Flip Saunders Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Timberwolves Part Ways With David Kahn

May 2nd, 2013 at 3:38pm CST by Luke Adams

3:38pm: The Wolves have officially announced their decision to decline Kahn's '13/14 option (Twitter link).

2:53pm: The Timberwolves have parted ways with general manager David Kahn, electing not to pick up his 2013/14 option, reports Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press (via Twitter). The news comes on the heels of an NBA.com report that indicated the Wolves were expected to hire Flip Saunders to replace Kahn's as the team's head of basketball operations. According to Krawczynski, Saunders' deal should be made official by Friday (Twitter link).

Although Kahn made a handful of solid moves running the T-Wolves over the past four seasons, including drafting Ricky Rubio and hiring Rick Adelman, he had his fair share of missteps as well. Passing on Stephen Curry to draft Jonny Flynn in 2009, overpaying Darko Milicic to a long-term deal, and electing not to sign Kevin Love to the five-year extension Love had been seeking are a few of Kahn's lowlights.

As for Saunders, he had been representing a group interested in buying the T-Wolves from Taylor, with Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link) hearing from a source last week that perhaps Saunders' hiring means Taylor is closer to selling the franchise. Wolfson adds today (via Twitter) that Saunders has been asked about making a financial investment in the franchise in addition to assuming the team's presidency.

According to Steve Aschburner of NBA.com, Saunders has been negotiating a contract that could run through the 2017/18 season and be worth more than $9MM, if option years are exercised. Details of that contract are being finalized, says Krawczynski.

Wolves Owner Undecided Between Kahn, Saunders

April 26th, 2013 at 8:22pm CST by Luke Adams

8:22pm: Sources tell Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press that Taylor has yet to decide who'll run the team's basketball operations next season. Saunders told KFXN-FM in Minneapolis that he has not yet been formally offered a job with the Wolves.

6:24pm: Kahn responded to the report in a text message to Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune, saying that he and Taylor have held conversations about the team's offseason plans, including free agency. Kahn's understanding is that he and Taylor will meet regarding his job status once coach Rick Adelman makes his decision about whether to return for next season.

10:19am: Flip Saunders is expected to return to the Timberwolves as the team's president of basketball operations, according to Steve Aschburner of NBA.com, who reports that the move could become official as soon as next week. Saunders would replace David Kahn as the team's head of basketball operations, with Kahn's 2013/14 option not being exercised, says Aschburner.

The move would come as a bit of a surprise, since last month a report suggested Kahn's option for '13/14 would be picked up by the Wolves. Rumors have been swirling for several weeks that Saunders was being considered for a front office role with the Wolves, but owner Glen Taylor indicated earlier in April that he and Saunders hadn't discussed that.

Saunders had been representing a group interested in buying the T-Wolves from Taylor, though there didn't appear to be any serious progress on that front. However, one source who spoke to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link) speculates that if Saunders does replace Kahn, it could mean that Taylor is closer to selling the franchise, perhaps to the group Saunders represents.

If Kahn doesn't return to Minnesota for '13/14, it would be the end of an up-and-down tenure for the Wolves GM. Although he has added plenty of talent during the team's rebuild, he has also been panned for a handful of moves, including drafting Jonny Flynn and not signing Kevin Love to the five-year extension Love had been seeking.

According to Aschburner, Saunders has been negotiating a contract that could run through the 2017/18 season and be worth more than $9MM, if option years are exercised.

Latest On Cavs’ Coaching Search

April 23rd, 2013 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

While the Cavaliers' coaching search involved reaching out to Phil Jackson, it appears unlikely that the 11-time champion will be interested in Cleveland's rebuilding project, as Bob Finnan of the News-Herald writes. Finnan has plenty of other details on the team's search to replace Byron Scott on the bench though, so let's dive in and check out the highlights….

One prominent agent told Finnan that the Cavs have a "fixation" on Mike Brown. According to Finnan, Danny Ferry and the Hawks could have interest in Brown if they let go of Larry Drew, so Cleveland is hoping to move quickly on the former Lakers coach.
In addition to contacting Jackson, the Cavs may have also reached out to Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who isn't interested, says Finnan.
Nate McMillan, who is rumored to be in the mix for the Pistons' opening, doesn't appear to be high on the Cavs' list. Finnan notes that it may be because McMillan is too similar to Scott.
The Cavs haven't inquired on Flip Saunders, who is open to a return to the NBA.

Cavs Rumors: Brown, Gilbert, Assistants

April 21st, 2013 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

A majority of Hoops Rumors readers don't believe Phil Jackson will consider coaching the Cavs, even though a source tells Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio that Jackson would "absolutely" listen if the team called. While the Zen Master is far and away the biggest name associated with the team's search, there are plenty of other candidates, and there's news on several of them this morning:

The team has had informal conversations with former coach Mike Brown about a reunion, writes Bob Finnan of The News-Herald, who passes along a report from WKYC-TV in Cleveland that Brown and owner Dan Gilbert will meet Sunday.
A source tells Finnan that Brown would be the top choice for the Hawks if they decide to make a coaching change. That's no surprise, given the ties between Brown and Atlanta GM Danny Ferry.
The Cavs aren't expected to discuss the opening with any college coaches, and the hiring process will move swiftly, according to Finnan.
Finnan adds Melvin Hunt of the Nuggets and Michael Curry of the Sixers to the list of assistant coaches who may receive interviews, which already included Michael Malone (Warriors), Brian Shaw (Pacers) and David Fizdale (Heat).
The Cavs will indeed interview Shaw, just as they did when they hired Byron Scott in 2010, reports Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer.
Flip Saunders, Nate McMillan and Avery Johnson have all either directly or indirectly expressed interest in the position, Pluto also writes.
The Cavs have a chance to make an impression on Kyrie Irving with their coaching hire, so that means much is riding on the team's decision, opines fellow Plain Dealer scribe Bud Shaw.

Cavs Notes: Grant, Coaches, Free Agents

April 18th, 2013 at 10:57pm CST by Ryan Raroque

The news of Byron Scott's firing has sent an emotional ripple effect throughout the Cavaliers' organization, especially stunning many of the players, writes Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer. GM Chris Grant, who admitted that the decision was a difficult one "personally and professionally," told reporters that the team hadn't been making enough progress to warrant continued direction under coach Scott.

As for a replacement, Grant said: "Moving forward we'll look for someone with proven success and look for somebody who is strong defensively with proven systems…We'll look for somebody who is a teacher. We'll look for somebody who is a grinder and a worker."

We have quite a few links to relay regarding the Cavs tonight, and you can find them below:

Schmitt Boyer compiled a list of potential coaching candidates, categorizing them in terms of "shoot for the moon" targets, former head coaches, highly regarded NBA assistants, and college coaches.
The Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto makes a case for Stan Van Gundy as a possible fit in Cleveland, saying that the Cavaliers would definitely like to talk to him soon. Pluto also suggests a possibility that the organization considers someone who has never been an NBA head coach – such as Heat assistant coach David Fizdale – to take the coaching reins.
Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press mentions that Flip Saunders – a native of Cleveland – could be another option, though the former Timberwolves coach could also be linked to Minnesota depending on if Rick Adelman and/or David Kahn remain with that organization.
Jodie Valade of The Plain Dealer writes that the NBA will hold a random tiebreaker on Friday which will determine what draft choice the team receives from the Lakers in June. She also runs down the list of impending free agents on the roster and discusses the likelihood of their return or departure.
In addition to eliciting more reaction from the Cavs players, Schmitt Boyer was able to hear Luke Walton's thoughts about whether or not he could see Phil Jackson joining the franchise as a coach: "I get surprised every day in this league. But we're a pretty young team right here right now for Coach Jackson to come back. I would be surprised if he'd come to such a young team on that side of the process. But I get shocked every day in this league, so I won't say it's not going to happen.''

Zgoda on Kahn, Pekovic, Kirilenko, Saunders

April 13th, 2013 at 10:23pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune believes that several topics of discussion surrounding the Timberwolves are tied to whether or not Rick Adelman decides to return as head coach next season, namely Andrei Kirilenko's $10MM player option as well as the impending free agencies of Nikola Pekovic and Chase Budinger. Another question mark is tied to future of GM David Kahn, as majority team owner Glen Taylor maintains that he is undecided on Kahn's future and has no timetable on a decision. Zgoda has more things to discuss about the team, and you can find the highlights below:

Kahn seems confident that he'll return for the draft and next season: "Glen and I talk all the time…My sense is that we’ll be working on this for a while.”
The team hasn't made it a secret that they'd like to keep Pekovic for the long-term, but it remains to be seen if that stance will change should the 6'11 center garner a max contract offer from another team.
Although a $10MM salary in 2013-14 appears lucrative, Kirilenko – at age 32 – may find it wiser to opt out and seek a three-or-four year contract, which would likely be the last of his NBA career.
Taylor speaks regularly with Flip Saunders, mostly because the former Timberwolves head coach has been involved with an investment group looking to buy the team. With that being said, their relationship has fueled speculation that Saunders could be among the next in line to be considered for the general manager position if Kahn isn't retained.
Brandon Roy most likely doesn't have a future in Minnesota, but his salary could still be used to make a trade work around draft time.
Taylor, who looked to sell the team before the start of this season (preferably to a buyer with Minnesota ties that would keep the team where it is), looks to continue owning the team for the foreseeable future.
There has been some tension brewing after some comments that Kevin Love made about being unhappy with his contract situation earlier this year, causing some to speculate the 6'10 forward's desire to remain in Minnesota. With that being said, Love denies wanting out, and teammate Derrick Williams is among those who believe him: "I can vouch for my teammates, the people we’re around every single day, and I think he wants to be here…And we want him here. He’s one of the best players in the game. Who wouldn’t want one of the best power forwards in the game and in the world to be on their team?”

Wolves Owner On Adelman, Kahn, Saunders, Sale

April 12th, 2013 at 6:04pm CST by Chuck Myron

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor identifies the uncertainty surrouding the future of coach Rick Adelman as his top offseason concern, but his comments to Ray Richardson of St. Paul Pioneer Press seemed to dispel this week's report that Adelman is likely to retire. Taylor plans on Adelman coming back, and doesn't have a contingency in place if Adelman steps down. The owner said he isn't sure if assistant Terry Porter, who filled for Adelman during his absence, would be the choice. "If Rick were to leave, I would want to think about all options we have available to us. My thought process right now would be to not look at just one person," Taylor said.

Richardson's Q&A with Taylor is worth a read in its entirety, but we'll hit the highlights here:

On the future of GM David Kahn:

I haven't come to the time to make a decision on that. Let's finish the season first. I want to find out about my coach first. I don't have a time frame to address David's situation. He and I have been talking about the draft and other things as we go into the offseason. At some point, I know I need to make a decision.

On his relationship with Flip Saunders:

First of all, Flip was just trying to help a friend who had an outside group, but that group never submitted a bid. I have a coach and I have a GM. Me and Flip have not talked about those things. What we talk about mostly is his work at ESPN and what's going on in the league. I have maintained a friendship with Flip. We kept in touch when he was at Washington and Detroit.

On a potential sale of the team:

I haven't come up with anybody who meets all the needs. One of my problems is that I haven't found anybody who lives in Minnesota or has a Minnesota background. The interest has come from people outside the state. I'm interested in a local person buying the team on a limited partner basis. Right now, I don't have a strong feeling that I want to get rid of the team. I still enjoy it. I was thinking of a long run to try to find a successor, but I might keep things the way they are.

On Nikola Pekovic's restricted free agency this summer:

I want him to stay, and he has told me he wants to stay. It's to our advantage to try and work something out with him. We know and he knows he's able to test the market. When he tells me he wants to stay, I take him for his word, but agents play a big role in all of this.

On the notion that the team's signing of Brandon Roy was a mistake:

It's fair criticism … for me and David. We did take a risk, and it was proven to be a wrong risk. There were other players out there with some experience who we could have gotten, who would have helped us at a position (shooting guard) where we needed help. We're out of the money this year ($5.1MM), but based on the contract we have, we don't have to pay him next year if he doesn't play.

David Kahn To Return As GM

March 30th, 2013 at 8:37am CST by Zachary Links

David Kahn's position as General Manager of the Timberwolves is secure and the the one-year option on his contract will be exercised shortly, if it has not been exercised already, sources tell Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (Sulia link). That presumably means that Flip Saunders won't return to the organization, as the club had interest in him as a possible replacement for Kahn.

Owner Glen Taylor insisted earlier this month that Kahn could return for 2013/14, despite a great deal of outside criticism for the exec. The Timberwolves have had the misfortune of being bit by the injury bug this season with Ricky Rubio missing the early part of the season and Kevin Love missing much of the second half. However, Kahn's personnel decisions during his time in Minnesota have led the club to a 58-172 record over the last three seasons.

Odds & Ends: Collins, Saunders, Martin, Jennings

March 29th, 2013 at 7:58pm CST by Alex Lee

With 22 NBA teams in action on Friday night, let's round up all of the odds and ends from around the league here:

Sam Amico of Fox Sports points out, via Twitter, that Sixers coach Doug Collins has never coached longer than three years in his coaching career, which includes stops in Detroit, Chicago and Washington. This is relevant, of course, because Collins in currently in his third year in Philly and the wreckage of the Andrew Bynum disaster has many wondering if he will return next season.
Flip Saunders is drawing interest from the University of Minnesota as well as the Timberwolves, tweets NBC's Ric Bucher. The return to the Gophers, Saunders' alma mater, would be as the team's head coach while the Wolves are interested in securing their former coach to replace current general manager David Kahn. While Bucher says that current Wolves owner Glen Taylor is tight with Saunders, he thinks that Saunders would rather coach, even in college, than enter an NBA front office.
The addition of Kenyon Martin has been the last of a series of successful moves by Knicks general manager Glen Grunwald, over the past few years, that have resulted in the team closing in on its first division title in 19 years, writes Moke Hamilton of Sheridan Hoops.
Brandon Jennings, a restricted free agent come summer, should hope to ink a new deal more commensurate with his potential than his performance, writes Sean Deveney of Sporting News. Jennings, who was recently benched, has had his moments over his four-year career and seemed to be nearing a breakout last year when he averaged 19.1 points.
The Los Angeles D-Fenders have acquired former UCLA Bruin Reeves Nelson, tweets Eric Pincus of the L.A. Times. Nelson hooked on with the Lakers and Houston in the preseason, but was waived by both teams prior to the season.

Wolves May Retain David Kahn

March 4th, 2013 at 6:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Despite mounting criticism surrounding his tenure as GM, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor says that David Kahn could "absolutely" return in 2013/14, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. Taylor will evaluate Kahn's performance and decide his future after the season.

Recently, Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune wrote that there indications that former coach Flip Saunders could be in line for the job. Taylor confirmed that two did in fact meet, but said that Saunders was representing a group interested in buying the team (Twitter link). There are now a couple of new parties interested in purchasing the T'Wolves, but Taylor says that there's "no timetable" for a sale, Wolfson tweets.