Minnesota Timberwolves: winners and losers from Karl-Anthony Towns’ super-max deal

Tom Thibodeau is likely a lame duck at both of his posts on the Timberwolves’ hierarchy chart.

To a man, Timberwolves’ coach and president Tom Thibodeau deserve a better fate. From how the Timberwolves’ ownership has handled the Karl-Anthony Towns’ extension to the Jimmy Butler trade saga, it is apparent that Thibodeau’s voice does not hold the same sway it did just a year ago. It is easy to assume that the embattled Thibodeau’s tenure as president is over in terms of authority at least.

Can Thibodeau coach? In one word, yes!

Is Thibodeau the right coach for the Timberwolves? Only time will tell.

One of Thibodeau’s greatest strengths is coaxing his veterans to give him maximum effort during practices and in games. Unfortunately for him, he came to the Timberwolves with young players sitting atop the leadership pile which was bad news for him. What the Timberwolves can credit him for is the fact that he helped the team get to the NBA playoffs for the first time in years.

That should have been enough for the Timberwolves’ ownership to trust that Thibodeau knows what he is doing, but that is not the case. Thibodeau’s seemingly undying loyalty to Butler may lead to his undoing. Especially in the wake of the Towns’ contract extension.