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After six weeks of searching for a replacement for the great Rick Adelman, Minnesota Timberwolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders has found his man. And all he had to do was look in the mirror.
Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press reported Thursday morning that Saunders, 59, will come down from the front office to take over as the Wolves' head coach, a job he held from 1995 through 2005. Shortly thereafter, Saunders confirmed the move to ESPN.com's Marc Stein.
Saunders and Wolves owner Glen Taylor decided earlier this week that this would be the best course of action for the franchise, according to Krawczynski. He'll be officially introduced during a news conference Friday, according to Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. (No word yet on whether Minny's going to have, like, a look-alike or a hologram there so Flip the President can be side-by-side with Flip the Coach.)
The Wolves reportedly view the move as a means of establishing stability and consistency as the franchise wrestles with the future status of Kevin Love. The 25-year-old All-Star (and, it was announced Wednesday, All-NBA second-team) power forward holds a player option for 2015-16, the final year of the four-year maximum extension he signed in 2012. Yahoo Sports NBA columnist Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that Love plans to exercise that option, become an unrestricted free agent after next season and pursue title contention elsewhere, leaving behind a Wolves organization that has not made the playoffs since the 2003-04 season, and has advanced beyond the first round of the postseason just once in a quarter-century of existence.
Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press reported Thursday morning that Saunders, 59, will come down from the front office to take over as the Wolves' head coach, a job he held from 1995 through 2005. Shortly thereafter, Saunders confirmed the move to ESPN.com's Marc Stein.
Saunders and Wolves owner Glen Taylor decided earlier this week that this would be the best course of action for the franchise, according to Krawczynski. He'll be officially introduced during a news conference Friday, according to Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. (No word yet on whether Minny's going to have, like, a look-alike or a hologram there so Flip the President can be side-by-side with Flip the Coach.)
The Wolves reportedly view the move as a means of establishing stability and consistency as the franchise wrestles with the future status of Kevin Love. The 25-year-old All-Star (and, it was announced Wednesday, All-NBA second-team) power forward holds a player option for 2015-16, the final year of the four-year maximum extension he signed in 2012. Yahoo Sports NBA columnist Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that Love plans to exercise that option, become an unrestricted free agent after next season and pursue title contention elsewhere, leaving behind a Wolves organization that has not made the playoffs since the 2003-04 season, and has advanced beyond the first round of the postseason just once in a quarter-century of existence.