David Kahn (sports executive)
Encyclopedia
David Kahn is an American
sports executive, attorney, and former sportswriter. He is currently the president of basketball operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves
of the National Basketball Association
.
, and attended college at UCLA, graduating with an English degree in 1983. While at UCLA, he wrote on a free-lance basis for the Los Angeles Times
. Upon his graduation, he returned to his hometown of Portland and worked as a sportswriter for The Oregonian
from 1983 through 1989, where he covered the local and national sports scene, including the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers
.
After leaving the Oregonian, Kahn pursued and received a law degree from NYU, and worked with Proskauer Rose
, the same law firm that represents the big four North American sports leagues (NFL,NBA, MLB, and NHL) in many of their legal matters, for several years.
in 1995, remaining with the organization until 2004, working mostly on the business side of the franchise. After his tenure with the Pacers, Kahn returned to Portland and spearheaded an effort to lure the Montreal Expos
or another major-league team to Portland; the Expos ultimately relocated to Washington, D.C.
and became the Nationals
. Kahn was also involved in real estate ventures in the Portland area. In 2005, he purchased several teams in the NBDL.
On May 2009, Kahn was hired by the Minnesota Timberwolves
as president of basketball operations to replace Kevin McHale
. In the 2009 NBA Draft
, he selected three point guards in the first round, and shortly after traded the third, Ty Lawson, to the Denver Nuggets
. Echoing comments made by a number of columnists after Kahn made several controversial moves in the summer of 2010 ESPN
writers Chad Ford
and John Hollinger
called his tenure "baffling" to them.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sports executive, attorney, and former sportswriter. He is currently the president of basketball operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
.
Early life and career
Kahn hails from Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, and attended college at UCLA, graduating with an English degree in 1983. While at UCLA, he wrote on a free-lance basis for the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
. Upon his graduation, he returned to his hometown of Portland and worked as a sportswriter for The Oregonian
The Oregonian
The Oregonian is the major daily newspaper in Portland, Oregon, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850...
from 1983 through 1989, where he covered the local and national sports scene, including the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
.
After leaving the Oregonian, Kahn pursued and received a law degree from NYU, and worked with Proskauer Rose
Proskauer Rose
Proskauer Rose is one of the largest law firms in the United States, with twelve offices in the United States and around the world...
, the same law firm that represents the big four North American sports leagues (NFL,NBA, MLB, and NHL) in many of their legal matters, for several years.
NBA career
Kahn was hired by the Indiana PacersIndiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in 1995, remaining with the organization until 2004, working mostly on the business side of the franchise. After his tenure with the Pacers, Kahn returned to Portland and spearheaded an effort to lure the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
or another major-league team to Portland; the Expos ultimately relocated to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and became the Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. Kahn was also involved in real estate ventures in the Portland area. In 2005, he purchased several teams in the NBDL.
On May 2009, Kahn was hired by the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
as president of basketball operations to replace Kevin McHale
Kevin McHale
Kevin Edward McHale is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the Houston Rockets. After his playing career, he worked for the Minnesota Timberwolves as the team's general manager and later its coach. He was fired as coach in June 2009...
. In the 2009 NBA Draft
2009 NBA Draft
The 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
, he selected three point guards in the first round, and shortly after traded the third, Ty Lawson, to the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
. Echoing comments made by a number of columnists after Kahn made several controversial moves in the summer of 2010 ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
writers Chad Ford
Chad Ford
Chad Ford is an Assistant Professor at Brigham Young University – Hawaii and is Director over the McKay Center and is known for his study of conflict resolution with an emphasis on large group ethnic and religious conflict and for his sports journalism with ESPN.-Early life:Ford was born in Kansas...
and John Hollinger
John Hollinger
John Hollinger is an analyst and writer for ESPN. He primarily covers the NBA. Hollinger grew up in Mahwah, New Jersey and is a 1993 graduate of the University of Virginia....
called his tenure "baffling" to them.