The Timberwolves‘ dismissal of president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas was made for “performance reasons,” a high-ranking team source told Jon Krawczynski and Shams Charania of The Athletic. The team’s lack of success during Rosas’ tenure was a key factor in the decision, and complaints from staffers about Rosas’ leadership also played a part, per The Athletic’s duo.
However, another issue that factored into the timing of the move was the fact that the Wolves recently learned that Rosas – who is married – had a “consensual intimate relationship” with a member of the organization, according to Krawczysnki and Charania, who suggest that the relationship made several people within the franchise uncomfortable.
The Athletic’s deep dive into the situation in Minnesota’s front office uncovered sources who said Rosas worked his staffers long hours without giving them much input into personnel decisions. Some members of the front office took issue with those decisions, such as the one to include such light protections (top-three) on the first-round pick the Wolves sent Golden State in the D’Angelo Russell trade.
Rosas did have backers within the organization, including some who reached out to The Athletic in recent weeks to defend the way things were going, per Krawczynski and Charania. Some of Rosas’ defenders believe the pandemic and the change of ownership were factors that contributed to tension in the front office, while Rosas himself “vehemently disputed” that there were any significant problems with the team’s culture.
Still, many of The Athletic’s sources described Rosas’ tenure as dysfunctional, and when those complaints reached ownership, Glen Taylor, Alex Rodriguez, and Marc Lore decided the situation was untenable and a move needed to be made sooner rather than later.
“It’s hard,” said one staffer who followed Rosas to Minnesota after he was hired in 2019. “He’s not who I thought he was.”
The report from Krawczynski and Charania is worth checking out in full if you’re an Athletic subscriber. Here are some of the other highlights:
- New interim head of basketball operations Sachin Gupta is well-regarded by team officials and is expected to get a chance to earn the permanent job, sources tell The Athletic. However, Krawczynski and Charania note that Gupta did “butt heads” with Rosas this summer when Gupta sought to make a lateral move to the Rockets for a similar job with higher pay, and Rosas blocked him. Rosas defended the decision by saying that the move wouldn’t have been a promotion, and it was too close to the draft and free agency to let a top executive with so much knowledge of Minnesota’s plans leave to join a rival. According to The Athletic, Rosas “banished” Gupta from the team’s offices in August and allowed him to seek employment elsewhere at that point, but Gupta decided to stay with the Wolves after ownership got involved.
- Some player agents had issues with Rosas’ negotiating tactics, according to Krawczynski and Charania, who point to the team’s recent contract talks with Jordan McLaughlin as one example. A source tells The Athletic that Rosas reneged on promises about the role McLaughlin would have going forward after Patrick Beverley was acquired. Although agents recognized Rosas’ primary allegiance was to the organization, they expected better treatment in certain scenarios, according to The Athletic’s duo. “Rosas was the cause of mishaps and pulled his promises,” the source said of the McLaughlin negotiations.
- Rosas’ decision to replace head coach Ryan Saunders with Chris Finch during the season without considering any other candidates – including minority candidates – wasn’t popular with some staffers, and neither was the decision to part with veteran scout Zarko Durisic last year, per Krawczysnki and Charania. Some people believed those moves flew in the face of Rosas’ portrayal of the organization as a “family.”
- Krawczynski and Charania say Rosas was “working feverishly” this offseason to try to acquire Ben Simmons, who was viewed by some people in the organization as the roster’s missing piece. It’s unclear if Gupta will have the same level of interest in the Sixers star.
- A report from Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report confirms and adds some details to many of the issues reported by The Athletic, including the recent discovery of Rosas’ “consensual extramarital affair” with a team staffer.
Wow, well this certainly makes a bit more sense now. I’ll be rooting for Gupta’s success, hopefully he can turn things around.
Same. I love the wolves but holy cow.. they empty the clip in their own foot over and over.
Why have an affair with a staffer?? There is no such thing as “consensual” with a staffer.
So, I am certain that the organization is also going to release all players who are having “consensual intimate relationships” with e.g. cheerleader squad members?
Honestly, if this was well known enough that it made everyone “uncomfortable”, then it probably is just a preliminary to Rosas getting divorced or they have an “open marriage”.
As for affairs with staffers being consensual or not, that is b.s. – if the staffer is not in his direct report line, and/or has not complained about unwanted advances, that is clearly NOT a #METOO situation. We need to not treat people as if they are children and cannot decide for themselves if something is consensual or not. Whether it is ethical or a good practice is another matter, but it is not a firing offense. Typically this sort of situation is required to be reported to management, and if everyone knew about it, then it seems they either reported it or were not trying to hide it.
Rosas’ marriage is not the business of his employer, and in an era when people want to throw around the idea of “freedom” as a cudgel, maybe we should start treating people as adults with an ability to choose their own path, as long as it is not interfering with work.
My guess is that possibly their behavior in the workplace was inappropriate, i.e., too affectionate or he was showing favoritism. Without specifics, I think it is disingenuous to say that “no workplace relationship is consensual” – is there no one who met their spouse at the workplace?
‘There is no such thing as “consensual” with a staffer.’
What? This is nonsense, unless you’re completely removing the agency of any adult involved in an intra-office relationship. Power dynamics can definitely play a role in any such relationship, but to treat people like they’re completely driven by them and are therefore totally unable to ‘consent’ to a relationship is insulting.
You realize how many people met their partners in the office?
No such thing as a “consensual” with a staffer? Lol! Wow. That’s extreme, don’t you think? It happens somewhere every day.
In addition, who cares? Everyone involved are consenting adults. I don’t understand why that tidbit needs to be an add-on. No one knows what anyone’s personal life is really like. The whole thing seems silly.
But the results weren’t there for the guy, so it’s understandable why they fired him for that.
I realize the point in this thread is about words used in the OP by a poster (i.e.,”consensual”), more than about any action by Rosas… But there is this case to consider.
Something caused widespread “morose”-ness in the MIN FO.
Rosas wasn’t just fired, but fired crudely & harshly, suggesting all locals were victimized. And this in a city presumably feeling much chastised recently for crude & harsh reprisal by a policeman, so moderation should be on the table a couple years later still.
So the firing must be warranted for what?— the team’s losing record?— By my reckoning, there has been unnusually positive & frequent opinions of the current FO expressed in the Athletic due to this past offseason. My take is that Wolves fans have been feeling almost winning, but waiting for the shoe to drop (and it did!).
Situation is untenable
Rosas may end his career as a nba GM
Delonte West fist bumps Rosas when they meet at Home Depot to spend the day “waiting for work”.
Gupta: just keep the 6ers on speed dial. They will cave after two weeks of hold-out. Then swoop in and grab Simmons for pieces n picks. It’s a great fit at the 3-4 with Ant (2) and KAT (5)
Rosas: Doesn’t allow Gupta to make move because too close to draft…
Also Rosas: No draft picks…
The Wolves think Pat Bev is the missing pierce? That was my biggest takeaway from this story. LOL what a joke of a team.
How in the world was that your takeaway?
NO! Simmons is viewed as a missing piece. Not Bev
Value
CJ + Covington + top 8 protected First = Simmons + Curry
76ers need one more trade for starting point guard
Maxey and Green for a point guard
I had no idea so many of the Mavericks’ front office replied to these posts. Of course,the team President is told hands off the staff. That’s business 101.
What a moron. Not only did he significantly underperform as a GM, he decided to have an affair with another member of the organization?! Thats a very weak look, and undermines his professionalism and ability to be an effective leader. Don’t think he’ll ever work in the NBA again, tbh.