Twice during Tim Connelly's introduction as Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tuesday, incoming owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez used the phrase "world-class organization" to describe their vision for the team.
Connelly's introduction was more than just talk.
"We don't want to take any shortcuts," Rodriguez said after the news conference. "When you are building a world-class organization you are building for a bright future that is sustainable, aside from one person or one player. You see organizations that have wonderful foundations. That's what we are doing here."
There is a very talented executive already in-house in Sachin Gupta, who helped steer the organization into the clear following the September exit of Gersson Rosas, who fostered a toxic work environment. Behind the scenes, Gupta was a breath of fresh air as the Wolves reached the postseason for just the second time since 2003-04 before losing to Memphis in the first round.
Gupta deserved the chance to remain, but the timing is not right. Lore and Rodriguez, who will gain full ownership of the Wolves in 2023, are aiming high, bringing big-market muscle to a mid-market franchise that, finally, is headed in the right direction.
That led them to Connelly, who helped shape the Denver Nuggets into a threat in the Western Conference. He wasn't perfect, as he dealt All-Star Donovan Mitchell to Utah in a lopsided deal in favor of the Jazz. But he proved his eye for talent by acquiring Mitchell in the first place. He also had Nikola Jokic and Jusuf Nurkic at the same time before dealing the capable Nurkic to Portland.
Part of the Wolves' information gathering included picking the brains of several league executives, including a couple of Hall of Famers, for their thoughts about Connelly. Their response: Hire the man.
It didn't matter that Connelly was happy and secure in Denver. He had 40 million reasons over five years — plus a bonus plan based on franchise value — to make the move.
