Some Timberwolves fans seem pretty critical of the moves Flip Saunders made Thursday night in selecting Shabazz Mahammad (UCLA) and Gorgui Dieng (Louisville) in the first round of the NBA draft.
Your two newest members of the @MNTimberwolves, @phenom15balla & @GorguiDieng. #Twolves pic.twitter.com/Pf2GkeV95m
— Timberwolves PR (@Twolves_PR) June 28, 2013
Those picks came Minnesota’s way via Utah, after the Wolves sent the Jazz their top pick, Trey Burke (Michigan).
While some say Flip, flopped…
That Burke for shabazz trade gave me déjà vu of the Brandon Roy for randy foye trade. Disappointed #TWolves fan right here
— Tyler Cobb (@KernOnTheKerb) June 28, 2013
Others are much more forgiving…
This draft will be funny to mention in several months when the #twolves are headed back to the playoffs. The butthurt fans are hilarious.
— HeHateMe (@HeHateMN) June 28, 2013
In the established Minnesota media, it was hard to find a lot of positivity. Pioneer Press columnist Tom Powers called Saunders’ picks disappointing:
“Shades of J.R. Rider! Shades of Rashad McCants! The Timberwolves have embarked upon another psychological project. Pull out the Rorschach test. Dust off the couch. Shabazz Muhammad is coming to town.”
At the Star Tribune, columnist Jim Souhan theorized that Saunders wants to get back on the court:
“Given the Wolves’ needs and predicaments, the only reason to take Muhammad is to chase Adelman into retirement, so Flip can hire himself as head coach.”
Canus Hoopus blogger Eric in Madison compared Saunders to the man he replaced, the ousted David Kahn. The comparison was not favorable:
“After last night’s draft fiasco, it doesn’t appear that he’s any better at this job than Kahn was. I suspect he’ll get away with a lot more with less criticism because he’s a local guy everybody likes, but that was a disaster.”
The last word right now? How about giving it to Flip Saunders, who admits some Wolves fans will be grumpy this morning. But he’s not hiding:
I know many #twolves disappointed. We will be ok and time will show that are picks will produce. They are physically ready. I own up to thm
— Flip Saunders (@Flip_Saunders) June 28, 2013
