From Maui to Minnesota?: Don Nelson on the Wolves

Chatted with Don Nelson this evening from his Maui beach house -- one of at least three or four houses he owns on the island -- about the Timberwolves and why, at age 71, the game who has won more NBA games than any other coach wants this job.

Here's the story that's running in Saturday's paper and on the web site.

Included is his Minnesota connection: His daughter, a schoolteacher, and his grandchildren live in Minnetonka.

"I was just there two months ago," he said. "They're excited (about the prospect of grandpa spending his winters close to them)."

Nellie said he has chatted with David Kahn for about 40 minutes and the two will probably talk again sometime this weekend.

"He's probably doing some checking about me," he said.

Remember this is a guy who played Anthony Tolliver a good bit at center for Golden State two weeks ago.

It seemed like Nellie has spent some time considering this roster of young players the Wolves have.

Here's a little bit what he had said about the team he'd be taking over if Kahn agrees with Nellie that he's the right guy for the job.

On No. 2 overall pick Derrick Williams: "He was my favorite player in the draft. I thought he should have gone No. 1. That's exciting. I didn't think the draft was that good."

On Kevin Love: "Well, you've got to like Love. There's a lot of people who'd love to be able to do what Love can do, but they can't. I'm very excited about that. I know his dad Stan, but I don't know him really at all."

On Ricky Rubio: "I don't know Rubio enough. He's good in the open court. I could max him out."

On Luke Ridnour: "I've always liked him. He's a good solid guard. Not a star, but a good solid guy."

On Wes Johnson: "He needs to improve his game. He's got a lot of things you look for in a pro body. I would think he could do more and should be doing more. He's just scratched what he can be."

On Michael Beasley: "He's just kind of a stop-still shooter. He can enhance his game, start going to the basket, be tougher. He needs to reach down and get it."

And as he I quoted him in the story...

On Anthony Tolliver, who he coached at Golden State two seasons ago: "He had his best year for me. He's a good backup player. I know what he can do and what he can't do."

And on Randolph, who he also coached.: "He didn't play very well for me. He's another guy, like Beasley, who has talent but has to reach down and get it. David Kahn tells me he's working hard. He didn't work that hard for me. He can do things nobody else can do right now, running, jumping and playing around the rim. He's 6-11. He's got to reach down and become a player. I got nothing against him. I really like him, but he didn't work hard."

I can't decide if the idea of Nellie -- at age 71 and with the way his time at Golden State ended -- coaching the Wolves would be a complete unmitigated disaster or actually be wacky enough to work (I'm leaning well to the former).

But you can't deny this: It'd be a heckuva circus, one way or the other.