Sam Mitchell will soon take over head coaching duties of the Timberwolves while Flip Saunders undergoes treatments for cancer, Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski
Sources: As president/coach Flip Saunders battles cancer, assistant Sam Mitchell will soon be elevated to Minnesota's interim head coach.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 10, 2015
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On Aug. 11, the Timberwolves informed fans and media that Saunders had been undergoing chemotherapy for a “very treatable” form of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Saunders said at the time that he planned on continuing his duties as head coach and president of basketball operations.
Sources: As president/coach Flip Saunders battles cancer, assistant Sam Mitchell will soon be elevated to Minnesota's interim head coach.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 10, 2015
The Wolves have not confirmed Wojnarowski’s report.
There's hope Saunders will return to bench this season, but plan will be for Mitchell to give him time to work on health, sources tell Yahoo
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 10, 2015
But the team has scheduled a press conference for 10 a.m. Friday for a major announcement.
Picking up off of @WojYahooNBA it remains unclear how long Mitchell will assume head coaching duties. Thoughts are with Flip and family.
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) September 10, 2015
According to Wojnarowski, league sources indicate there’s a hope that Saunders could return to the bench this season, but Mitchell is expected to be the interim coach for no less than half of the year.
Pro Basketball Talk notes that Mitchell, who played for the Wolves during his career, was named the NBA Coach of the Year in 2007 during his four seasons in charge of the Toronto Raptors. He was hired as Saunders’ top assistant last season.
The Star Tribune reports Mitchell served as the Wolves head coach for two games last season – the first when Saunders was ill in January, the second when he went to visit his ailing father.
The rest of the Wolves coaching staff includes Ryan Saunders (Flip’s son) and recently hired Bryan Gates.
