David Kahn Claims He Was Joking About Draft Lottery Fix

The immortal David Kahn can’t believe that some people took his poorly-planned Draft Lottery joke seriously — the mocking didn’t bother him too much, I presume — including, possibly, those at NBA HQ. From the Star Tribune: “David Kahn is astonished. That was his word. Kahn, the Timberwolves president of basketball operations, was in Chicago, about to head into a predraft combine meeting Wednesday morning. But he took some time to react to the rather large reaction his post-draft lottery comments created. ‘I’m astonished,’ he said. ‘But that’s the world we live in.’ … Kahn intended then, and insisted again Wednesday, that it was a joke. An attempt at humor. He noted that the reporters surrounding him Tuesday night chuckled. ‘It was completely meant in a light-hearted fashion,’ Kahn said. ‘And it was received as such. Nobody followed up with, ‘What are you trying to say?’ Nobody’s antenna went up. … Nobody there listening said, ‘He’s trying to [suggest a conspiracy].’ It was the opposite. They laughed. They knew it was a joke.’ … Kahn said that the league had him miked up from 45 minutes before the lottery on, intending to use what they got for a lottery show that will run later. Kahn noted wryly that the league encourages folks to be compelling and funny. ‘On the other hand, they want to then say, ‘You can’t say that,’ he said. ‘All I’m saying is, that’s what drives sports,’ Kahn continued. ‘The story lines tend to win out. It’s karma. I turned to people last night, after it was over, and I said that next year all the teams will send teenagers.’ … Wednesday Kahn said he had not heard from the league about his comments, and said he didn’t know whether he would be fined.”