By Peter Christian
Thanks for the memories Quentin Richardson. Timberwolves fans are really going to miss… well, your name. While fans in Los Angeles, Phoenix and New York got to know you as a decent shooting guard with average NBA talent, the folks here in Minnesota only knew your name and as the reason that David Kahn gave up fan favorites Craig “Rhino” Smith and Mark “Mad-Dog” Madsen. Don’t feel bad though Quentin, you get to go play alongside your buddy Dwyane Wade in South Beach and let’s be honest, South Beach vs. Minneapolis in December/January isn’t even a fair comparison.
Timberwolves fans aren’t stupid. They know that David Kahn traded you for the whiny, slow, soft and passive Mark Blount to cut salary (because Blount’s final contract year has a lower buyout price than yours does) even though you were the one veteran player on the team that really fits into the supposed “uptempo offense” that Kahn wants new coach Kurt Rambis to run. Plus you were the best option to start at the two guard on the team. Now the Timberwolves are (barring any other signings, trades or head scratching transactions) likely going to count on the poor shooting, poor scoring Corey Brewer to be the shooting guard at the tip off of the game.
We also know that your departure at this point in the season means the Timberwolves got what was likely the lowest possible value for you, which is NOT a good thing when it comes to rebuilding a crappy franchise. If however, the anti-genius that goes by the name of David Kahn had allowed you to get some decent playing time and allow you to inflate your value a little bit, the Timberwolves could have likely flipped you for something more valuable than a less expensive, easier bought out, expiring contract than what you have.
Instead, Mr. Kahn bought high, sold low (in the game of investing, that is a no-no by the way) and caused the team’s guard pool to become even more depleted. For the record, let it be shown that Kahn has traded three guards, one guard/forward and let two more guards walk via free agency while keeping two guards from last year’s team and drafting three guards, one of which has indicated that he likely will not play with the Timberwolves this season. By my simple math that means that Kahn smashed the cardinal rule of being a GM of a professional sports organization (trade from depth to fill your holes) by doing the complete opposite (traded for depth from one of your shallowest positions).
I’m sure none of this even bothers you anymore because you are already chatting up with D-Wade on Twitter about how sweet it is going to be to workout together all summer long and then play side by side in Miami. You are probably really pumped, which you should be. You just avoided playing a single game for a team that is run by a guy who seems determined to piss off his fans at all cost.
Now excuse me I am going to go and slam my car door on my head repeatedly.
Happy Trails Q, we barely even knew you,
Peter Christian