Timberwolves president of basketball operations David Kahn doesn't volunteer very often to talk with reporters at game-day shootarounds. But he did so on Friday, if only to shoot down media speculation that he's trying to acquire Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol, a trade rumor that just won't die.
An ESPN.com report on Thursday is the latest to say the Wolves covet Gasol's low-post scoring and high-post passing. The report said the Lakers turned away overtures from Toronto and the Wolves -- who reportedly want to build a package around Derrick Williams and Nikola Pekovic -- at least until they see how their team looks once injured Steve Nash returns.
Kahn said he hasn't talked to the Lakers -- "I can absolutely assure you," he said -- since June. The Wolves pursued Gasol the past two drafts, essentially offering Williams each time.
"What bothers me is it has an impact on a team and its players and its family members," Kahn said. "And it's not appropriate for that reason, in other words if it's not real. I'm not upset, but it's not something I want to see spiral any further."
Like Lakers management, Kahn wants to see his team get healthy with Ricky Rubio's awaited return before the team makes a major move.
"There's absolutely nothing imminent that we're working on," he said. "My main concern right now is that the team regain itself and at point maintain itself. Simple. That's the No. 1 concern I have right now."
He's back from his backAndrei Kirilenko returned Friday to the starting lineup at small forward after four games away because of back spasms that caused him to walk like an old man last week in Los Angeles.
"Right now, I don't feel any weakness," he said. "I feel strong. A week ago, I was feeling it's weak, I can't really bend. Now it feels back to normal."
