No NBA observer would blame Minnesota Timberwolves GM David Kahn for firing coach Kurt Rambis. Sure, Rambis has been handed three terrible rosters to work with in his time with the Wolves, but he's also shown a shocking lack of understanding about who goes where in a rotation, advanced metrics, opposing teams' play-calling and rotation patterns; essentially everything that goes into acting as an NBA head coach in 2011. So, fire away, right David?
No? OK, keep him on, and keep him abreast of his role with the team, right David?
No? Well, what's left? Silence? Yeah, that always works.
Rambis hasn't really heard from Kahn in weeks, which is so far removed from being a termed "a good thing" that we can't see, think, or write straight. He's just … ignoring him. Rambis doesn't know if he'll be back, Kahn (who is quick to quip with all sorts of media) won't talk, and the Timberwolves remain in flux even after ages of rebuilding.
And Rambis is ticked. From John Krawczynski at the AP:
Rambis said Friday that he still sees himself as the coach of the Timberwolves until he is told otherwise, but admitted to being irked by the lack of communication with team President David Kahn.
"Everybody has reasons for why they conduct the business in the way they want to conduct their business," Rambis said in his first public remarks about the situation since the season ended April 13. "If you're asking me if that's what I would do, no, that's not how I would handle things. But everybody's different."
Rambis went on to say that he's only had "minor conversations" with Kahn in the weeks following the regular season, which we assume is some sort of code for only making fun of whatever they just saw Lady Gaga wearing.
The Timberwolves have the second pick in this month's draft, and they're set to announce the signing of Ricky Rubio whenever Rubio's current contract is up and once the lockout is lifted, so there's still quite a bit to discuss with the man currently slated to lead these players to wins, or more likely, losses.
If his time in Minnesota and his short stint spent coaching the Los Angeles Lakers in 1999 is any consideration, Rambis is clearly not up for the job. But only David Kahn could screw up something as mind-numbingly simple as this. Because though Rambis may not be suited for this gig, nobody deserves to be treated like this.
