Britt Robson has long been one of the most keen writers on all topics Minnesota Timberwolves. In a follow-up piece on the future of the franchise under and beyond Glen Taylor in the Minnesota Post, Robson reveals how coach Rick Adelman helped shape the current roster.
Timberwolves’ Rick Adelman isn’t sold on Brandon Roy, wanted Michael Beasley gone
In a candid interview, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor reveals that coach Rick Adelman isn’t convinced that Brandon Roy can play.
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Taylor told Robson that while Adelman did drive the pursuits of Andrei Kirilenko and Chase Budinger, he isn't convinced that bringing in Brandon Roy will pay dividends.
“Brandon Roy, you might think that is the coach, but that is more [GM] David [Kahn]. I think it is David saying, ‘Let give this player to Rick and get the backup in place in case it doesn’t work out.‘ Because Rick keeps saying to me, ‘I don’t know if he can play!’ And I tell him, ‘Rick, I don’t know if he can play either!’ So the Brandon Roy thing is a risk.”
There's also a bit on why Minnesota let Michael Beasley take off for Phoenix. Unsurprisingly, Adelman had a role in that decision.
“What Rick said about Michael was, ‘Yes, Michael has been good. I get along with him. But I don’t think we’ll be a championship team with him. If I put Michael in, Michael can score, but he doesn’t play any defense and he forgets the other offensive players, and I just can’t tolerate that under my system because the other players are just standing around.’”
The Beasley comments are not terribly surprising because, duh, Michael Beasley doesn't play defense or share the ball. But to hear an owner reveal internal disses of exiled players is pretty rare. Robson's piece also includes some interesting notes on Kahn, Nicolas Batum and Budinger.
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