Really? For Joe Smith?!

13 Feb 2002: Owner Glen Taylor of the Minnesota Timberwolves takes a moment to chat with player Joe Smith #32 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. DIGITAL IMAGE NOTICE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright notice: Copyright 2002 NBAE Mandatory Credit: David Sherman/NBAE/Getty Images | David Sherman/NBAE/GettyImages

CONTINUATION OF THE “WHAT IF” WOLVES SERIES. IN THIS SERIES, I PLAY THE ROLE OF TIMBERWOLVES OVERLORD AND GO BACK IN TIME AND RIGHT SOME OF THE WRONGS OF OUR FAVORITE FRANCHISE. SINCE THIS IS THE TIMBERWOLVES, THERE ARE A LOT OF WRONGS. THIS SERIES MAY GO ON FOREVER.

“What If” Wolves Volume 4: Hopefully Kuminga doesn’t read this.

You are reading Canis Hoopus right now, so I assume that you know about the Clippers-Kawhi scandal that happened over the last year. When the punishment came down from the NBA, there were repeated mentions of a “precedence” for a likely punishment for the Clippers cap circumvention. And since you are still reading Canis Hoopus, I also assume that you know the “precedence” the NBA talking heads kept mentioning was the punishment from the illegal Joe Smith deal with our Timberwolves.

Joe Smith was the number one overall pick in the loaded 1995 draft. Seriously, this draft produced multiple All-Stars, players with exceptionally long careers, and a Hall of Fame player that just happens to be the greatest Timberwolf of all-time. The Golden State Warriors selected Joe Smith out of Maryland, where he had just been named the Naismith College Player of the Year after averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. Smith’s rookie year was outstanding. 33 double-doubles and leading all rookies in blocks and rebounds led to a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

Adding Smith in the draft did not help the Warriors much the next few seasons though.

With the team struggling, they fired head coach Rick Adelman (who coached the Wolves 14 years later; RIP), and replaced him with P.J. Carlesimo. To put it mildly, PJ rubbed some players wrong with his college coach demeanor. To put it in a more awesome way, he pissed everyone off when he was coaching. So much so that future Timberwolf Latrell Sprewell almost killed him!

To be fair, Spree did warn him (see the video below, but be warned the language is NSFW).

The overall losing and poor environment led to Smith telling the Warriors that he would not re-sign with them, despite a reported $80 million offer (cough, Kuminga, cough), and a trade may be in their best interest. So the Warriors traded Smith to the Philadelphia 76ers. Smith came off the bench with the Sixers, saw his stats decline and decided to not re-sign there either.

Instead Smith signed a one-year deal with Minnesota at $1.75 million during the lockout shortened 1999 NBA season.

9 Dec 1999: Kevin Garnett #21 of the Minnesota Timberwolves talks to Joe Smith #32 during a game against the Portland Trailblazers at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon. The Blazers defeated the Timberwolves 90-86. Mandatory Credit: Otto Greule Jr. /Allsport | Getty Images

Smith would go on to be an awkward pairing with fellow 1995 draftee Kevin Garnett. However, he did play solid enough to earn another one-year deal, followed by a third one-year deal. So that was three consecutive one-year deals for around a total of $6 million. $80 million to $6 million. Hmmm.

Smith’s coach being choked out by one of his teammates wasn’t the only drama that he was dealing with at the time. Joe’s agents Eric Fleisher and Andrew Miller had a falling out. Miller ending up breaking their partnership and snagged a bunch of their clients, including Kevin Garnett. Obviously, this did not sit well with Fleisher so he sued his former partner. There is something called “discovery” when you are dealing with a lawsuit, and wouldn’t you know it, they discovered some goodies.

During the lawsuit, documents were produced that showed that Fleisher had agreed with the Timberwolves (specifically owner Glen Taylor and general manager Kevin McHale) to an under-the-table deal to circumvent the NBA salary cap. Now, there were arguments that all teams did this type of stuff, but nobody ever put these deal in writing.

May I present to you the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The illegal agreement was to sign Smith to three consecutive one-year deals which would grant the Wolves Bird Rights to Joe Smith. Once a team has Bird Rights on a player, they can sign them to a contract that would normally put them over the salary cap. The shady deal also included a final contract for seven years at $86 million total. The illegal deals totaled 10 years and $92.35 million dollars for Joe Smith, a decent backup forward, but definitely not worth that type of money.

After the documents showing the illegal deal came out in court, the NBA was swift to punish the Timberwolves for trying to pull a fast one on the league. Taylor and McHale suspended (YES!!!), $3.5 million fine (not my money, so who cares?), and the forfeiture of the next five first round picks (NOOO!!!!).

The Wolves were officially screwed.

And now you know the story of Joe Smith and the sneaky deal. But don’t worry kids, I will fix this mess for the “What If” Wolves.

Well, we gotta start by firing Kevin McHale (again) and make it so Glen Taylor never talks to any player, agent, or coach again. I don’t know how we keep Taylor quiet, but he didn’t say much after the Glue Girl incident, so maybe we can get her back in Target Center (I’m just kidding. Sorry I put that out into the universe). This time I will replace those two dregs on this franchise with my dog Kirby. Kirby is a big doofus, just like McHale. But unlike McHale and Taylor, he buries his secrets in my backyard never to be found again. Who’s a good boy?!

“What If” Wolves GM – Kirby

For the “What If” Wolves, Smith never happens. No suspensions, no fine, and most importantly we keep our draft picks. The Joe Smith signing didn’t make sense to me back then and it still boggles my mind now. The Wolves already had KG at Smith’s preferred position. They may have been able to share the court together in stints, but Smith would still need to come off the bench because of the current duo at the forward spots.

The 1998 Timberwolves had a great frontcourt pairing of KG and Tom Gugliotta. Googs was great in a Timberwolves uniform, but he hated playing with Stephon Marbury. So much so that he turned down a seven-year contract worth $86 million (does that number look familiar?). In real life Gugliotta ended up signing with the Phoenix Suns for six years and $60 million. So, to grant Googs his wish, we will work out a sign-and-trade for him. But who would be willing to take on that type of money?

Enter: the Chicago Bulls. After the Bulls second three-peat, Michael Jordan retires (again), so the Bulls may be due for a rebuild.

The “What If” Wolves reach out to Jerry Reinsdorf and offer a sign-and-trade of All-Star Tom Gugliotta to help rebuild their team. We send Googs to the Bulls on a six-year, $60 million deal (same as he would sign with Phoenix) for a disgruntled player that wants out of Chicago. Everyone was disgruntled in Chicago then, so who could it be?

The “What If” Wolves make a crazy sign and trade for Scottie Pippen at five years, $67.2 million (same deal he got when he was traded to the Houston Rockets). Pairing Pippen with KG would terrify the entire league. Pippen was winding down at this point, but he still averaged double figures in points while receiving votes for Defensive Player of the Year. KG and Pippen would almost guarantee that the Wolves would win every game by holding their opponents to 60 points. Nobody would score with those two on the court.

Despite Pippen being on board, the roster still needs some work and sacrifices need to be made. Doug West, Bill Curl, Cherokee Parks, and a 1998 second round pick get sent to Denver for Ervin “Not Magic” Johnson and a 1999 second round pick (Manu Ginobili!). Losing Doug West hurts my soul a bit. He was my favorite player on those early Timberwolves teams. He flew around the court and always played with heart. Couldn’t shoot a lick, but I didn’t care. Ervin Johnson would eventually play for the real Wolves from 2003-2005. He was a solid defensive center for most of his career. Only problem was his best years were before he came to Minnesota. So now we will get the best out of him before his tank runs empty.

The real Wolves made a significant signing that year in Malik Sealy, so we will do the same. Sealy, whose number 2 is retired by the Timberwolves, died when he was involved in a terrible car accident coming home from KG’s birthday party. The other driver was drunk and going the wrong way on the highway when the two cars collided.

The “What If” Wolves also sign Troy Hudson to a deal, and this time we don’t waive him after a week like the real Wolves did in 1999. More free agent signings will need to be done, but it may be easier to get quality help with Pippen in the mix…or if I trade Marbury.

Starters would be Ervin Johnson, KG, Pippen, Sealy, and Starbury (until he throws a hissy fit and I send him to NBA Siberia). The bench may still need some work, but I don’t think this is too bad. Nobody would score on this starting unit, though there might not be much shooting on their own side of the court either. It’s a tradeoff I would take. Plus it’s not everyday the Wolves can put two Hall of Famers on the court together!