Contrary to a report that emerged last night in the wake of Tom Thibodeau’s firing in Minnesota, former Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg is not an “immediate candidate” to become the team’s next coach or president, a source tells Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
Interim coach Ryan Saunders will be given an opportunity to earn the job on a permanent basis, Krawczynski adds, and he has strong support from his players, who respect his work ethic and welcome his approachable nature as a change from Thibodeau. The organization will consider hiring an assistant who has experience as a head coach to help Saunders with the challenges of his new position.
GM Scott Layden was retained last night and will likely remain in place for the rest of the season, but he may need the team to make the playoffs to keep his job beyond that.
While the Wolves have a disappointing 19-21 record, the decision to part with Thibodeau was based on business as much as basketball, Krawczynski writes. The coach had become unpopular with fans, who routinely booed him every time his name was announced in pre-game introductions. Even worse, they were staying away, as Minnesota has dropped to 29th in home attendance after ranking 21st last season. The organization didn’t want to keep an alienating presence in place with a season ticket drive looming.
It’s no secret that owner Glen Taylor was unhappy with Thibodeau and Layden over how they handled the situation with Jimmy Butler before he was traded to the Sixers. Taylor commented several times that he believed both men were dragging their feet on Butler’s trade request and that they let the volatile star hijack the team during training camp and the early season.
Thibodeau has long had a reputation of giving heavy minutes to his starters, and several players complained about poor communication over their roles. Krawczynski reports that Gorgui Dieng, who has fallen out of the rotation after signing a huge contract, was “openly seething” in the locker room after Friday’s game. Tyus Jones, Anthony Tolliver and Jeff Teague have also expressed frustration over their status on the team.
As one of the few remaining coach/executives left in the league, Thibodeau’s standing was also harmed by several personnel decisions that didn’t work out. He was the driving force behind the decision to send Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and a draft pick that turned out to be Lauri Markkanen to the Bulls to acquire Butler. He also convinced Taylor to part with Ricky Rubio in exchange for Teague. And of course, he was responsible for bringing Taj Gibson, Derrick Rose and Luol Deng, his former players in Chicago, to Minnesota to form the “Timber-Bulls.”
Taylor was in Florida last night as Layden and CEO Ethan Casson delivered the news to Thibodeau. Taylor’s only comment came in an official statement from the organization, saying, “These decisions are never easy to make, but we felt them necessary to move our organization forward.”
Does Luol Deng even play…..other than in practice? They’d be better off having a young who might pan in over time.
Gosh. That will fix everything in that organization! You should be GM
He was literally just making an observation. Who hurt you? Why are you this way?
You can ask the same of him but you didn’t. I replied to him for being snarky. How does he know what’s up with Loul? Do you? Just making an observation!
well they are still trying to make the playoffs so I imagine they want experienced players but at the rate things are going you are correct would be better served to cut and get a young player in there
I’m glad to see Saunders getting a real shot. Young coach and young team, not saying he will pan out like Brad Stevens, but if he’s half as good we’re better off.
Thibs is an NBA innovator, and his legacy should show that. It should also show that he mismanaged rotations, and that he was poor at personnel management.
Someone should put him back on the bench as a defensive assistant coach. He’s too good to go away forever.
Thibs + Butler + 2 years = no Thibs + no Butler.
Are you saying Butler left because of Thibs?– or that Butler can’t play for Thibs for long? My impression is that Butler left Minnesota because because they had already given out two max contracts and would not be able to afford another.
Wiggins took his max, and with Towns outvoted him.
Lol Glen Taylor breaks up with his boyfriends by text message, doesn’t he?
Wasn’t Thibs who took the Wolfs to the playoffs last season or was it Buttler? Who was in charge? Babysitting some of these players ‘cause of what they make – or their skills – is what makes sports in America a circus.
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I’m glad Saunders gets a shot at taking this team in the right direction. They were headed there when Flip was there, RIP. Just seems like someone from that family deserves the job much more than Thibs who just wasted everyone’s time.
Thibs won’t be a GM again any time soon, but he can be a HC for as long as he wants. Minn will go down as a second successful HC’ing stint in two tries. Not that a HC needs any successes to be recycled.