At what point does Jonny Flynn become insulted?Sure, Timberwolves capo David Kahn made fierce Flynn the No. 6 pick in the NBA draft, higher than Brandon Jennings, Jrue Holiday or Ty Lawson. But that pick came after Kahn already took a point guard, Mr. Ricky Rubio. Kahn proceeded to spend all summer trying to get Ricky to actually come play for the Wolves. (It didn't work.)
Now, as Rubio's rejection has seemingly made Flynn's path to the starting lineup clear, there's one more potential roadblock. Gerry Woelfel of the Racine Journal-Times reports that Kahn may soon be presenting restricted free agent point guard Ramon Sessions with an offer sheet.
Of course, Minnesota clearly needs another point guard: Flynn is a rookie, Bobby Brown might as well be one (he played sparingly and poorly as a rookie for Sacramento and 'Sota last season) and Kahn has already implied Chucky Atkins will never suit up in a Wolves kit. The issue is that massive point guard depth right now -- beyond Flynn, the team has no one for this season.
The issue is pecking order, depth chart. Rubio Plus Flynn was a problem because neither can play two-guard (Flynn is 5'10, Rubio currently shoots deep jumpers as well as Mark Madsen). Flynn Plus Sessions is a problem because Sessions is a starrish young point guard, and Flynn is -- again -- a point guard only. Sure, the Wolves need more two-guards too. But are you really going to flip cash for Sessions to play him off the ball? He has made nine three-pointers in his NBA career, and he's a rather inefficient and infrequent scorer for a ball-dominant playmaker. He's a point guard.
If the idea is to let Flynn mature, great. Point guards don't need to start from Day 1. But at some point, when they are ready, they need to take over. Deron Williams wasn't ready for Jerry Sloan's pick-and-roll offense on Day 1 ... but he figured it out, and Brevin Knight had to clear the way. Can you really clear a young and potentially pricey stud like Sessions out of the way for a budding Flynn? And how long do you wait before making the change? And what do you in two years if, as Flynn finally takes over, Rubio decides he's really ready this time to come to the NBA?
Having extra talent is no bad idea, and the Wolves backcourt is, on the whole, anemic. At this point, Sessions isn't going to be getting a massive offer sheet from Kahn -- in all likelihood, Sessions will be paid fairly for his potential, if not his production. Kahn hasn't been a complete disaster, as some insist -- his entry in the Quentin Richardson Experiment actually saved the team some payroll, which isn't always easy in the summer.
But the toying around with Flynn's status is mind-melting. Human spirits matter, and I can't imagine Flynn's Very Important Head is filled with good thoughts given the travails of this Timberwolf summer.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-04-2009 @ 1:49AM
magicfaninTN said...
Meh. You guys really need the season to start so you can stop trying to invent controversy.
If Flynn's feelings are really hurt, I bet Orlando's GM Otis Smith trades Minny expiring Anthony Johnson and a 1st for Flynn and whatever other parts have to be added to make the deal work. Gives the Wolves no more PG controversy and long term salary savings. Gives Orlando young backup PG (lost out on CJ Watson this summer).
I know, Kahn never pulls this trigger.
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9-04-2009 @ 10:47AM
Vittorio De Zen said...
I can't kill 'Sota for this - Sessions is a quality player. I just don't get it. They must be stockpiling talent to use in future trades, 'cause there's no way Sessions, Flynn, and Rubio can be in their long-term plans. Really, they can only keep one of them because, as you said, none of them can play 2-guard.
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9-04-2009 @ 11:19AM
jbourneid101 said...
Maybe David Kahn isn't as clueless as I once thought. All of this smokescreen positivity surrounding the Ricky Rubio situation for 2011/2012 just clouds reality: NO WAY Jonny Flynn gets thrown into the fire this year as a starting PG on a team with two up-and-coming big men in Jefferson and Love. Chris Paul got away with starting from Day One because of the very weak talent that was on the roster in '05-'06, and the relatively low expectations surrounding the Hornets at the time. But Minnesota, by comparison, is a superior squad alent-wise, and is headed in the right direction as a squad (once they get a better 3-man than Corey Brewer and a quality 2-guard). Barring injury, Sessions will bury Flynn on the bench and make a name for himself this year around the league; depending on the length of his deal (if this is in fact, true), he could still walk in 3 years -- paving the way for the Rubio Dream to come to fruition.
Bottom line: Flynn is in a bad spot here, and will have to show patience and maturity to either wait his turn or pray for a trade. At least youth is on his side, but, then again, the same could be said for Sessions . . . .
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9-04-2009 @ 1:17PM
henryclemente said...
Kahn is obsessed with point guards.
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9-05-2009 @ 2:02AM
Raraavis said...
Currently the Timberwolves back court consist of rookie Jonny Flynn, rookie Wayne Ellington, and Bobby Brown. Since Bobby Brown probably should be in the D-League so they really only have two guards and they are both rookies.
Ramon Sessions is a good young player who can share minutes with Flynn at point. He will also play some minutes with Flynn because they don't have any other options.
This is a nice pickup for the T-Wolves, they have the money and the minutes for Sessions for at least two years. If Flynn or Rubio are a bust they still have a strong two guard tandem at the point. Worst case is Flynn, Rubio, and Sessions are all three All-Stars and they have to trade one or two of them.
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