startribune:Touching on a variety of Wolves topics, Taylor talked about coach Dwane Casey and, specifically, an unattributed item about the coach in the current issue of ESPN The Magazine.
"The only way Dwane Casey will survive with the Wolves," the report said, "is if he agrees to hire a veteran assistant, like in Toronto, where Sam Mitchell was 'encouraged' to take on Gene Keady."
Casey, a member of Seattle's staff for 11 years before Minnesota hired him in June, assembled his own staff of assistants over the summer. Unofficially, the lead assistant is Johnny Davis, who had two stints and 217 games as a head coach (Philadelphia, Orlando), along with 12 years as an assistant and 10 as a player. The others -- Bob Thornton, Rex Kalamian, Vince Taylor, Aleksandar Dzikic and Brent Haskins -- have two seasons or less as NBA assistants.
Taylor acknowledged that the topic has come up.
"I have, independently, told Dwane that any time, because he's a new coach, if he needed those types of things, we were willing to provide that. He has never indicated that, so I wouldn't be able to tell you the person or what type. But we've told him that, as a new coach, don't get into one of these things where you can't admit that more experience might help you.
"We didn't indicate we were thinking of 'so-and-so.' We have not pushed it. If we really felt that we had to, Kevin [McHale, Wolves vice president] would have given him a name of somebody."
Asked about the ESPN item, Casey -- who has two more guaranteed seasons on his multiyear contract -- said he has felt no pressure from Taylor or the front office on either himself or his staff.
"Nothing like that," he said. He and Taylor talk frequently, Casey said, and had a productive discussion in Chicago last week.
Said Davis: "I've been on eight staffs and headed up two of them. We have, I've felt, been prepared every game. Mistakes, do they happen? Sure. But I feel [management has] been very supportive."
Taylor said he has reminded himself that Flip Saunders, 10 years ago, still was learning on the job, too.
"I like Dwane. He does what he says he's going to do," Taylor said. "No matter how long these guys are assistant coaches, this head coach thing is something that's going to take a while, and probably a little longer than I hoped. Maybe I was hoping that Dwane could step right in. ... Just knowing me, I'll probably be patient."
Patience, the owner said, hasn't always come easily this season, particularly with:
• The 1-8 record in games decided by three points or fewer: "We've lost a lot of close games, probably more than our share. Isn't experience part of that? Young players and a new staff? I'm not blaming [Casey], but that's one of the risks we took when we took a guy who was starting out."
