Amid the turmoil of a mid-season coaching change, the Timberwolves got some good news Sunday night as star center Karl-Anthony Towns indicated he foresees a long future with the organization, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Towns was asked about his intentions following a loss to the Knicks that dropped Minnesota’s record to a league-worst 7-24.
“If you want to build a legacy we got to win,” Towns said. “And I want to build my legacy here so I want to win with the Wolves, and I’m going to do everything I possibly can to keep step-by-step, brick-by-brick, building something and a culture here that’s going to stand here for a long time.”
Towns, 25, still has three more years on the extension he signed in 2018, paying him $31.65MM, $33.83MM and $36MM through the 2023/24 season. He could opt to demand a trade, as other stars have done in losing situations, but Sunday’s comments should offer some hope to the Wolves that he’s committed to turning things around in Minnesota.
There’s more on the Timberwolves:
- Ryan Saunders knew for weeks that his job was in jeopardy, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Players had been openly speculating about a coaching change, and the only question was whether management would keep him in place through the end of the season. Owner Glen Taylor had resisted the move because Towns was out of the lineup so much this season due to injuries and a battle with COVID-19. However, Minnesota was just 1-7 since Towns returned February 10, which was enough for Taylor to endorse firing Saunders.
- Obvious tension built up between guard D’Angelo Russell and Saunders as losses mounted, Krawczynski adds in the same story. A long-time friend of Towns, Russell was brought in at last year’s trade deadline to provide a second star for the team to build around. However, because of injuries and the hiatus, Saunders only got to coach Towns and Russell together in five games.
- Several NBA players questioned why Timberwolves associate head coach David Vanterpool wasn’t chosen to replace Saunders, with the loudest support for the former Trail Blazers assistant coming from Portland stars Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, notes Jamie Hudson of NBC Sports. “How the hell do you not hire David Vanterpool,” Lillard tweeted, “and he’s right there on the bench… and has been in front office SUCCESSFULLY and on the front of a bench of a winning team SUCCESSFULLY (7 years) … and also has played a major role in the development of a dominant backcourt smdh!” According to Krawczynski, there has been speculation throughout the league that Chris Finch has been on top of president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas‘ wish list since he joined the Wolves two years ago, and Rosas was willing to endure criticism over not considering a minority candidate such as Vanterpool.
Vanterpool is a good coach. I thought he would get the job in the interim. Finch must be signing long term & bringing his own staff, or the Wolves plan on making another coachimg move in the offseason.
My co-worker was fired because new guy brought in his own staff
The worst reason to fire people
Crazy
It’s common practice in sports.
New coach New staff.
Most will find employment elsewhere. They usually do.
Finch with Saunders coaching staff to finish the season is strange.
Assistants usually finish incomplete seasons because its hard to hold interviews unless the coaches & staff are all from the G’s?
If I was Vanterpool, I think I’d be counting the seconds. He can get on somewhere where he truly is next in line. The reason he left Portland in the first place.
It’s common practice in executive leadership too.
You can’t compare it to a normal office job though. Coaches (and front office executives) want to bring in their own guys that they know and feel they can trust. They’re bringing in certain people that they know they can rely on for advice or people that they know they can delegate to. Coaches want people who have a similar vision/direction of the team as them and can help them run the scheme they want to run.
Yeah when Reggie in accounting crop dusts the conference room you’ll no doubt be wishing for someone with a more familiar brand. I get it.
If farting is their biggest concern, then why the need to change anyone.
Finch will bring in a couple of his own guys and keep a few current Minnesota assistants to finish the season. Certainly won’t keep the whole staff.
And, w DLo on your team it’s gonna be rough regardless.
The constant through the last several years is Towns. He hasn’t shown he can step up. Too much talent on this team for them to have this record. This will ultimately lead to trading Towns and Russell.
KAT is a legend!!!
Easy to go somewhere else to a winning situation & win, looks good on paper… but what satisfaction can a player derive from that? Clearly none!
KAT is doing it the right way, the ole fashion way, if you wanna win, make sure your team is good enough, stay the course & work hard, there are no shortcuts in winning & no one works harder than KAT, an absolute monster in the O & one of the most underrated defenders in the league!
Lol pretty sure every player says the same exact thing until they demand a trade a yr later. Are you saying KAT should be in the hall of fame? Seems premature.
IMO KAT is a lock, he has been playing now for 4/5 years at an MVP level, what else can anyone do more than that, right?
Fair enough. IMO he needs to get his 3 point percentage up somewhere in the 50s or 60s, then I will vote him in
50’s or 60’s?? Hell why not shoot 70% from 3pt land????
If he can -great. But he better make 99% of his FT then too.
I know, right?
Some people just likes to post some outrageous & ridiculous things in in here, SMH!
KAT will be a Knick within 3 years…lock it up
Why did you use the è though? Is that part of the new world dictionary? Just tryin to stay current
Vanterpool coached defense and his defense sucked so…
Good for Towns… that’s refreshing to hear a star player say publicly that they want to stick with their struggling team and help them become a better team! Even if it isn’t 100% true (and I’m not necessarily saying it isn’t but even if it isnt…) it’s refreshing to see him at least publicly stating it.