Portland assistant Monty Williams scored one of the early interviews for Minnesota’s head coaching vacancy, meeting in Oregon over the weekend with Timberwolves president David Kahn. Williams, with four seasons on the Blazers bench, at least has prepared for such a job in ways that Mark Jackson, an alleged favorite, steadfastly has refused to do.
The Timberwolves have been without a coach since June 17, when new team president of basketball operations David Kahn announced that Kevin McHale would not return.
Kahn hit the road last week to begin interviewing candidates and The Oregonian reported that he was in Portland over the weekend to talk to Trail Blazers assistant Monty Williams.
Kahn, who lives in Portland, had no comment on that report and said before the interview process began that he wouldn’t discuss any candidates.
The Sixers would like to add reserves at point guard, small forward and center for additional depth, according to a source close to the situation.
One such free agent they’ve contacted is former Sixers swingman Rodney Carney.
The 6-foot-6 Carney, who spent his first two NBA seasons with the Sixers before he was traded to the Timberwolves a year ago to clear enough cap space to sign Elton Brand, apparently wants more than the fourth-year minimum of $855,189. He earned $1.656 million last year while averaging 7.2 points and shooting 41.6 percent from the field for Minnesota.
I spoke to some people near him last week and their message is patience… they are hoping Minnesota comes to their senses and makes a deal… but thats not looking promising – I can say this, it was pretty clear Ricky won;t be in Minnesota if Jonny Flynn is there – so unless Minnesota does something Ricky is in limbo.
I had heard talk that he might sit out the year and re-enter the draft, and thats a bigger threat for Minnesota than returning to Europe for two years… If you think about it, Ricky decides to spend the next year training and preparing rather than eating a huge buyout and dealing with Minnesota – there are options for Ricky – his camp is trying to let this thing play out.
I think the temptations of big dollars from major Euroleague teams is gonna win out, but the word from his camp is nothing has been decided yet.
He was given clearance in May to resume playing basketball and has been on the court and in the weight room ever since, with his eye on a return to the NBA. The first step in his quest comes Friday-July 19, where he’ll participate in the NBA’s Las Vegas summer league as an invited member of the Milwaukee Bucks. The team could be a perfect fit for the 6-foot-9 Richard. After losing starting forward Charlie Villanueva in free agency to the Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee is seeking a player to eat up some minutes down in the paint.
Richard says he’s hungry enough to accept the challenge.
“I’m just trying to get on a team,” he said. “Everything after that will fall into place. I’m just going to go in and do what I know how to do, the best I can do it.”
