Flip Saunders ‘No Doubt’ Will Coach Minnesota Timberwolves This Season
It surely helps that Fred Hoiberg is now the new coach of the Chicago Bulls, leaving his beloved Iowa State Cyclones in the dust, but Minnesota Timberwolves majority owner and Minnesota-native, he is one of us, Glen Taylor said there is “no doubt” Flip Saunders will be the coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the upcoming 2015-16 NBA season.
Taylor also said there is "no doubt" Flip will coach the team this coming season
— Jerry Zgoda (@JerryZgoda) June 17, 2015
Taylor said this as the Timberwolves and the Lynx opened up and showed off their new practice facility, powered by Rochester’s Mayo Clinic, across the street from the Target Center in downtown Minneapolis.
Last season, in his first season back on the bench for the Wolves, Saunders went 16-66 which was the least amount of wins Flip has ever achieved in a season other than his 17-game season with the Washington Wizards in 2011-12 where the tram went 2-15. Flip won more games in the season he was fired by the Wolves when the team went 25-26 in 2004-05.
Obviously, Flip has a great overall record as the Wolves head coach. Back in the prime Kevin Garnett era, the team only finished under .500 in his first two seasons at the helm.
Saunders’ overall record with the Wolves currently sits at 427-392 with an overall NBA win-loss at 654-592. Saunders has only coached two other teams than the Wolves: Detroit Pistons and the Washington Wizards.
The former Golden Gopher has more on his plate this go-round as the Wolves head coach while he is also currently president of basketball operations and a part-owner of the team.
It is widely seen that Flip will eventually step away from the coaching seat and return to being a full-time president. The obvious plan of succession is now gone with Hoiberg in Chicago. If Saunders does indeed step down as coach in the coming years, the Wolves job should be an attractive job with rising stars Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine and whomever the team selects first overall in the NBA Draft later this month.
Speaking of succession, a quick note on any potential succession with the ownership:
Glen Taylor said there's no succession plans for new ownership, intends to still be here in 7 years. "If I'm healthy."
— Jerry Zgoda (@JerryZgoda) June 17, 2015
Taylor jokes that with new Mayo Clinic Square, there's no excuse now for him not to be healthy and still run the team's show in 7 years
— Jerry Zgoda (@JerryZgoda) June 17, 2015