Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Today is the NBA Lottery. Slightly more exciting than a coin toss, 14 teams find out where they will pick in the June draft. As far as articles about ping-pong balls go, the Star Tribune covered it well. The article mentions sending assistant coach Zarko Durisic as the team’s representative and good luck charm. Here’s what Vice President Kevin McHale had to say, "Jarko told me he was the luckiest person he knows. I said: 'That's all I have to hear. You're going.' "

Yep, he doesn’t even know Zarko’s first name. If this mistake comes from anyone besides McHale it’s overlooked. Since it does come from the man responsible for the team’s current position in the lottery, it’s all the more egregious.

You might think, “Take it easy, he just made a mistake.” This is the genius that traded away the team's 2006 and 2007 draft picks, only to retain this year’s pick by tanking the final month of the season.


The only hope is that the McHale’s North Oaks residence gets a leaky faucet, and floods the basement, leaving McHale impounded for the entire summer. Then, and only then, do the Timberwolves have a chance at forging a long-term game plan.