Dave Joerger met with Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor Saturday to discuss his interest in becoming the next head coach of the NBA team, the Associated Press reports. It was his second meeting with team officials in the last three days; Joerger met with Flip Saunders, the team’s president of basketball operations, on Thursday.
The Star Tribune reports that Taylor interviewed Joerger for 2 ½ hours on Saturday evening, and said the meeting between the two of them was “real good.”
Joerger, 40, is the apparent front-runner to replace coach Rick Adelman, who retired last month at the end of the season. The two sides are apparently moving toward an agreement for Joerger, a Minnesota native, to return to his home state, two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.
AP Sources: #TWolves have decided Dave Joerger is their guy. Now turn attn to compensation and contract to make him their head coach.
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) May 25, 2014
Joerger grew up in Staples, Minnesota and attended college at Minnesota State, Moorhead. He’s been head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies for the past year, and led his team to the playoffs, but lost in the first round. Grizzlies’ ownership has fired its top executives and gave the Wolves permission to talk to Joerger on Wednesday, the Star Tribune reports.
No final decisions have been made and Joerger returned to Memphis on Saturday night.
Taylor told the Star Tribune that he hasn’t discussed contract terms with Joerger, or discussed potential compensation to the Grizzlies.
Other potential coaching prospects may be leery of the Timberwolves job because of the uncertainty surrounding All-Star forward Kevin Love, who seems likely to opt out of his contract after next season. The AP reports that situation has apparently not dampened Joerger’s enthusiasm for the job.
