Wolves: Wittman Must Go...Yet, Again
By Stephen Litel
December 7th, 2008
As everyone with a pulse knows, the vibe surrounding the Minnesota Timberwolves is nothing short of depressing. Although expectations coming into the season were greater than last year, this team seemed to be a few years away from seriously contending for a playoff berth. Whether or not you favored the Kevin Love/OJ Mayo trade, the team (as a whole) entered opening night with a roster of talented, but young players who needed to continue their development.
If the continuation of their individual and collective development progressed in a satisfactory manner, the 2008-09 season would be a success. Now, only 19 games into the season, it seems as if all hope is lost and the players themselves have begun to look ahead to a high draft pick. It is, quite sad, and something that is unacceptable.
After two blowout losses at the hands of the New Jersey Nets and Los Angeles Clippers, the bottom has fallen out. When hounded after the contest with the Clippers about his coach’s job security, Al Jefferson even went so far as to say, “They could have Jesus Christ himself come and coach us, but if we don't go out there and play hard and play together, it won't mean nothing.”
It is certainly a commendable comment by the team’s star, as he refused to throw his coach under the bus. In essence, his proclamation states that no other coach could come in and do a better job with this team and that, in itself, is completely inaccurate. Anyone who covers the team or follows the team has an opinion as to another coach who could step in and do the job better than Coach Wittman does and although I also have my own as well, there is one significant attribute in a coach this team desperately needs.
This team was never going to challenge for the playoffs this season, so, as stated before, the goal was to continue the development of individual and the team as a whole. If that progress was successful, there could be hope going into the 2009-10 season. Yet, as the losses pile up, the blowouts get bigger and the team is essentially on the same pace as last year’s god-awful season, the players always look defeated. There is no fire in their eyes, the love of the game is gone and it’s only going to get worse.
At this point, the players are showing up AT work instead of showing up TO work. They are going through the motions and feel lost. That, in itself, is reason enough to bring a new coach into the mix.
Watch the players when they interact with their head coach. They don’t care and they only listen in an obligatory manner. Although they like Randy Wittman as a person, they have little respect for Coach Wittman as their leader. With coaches such as Sam Mitchell and PJ Carlesimo already fired during this young NBA season--coaches who actually have had some success in the league at times--the question remains…why again does Wittman have this job?
This team now needs a “player’s coach” or, at the very least, a coach who is able to compliment them when they actually have done something right. Wittman is quick to criticize both while players are on court and in his press conferences, but when asked to comment on a specific player’s good game--outside of Jefferson--he seems unable to say, “Yeah, he had a great night.” Instead, he’ll discuss how the player had a fine game because he stuck to the gameplan, which appears to be a man attempting to save his job. The curious thing is he’s done so since he took over for Dwane Casey.
After the constant beatings on the court and the inability of their coach to utilize their talents correctly, the players seem to be ready to pack it in for the year. Glen Taylor cannot allow that to happen, as it will only delay their development. It may be old hat and easy to say, but Randy Wittman has to go. He needs to be gone by Tuesday’s game.
