Jeremy: What's right with the Wolves?

I'll give you a moment to stop laughing after reading the title of this post. I know, I know. I've already written over 20 words, and that should be more than enough to convey what is right with our Minnesota Timberwolves, right?
After my last post about my beloved Puppies, they rolled off 5 wins in a row. My cousin emailed me back to tell me that he was certain that Flip(nosis) was reading Midwest Sports Rubes and the ship had been righted.
The honest truth is that I don't think that 5 game winning streak could have been more damaging, or could have come at a worse time for this team. It was beginning to look like they were going to have to make some huge and sweeping changes very soon, and then they go and win 5 in a row, and give everybody hope that they can turn it around. The winning streak probably set the trade process back at least 10 days, which in the NBA is a lifetime when you are trying to move the biggest egos in the sports world from one city to another.
So here we are, two days after the Wolves have dropped below .500. Fans and some media are beginning to call for Flips head. Nobody understands why a move hasn't been made and we aren't even hearing about the possibility of a trade. It's even gotten so bad that some people are starting to blame KG.
Look, I understand that when things get bad everybody is going to look to the leaders to find out what's wrong. But let's get one thing strait: (and I will fight to the death with anybody on this point) reasons one and two why the Timberwolves are down this year are not Flip Saunders and Kevin Garnett. They are 1) Latrell Spreewell, & 2) Sam Cassell.
The difference on this team last year from prior years was chemistry. Part of that had to do with Spree and Sammy. They were happy to be here, they deferred the lead role to KG and their attitudes were rewarded with a trip to the Western Conference Finals.
The difference on this team this year from last year is again chemistry, or lack thereof. Spree and Sammy, feeling that is was them who made the difference in the team last season, wanted more money and more input on the team this season. They aren't getting that for two reasons. First, because KG is still in town and he (rightfully) gets all the input he wants. And second, because before the season started they put money before team, with Sam showing up to camp late and Spree making his now famous "feed my family" comment.
I said in my last post that the only people that matter on this team are KG and Flip. I still believe that. But guys like Fred (The Mayor) Hoiberg, who has the highest 3-point % in the league, Wally (World) Szczerbiak, whose effort is never in question, and Mark Madsen, who this team is missing more than anyone cares to admit, are also important to the chemistry of this team. And where those guys, along with Flip and KG, understand that they are just as important to the chemistry of the team as last years MV3, guys like Spree and Sammy do not. And that is the gap in this team that is causing a division that seems almost insurmountable right now. At least Spree is only under contract for the rest of this season and we're only obligated to Sammy through next year. I haven't even touched on Troy Hudson, whose rap career and bank account have suddenly turned him into the second coming of Cassell whose career-long adage has been "I'll shoot myself into the game, even if it means shooting my team out of it."
As per usual, I had the Wolves on the TV last night at work, and as per usual, I kept somewhat of an eye toward what was going on in the game as I worked. I can't count how many times I stopped in front of a TV, looked at the score, and simply shook my head. It got so bad that when I stopped by her table, an elderly woman having dinner with her son said to me, "either you have a nervous tick or you are unhappy about something going on it that game."
I don't have kids. I have sports. I have the Vikings, the Gophers and the Wolves. And right now my teenager, who really did a lot of growing up last year, is hanging out with the wrong crowd.