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KokoTheMonkey · 04-14-2005, 11:29 AM

Quote:

MINNEAPOLIS -- According to Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, the team's acquisitions of Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell two summers ago were a "failed experiment."

Before Minnesota's fifth-to-last game in a terribly disappointing season, Cassell figured his time with the Timberwolves was nearing an end.

"He told me right there he don't want me back," Cassell said Wednesday when told of Taylor's critical comments. "You experiment with something, and it doesn't work. Would you try it again?"

For a story published in Wednesday's editions of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Taylor said he regretted trading for Sprewell and Cassell -- despite significant contributions from the two veterans that led to a run to the Western Conference finals last season.

"This was an expensive financial decision; certainly, financial-wise, it was a poor decision on our part," Taylor said. "Overall, it was just a failed experiment."

Cassell, 35, and Sprewell, 34, each complained in training camp about not getting contract extensions. Sprewell will be a free agent after making more than $14 million this season. Cassell has another year at about $6 million on his deal.

Their attitudes have been questioned all season since the distractions they caused with their contract demands. Cassell missed 23 games with a strained hamstring.

"Our goal was to win the championship," Taylor said. "We never expected to be anything other than one of the top four or five teams in the league. And even today, it's hard to believe we could be anything less than that, when you look at the other teams in the league. It's hard to believe that, in the Western Conference, there are four teams that are better than us."

Actually, it's eight. The Timberwolves tipped off their game against Golden State needing to win their last five and have Memphis lose its final five. The Grizzlies were at Houston on Wednesday night.

"That's what happens when your team doesn't bond and come together," said interim coach Kevin McHale, who took a diplomatic stance on Taylor's criticism.

"I'm not going to get into all that," McHale said. "Glen's the owner of the team. He's certainly entitled to his opinion. The whole thing did not turn out very well this year. That's not just Latrell and Sam. The whole team never worked out."

Cassell complained that he had been made into a scapegoat for Minnesota's problems.

"It starts at the top and it dwindles down from there ... Hypothetically, when it's all said and done, they're going to blame it all on me," Cassell said. "Just because Sam Cassell was hurt and Sam asked for a contract."

Cassell said he'll have a long talk about his future with teammate Kevin Garnett in the offseason.

LINK

Failed experiment? Well, more like "This year was a falied experiment."

These two guys were absolutely outstanding last year, and they helped Minnesota finally get out of the first round, which in turn made everyone believe Minny was a title contender this year. Well Glenn Taylor, maybe if you wouldn't have sat on your *** on watched the other teams around you get better instead of getting better yourself your team wouldn't be in this situation. Eddie Griffin was a great acquisition for them in the offseason, but that's certainly not something that would push your team suddenly into a championship caliber team.

Thoughts? Was this a failed experiment? Would Glenn Taylor preferred to lose in the first round again last year then have no hope coming into this season?

socco · 04-14-2005, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KokoTheMonkey

These two guys were absolutely outstanding last year, and they helped Minnesota finally get out of the first round, which in turn made everyone believe Minny was a title contender this year. Well Glenn Taylor, maybe if you wouldn't have sat on your *** on watched the other teams around you get better instead of getting better yourself your team wouldn't be in this situation. Eddie Griffin was a great acquisition for them in the offseason, but that's certainly not something that would push your team suddenly into a championship caliber team.

We didn't need to do anything to become a championship caliber team because last year we were the best team in the league. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that we'd have won it all if Sam would've stayed healthy. There was no reason to make a bunch of changes in the offseason. We didn't need anything to push our team suddenly into being a championship caliber team, we already were a championship caliber team.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KokoTheMonkey

Thoughts? Was this a failed experiment? Would Glenn Taylor preferred to lose in the first round again last year then have no hope coming into this season?

Glen Taylor payed a bunch of money to get these guys, that's why it was a failed experiment. He had Brandon's contract that he could've just sat on and let expire, but he decided to trade it and that cost him about $30Mil. You think he's happy spending all that money and not even making the playoffs this year? Pretty much every year of our franchise's history we've improved in some aspect. This is the first time that we've taken a step back, and it's a gigantic step back.

KokoTheMonkey · 04-14-2005, 01:28 PM

It's not that you needed a bunch of changes, but I almost every other contending team (Except the Lakers of course) made a good acquisition(s), and the T'Wolves got Eddie Griffin. Minnesota didn't need to trade the whole team away or anything, but it seems like they could have improved more than just Eddie Griffin.

Taylor sat pat through the offseason and during the season, hoping that things would magically turnaround. You've got to make moves to improve your team, and he hasn't done that since two offseasons ago when he got Sprewell, Cassell, and Hassell.

I still don't think it was a "failed experiment". This season was a failed experiment, not acquiring Sprewell and Cassell, because those two helped the team get as close to the championship as the franchise ever had. If you guys never got those two, then a season like this wouldn't be such a disappointment, because the expectations would be lower.

**sheefo13** · 04-14-2005, 01:36 PM

Glen taylor doesnt know what he is talkin about... He is just our sorce for money lol. Hey but i think he did the right thing by getting cassell mad and will have him out of here by next year.

socco · 04-14-2005, 01:38 PM

We improved by getting healthy. I remember in the offseason when people were talking about the Spurs getting Brent Barry. But the Wolves made even better offseason moves simply by getting Wally and Troy back healthy. We basically added those two players to the team that we had last year. That should've been enough, and actually I think some of the problem is that it was too much. He didn't have to go out and trade for somebody, because he was getting 2 guys back healthy.

A season like this would definately be a disappointment even without what we did last year. The year before we got Sam and Spree we had the 4th best record in the entire NBA. Before Sam and Spree we had made the playoffs 7 consecutive seasons. Sure it wouldn't have been as big of a disappointment, but it still would've been pretty horrible.

Jonathan Watters · 04-14-2005, 08:31 PM

Quote:

"It starts at the top and it dwindles down from there ... Hypothetically, when it's all said and done, they're going to blame it all on me," Cassell said. "Just because Sam Cassell was hurt and Sam asked for a contract."

Remember last season when things were going well, and Cassell commented on Tim Thomas going public with complaints against Milwaukee management? He said something to the effect of, "With Tim, it's always somebody else's fault. He just needs to grow up."

Pot. Kettle. Black.

TWolvesGG2144 · 04-15-2005, 01:20 AM

I think Kevin McHale is a failed experiment. Any reason we kept him around after than the Joe Smith ordeal?

socco · 04-15-2005, 10:35 AM

btw, Sprewell alone has cost Taylor about $70Mil the past 2 seasons. Now again tell me this isn't a failed experiment.

**sheefo13** · 04-16-2005, 08:03 AM

Seriously no it isnt. Thing is we did what we needed to do last year by getting out of the first round. If we had been healthy last year during the WCF we wouldve beat the lakers then won the championship against the pistons. They were brought in to do just that. Get us farther in the playoffs. The "failed experiment" here is the training staff and michael olowokandi.

We all know we wouldnt of made the WCF if we had terrell brandon, marc jackson, joe smith, and anthony peeler....

KokoTheMonkey · 04-16-2005, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by socco

btw, Sprewell alone has cost Taylor about $70Mil the past 2 seasons. Now again tell me this isn't a failed experiment.

70 million? How do you figure that? Sprewell made about 15 mill this year and 14 mill last year, so there's about 40 million dollars unaccounted for.

Anyway, Minny got further than the franchise ever has last season. I still say that this season was a failed experiment, not the whole experiment in general.

socco · 04-18-2005, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KokoTheMonkey

70 million? How do you figure that? Sprewell made about 15 mill this year and 14 mill last year, so there's about 40 million dollars unaccounted for.

Insurance on Brandon and luxary tax.

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