David Kahn, new general manager of the Timberwolves, has a long to-do list. “I don’t think we’ll have everything put together the way I see fit for another 17 months,” he said. “What I mean by that is, I’m talking about the team and everything. We have a lot of opportunities, starting with this draft, through this summer with free agency, trade deadline, next summer’s draft, next summer’s free agency. We have several windows of opportunity to really transform the team and add some significant pieces.”
We’re back at the Reebok Eurocamp in Treviso for the fifth straight year, once again checking out most of the top talents in international basketball, all conveniently assembled at Benetton Treviso’s terrific La Ghirada for our talent evaluation pleasure.

Day one mostly revolved around catching up with the various members of the basketball industry, all of which seem to be out in full force. As Angelico Biella’s General Manager Daniele Baiesi told us in our Eurocamp preview on NBA.com, this is a perfect setting to mix watching players in with business, and indeed we’re hearing plenty of chatter coming from the direction of the bleachers with agents peddling their players, teams looking for prospects to sign, and old friends catching up on their experiences from the past season.

Some of the names that jump off the page of the NBA credential list include Danny Ainge (Boston Celtics), Calvin Booth (NBA player), Mike D’Antoni (New York Knicks), Maurizio Gherardini (Toronto Raptors), Dave Griffin (Phoenix Suns), Fred Hoiberg (Minnesota Timberwolves), Steve Kerr (Phoenix Suns), Ronnie Lester (LA Lakers), Dennis Lindsey (San Antonio Spurs), Daryl Morey (Houston Rockets), David Morway (Indiana Pacers), Donnie Nelson (Dallas Mavericks), Milton Newton (Washington Wizards), Kevin O’Connor (Utah Jazz), Kevin Pritchard (Portland Trailblazers), Pat Riley (Miami Heat), Tommy Sheppard (Washington Wizards), Jim Stack (Minnesota Timberwolves), Rick Sund (Atlanta Hawks), Jay Triano (Toronto Raptors), Masai Ujiri (Toronto Raptors), Donnie Walsh (New York Knicks), and many many others that we probably missed. Pretty much every major basketball agency and all of the top European teams are represented here as well.

Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Omri Casspi is expected to play for a European team next year even if he is picked in the first round of the NBA draft, according to sources close to the player.

The 2.05-meter small forward is currently in talks with various teams including the Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves, Chicago Bulls and Portland Trailblazers, but none have promised him a place on their roster next season, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported yesterday
He also noted that the Wolves were near the bottom of the league in both offensive and defensive efficiency. As a result, he’s pushing himself. And despite the uncertainty surrounding the coaching situation, Gomes continues to follow his last set of direct orders from Kevin McHale and company.

“I wouldn’t say nervous,” he replied when asked about the coaching state of affairs. “As players we still have to go and improve ourselves. We still have to work on those things the coaches told us to work on in the offseason.”

Gomes has been back and forth from Minnesota to his home in Connecticut. He comes here to concentrate on basketball. In the evenings, he’s been watching the NBA playoffs, trying to learn something. Anything. And he finds himself imagining what it would be like to participate in those playoffs.

“My first team in Boston, we didn’t get there,” he said. “Now I’ve been here two years. We know not too many of our players have had playoff exposure.

The Timberwolves’ coaching situation for the 2009-2010 season is still up in the air. At the time of the interview, Miller had no speculations as to whether McHale would return to coach or the Timberwolves would hire a new head coach, but, again, he was positive about the situation.

“It’s difficult if you don’t get the chance to play under him in training camp,” Miller said in reference to the mid-season coaching change. “But we made the most of it. (McHale) is a great coach and he’s easy to play for.”

Miller also made no speculations as to whether he would still be in Minnesota after the June 25 draft. He did say that the organization needs to “address our point guard situation,” but nothing else. Miller was rumored to be on the trade block before the February deadline, but the deadline came and went without any moves.