2 or 3 more years to get clear of the I. T. wreckage. Until then, our beloved team will suck. Deal with it : )

    DTR

  • MrFurious

    2 PGs in a row, no matter how you spin it in terms of value down the road was questionable move. That’s pretty much the opinion of any sportswriter who commented on the draft…not just Tommy. I don’t think i have read anyone who exclaimed…GENIUS KAHN! But I suppose that’s irrelevant to us anyway, it’s done.

    Regarding Walsh, I think overall he has been great for the franchise but we have a serious need at PG and drafting a rookie is a step in the right direction but he clearly needs to add another body before camp. Relying on Douglas/Duhon at PG seems to me to be pretty stupid. But there’s still time.

  • gbaked

    50 bucks say in 2010 bob go knicks changes his username to Bob go LeBron and sings his high praises every night.

  • gbaked

    clearly walsh and Coach D did not value Sessions as high as some on this blog. I have never seen him play. He seemed like a good guy for our team, but not for 4 years at that cost.

    Alot can happen in 2010. Alot can happen with cap space. Even if we miss out on LeBron/Wade that cap space carries over.

    Step 1) getting under the cap
    Step 2) not signing contracts just to sign them

  • Ricky123

    I’m not sure I grasp how the video connects to the news item. Kahn is like the inventor of the “salad” that has no lettuce in it? He’s the inventor of something that makes no sense?

  • akdrum

    I agree-its better to wait to have the freed up dough and the credibility -THEN WE SIGN THE BIG NAMES!
    Checketts and Isiah took on huge contracts.NYer’s want immediate results- they did what they thought was best for their fans and team. Their vision-
    I think were still paying off S.(can’t make a lay-up)Anderson.LJ,AH-So DW is being careful, I would too.
    why should he answer to us?
    He could give a s**t- he’s doing his job…he’s in NY with the wonderful NY media ..he’s smart- he’s making you guys nuts! He’s reading this too-guaranteed.
    ADVICE- go to you tube and watch DW’s 1st press conference and listen to what he says..again. Dolan wants to be the Yankees of the NBA- DW can make it happen- BE PATIENT!

    Hey IF we get into the playoffs this year- Im going to laugh at all this…
    things will get better

    There’s an old saying “a good meal takes time to prepare”

    PS my Crystal ball says Carmelo, D.Howard,CP3,D.Lee & Gallo…2011..maybe Boozer instead of Lee…theres speculation Tommy.

  • bob go knicks

    YOU DONT KNOW ME VERY WELL! way back in 1994 or 95 i said “if those bastards go on strike,i’ll never watch another baseball game as long as i live.I HAVENT SEEN 1 INNING OF BASEBALL SINCE .i found much better things to do ,and i dont miss it one bit .i just miss the memories of when i was a kid,collecting baseball cards .seeing if some schmuck would trade me an AL KALINE for a ROCKY COLOVITO lol.so effffffff lebron james

  • theghostofwillisreed

    umm, did you read the article? exactly how did kahn make the t-wolves. he’s created a logjam at the point, they still need help up front and a 2 guard. playing musical chairs with the point guard position isn’t exactly what i’d call quality roster management.

  • theghostofwillisreed

    if he’s just another piece, you don’t sign just another piece to a long term deal for even medium-sized deal when it could possibly keep you for joining the fray the next year.

    hate donnie all you want but please think.

  • paulempson

    Man, you dont wanna remind Wolves fans of this stuff. I had pointed this out PRE SESSIONS and they all went bizerk.

    I agree that its a weird move but I also think , if Sessions really is that pass first PG that can get you 10 assists per game and , say , 14 ppg , at that price , you do it while waiting on Rubio. I think it takes pressure off of Flynn and allows him to develop properly. He’ll get his minutes no doubt.

    Donnie is right to not mess with the 2010 plan. Simple as that . Adding Sessions , Nate & Lee would ultimately derail an opportunity that we al have not seen in NY for well over a decade.

    Sessions is NOT worth messing that up and , unlike Minny , we have a coach that players love to play for , a city which is the mecca of B ball and the market where millions can be made in endorsements plus a GM who is well respected

    Stick to the plan

  • MadDokRox

    I love sessions but we couldn’t sign him. If we had, and it had turned out that it would take us to a 2010 salary level where we couldn’t outright offer LBJ the max, then we’d have to trade either Curry or Jared Jeffries, and at that point every other team would know that we’d have to and we’d get even worse ripped off than we will be otherwise to get rid of those guys.

    I don’t know if LBJ will come here (or Wade, or Bosh, or whoever). But we have to give them a hard decision. If I’m LBJ, and the New York Knicks give me a max offer, I’m not just faced with the choice of small town Cleveland versus the big city, but I’m faced with worrying about all the ‘what if?’ thoughts if I re-sign with Cleveland. “I’m the biggest star in basketball, but I wonder what it could’ve been if I’d gone to New York, maybe won a championship there”.

    If we’re not in a position to offer him a max contract, then that hard decision just never needs to be made. Then it’s an easy choice for him.

    We absolutely have to make him make that hard, potentially regret-prone decision. And signing sessions (and no way would we have traded him at the deadline) at those numbers was just too big a risk for 2010. And Sessions, unless he had a total breakout season, wasn’t going to be the PG to attract LBJ.

    Also, I really enjoyed watching Duhon for the first half of last year, and after that it became clear that he was hurt, and Nate just wasn’t a functional sub. But this year, we have Toney Douglas to play 10-15, and if he doesn’t work out aren’t there other cheap (min) PG options that can functionally run a team for 15 minutes a night? I think at 32 mpg, Duhon is a perfectly functional starting PG. He’s not the problem (well, not for 1 year anyway), his lack of backup is. Fingers crossed for Toney Douglas.

  • KnickFaninMD

    Kahn = a smarter but even more arrogant Isiah Thomas

    Kahn panicked and T-Wolves will regret it.