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The Minnesota Timberwolves came into the season expecting progress. In theory, there was progress since the team did win more games this season than last year, but found themselves nowhere remotely near a playoff berth yet again. As the season wrapped up in Minnesota, head coach Kurt Rambis took time to take some shots at critics while trying to defend his right to retain his position within the organization.

"If you think that every issue and every situation is going to be resolved in one season with all of these new players, you’re only fooling yourself," said Rambis. "You’re kidding yourself. You’re completely unrealistic, if you’re going to assume that that’s all going to happen in one season. It never has. It never will. We just have to continue to work with these young players and continue to let them grow and put them in an environment where they can grow and prosper and become the best players that they can possibly be. All the while, they’re growing together and learning how to play together and hold onto the fact that whenever they do do the right basketball things that they can play tremendous basketball and it can be exciting basketball."

Last year, Rambis found himself at odds with a few players, most notably Kevin Love. Yet, one of the few things where the coach can be given credit without digging deep is the fact those same issues did not surface this season or, at the very least, not as much. He is able to communicate with his players better, showing that he does have the ability to grow in his role because he allows his players the opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings, especially in exit interviews.

"They’ve all been very honest and forthcoming," said Rambis. "They’re expressing they like the situation, they’re liking what we do, but everybody’s frustrated with losing. They all acknowledge that whenever we do the right things when we play basketball, it’s really fun to be a part of it."

Many put high expectations on the coach because of his winning pedigree as a player and because Rambis was able to study under arguably the greatest coach in NBA history, Phil Jackson. Rambis does not have the same level of talent on his roster as Jackson has to achieve success in the league, obviously, but he also knows the team could improve more if he continues to improve as their sideline leader.

"I’m the type of person and I was as a player that there’s never a game that goes by that I don’t wonder what if?" said Rambis. "Could’ve done different? Could’ve done better? Anytime you lose the number of games that we’ve lost, I don’t think you can help but do that. Like I said earlier, if you look at our team and where we were in training camp and where we’ve come as a ball club, I think there’s been a lot of improvement as a team and a lot of improvement with the individuals."

"We always set goals as a coaching staff and some goals presented by other people are just unrealistic," continues Rambis. "You’ve got to evaluate everything from a personnel standpoint and coaching standpoint. Obviously, you want to improve in so many areas, but some of it can happen and some of it just can’t happen. When you look at individuals, guys strengths and weaknesses, experience and stuff like that, some of it can and some of it can’t."

Rambis may be honest, too honest at times, but he truly believes the Timberwolves are moving towards their goals. Most have difficulty in agreeing with him due to the team’s number of wins over his tenure in Minnesota, leading to rumors of his demise as the coach at the end of the season running rampant for months.

"I have a contract and I just work under those guidelines," said Rambis. "Until somebody tells me differently, that’s how I’ll be approaching everything."

If the team’s executives were completely on the same page as to where they are in their rebuilding plan, it would be understandable to keep Rambis in his role. However, as everyone knows, the first person to take the fall when things go badly in sports is the coach. Rambis still has his job as of today and very well may continue to be the Timberwolves head man next year, but they must address some issues over the offseason, as they continue to hope there will be a season next year with the threat of a lockout looming.

"It’s business-like," said Rambis shortly when asked of his relationship with President of Basketball Operations David Kahn.

{AUTHOR_BOX}"I think everybody always has a difference of opinion," said Rambis. "If you look at any organization and that includes every organization I’ve ever been with, there’s never complete solidary on everything that goes on. It doesn’t matter what went on during the season—good, bad or indifferent—you’re always looking for things that might make it better. You look at the top echelon teams and what they’ve done to try and improve, so those discussions are always ongoing. If you remain stagnant as an organization with your thought process, just like if a player becomes stagnant, then organizations or players pass you by. You’ve got to always be looking for ways to improve."

The question becomes whether the Timberwolves believe they are on the right track in their rebuilding or if they need to retool their plan. If team owner Glen Taylor believes they need to retool, expect Rambis to be gone. If he believes they just need to continue along their same course, Rambis may very well stay. One thing Rambis definitely has in his favor is how much he does believe in his team. 

"I hold onto the fact that whenever we were playing well as a ball club—and we have had games where we, flat out, were awful, just like every team in the league—there were so many bright moments and so many bright games that we played. That’s my goal is to get this team playing at that level the majority of the time. The fact that they did it leads me to believe that they can do it. What’s hard for young teams and young players is to sustain it."

"We clearly have to get better," continued Rambis. "We clearly don’t want to have the season that has the number of losses that we had this year and try and find ways to improve. Not only get our players to improve, but what we can all do to do things better."

When asked if he has any timeframe for wanting to know if he will retain his job next year, his response was simple.

"Before we get into any sort of moving forward," said Rambis.

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