Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor cleared up a few questions about the team’s front office and coaching staff following the death of Timberwolves coach and team president Flip Saunders.
Saunders died Sunday at age 60 from complications of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Taylor told the Star Tribune Monday that interim coach Sam Mitchell will direct the team for the season. Mitchell was named the interim coach when Saunders was hospitalized and had to step away from the team in September.
Taylor added that general manager Milt Newton will also have expanded duties for the remainder of the year.
He didn't specify, but Glen Taylor this afternoon said Sam Mitchell has known he's the coach all this year for quite some time now
— Jerry Zgoda (@JerryZgoda) October 27, 2015
“Sometimes, positives can happen. In this particular case, let’s see what these people do, let’s see what their leadership is. Going through difficult times, maybe we’ll see people bloom into what they might not have been otherwise.”
Mitchell will debut as the Wolves coach Wednesday night in Los Angeles against the Lakers.
It’s not his stint as an NBA head coach. He coached the Toronto Raptors from 2004 to 2008, with a career record of 156-189.
He and the team were practicing in Minneapolis Tuesday.
#Twolves coach Sam Mitchell talking at practice today with @KarlTowns, @22wiggins and Kevin Garnett pic.twitter.com/rCVEo9IVig
— Marcus R. Fuller (@Marcus_R_Fuller) October 27, 2015
Pro Basketball Talk reports Newton said they did have some talks preliminary talks with the league about postponing Wednesday night’s opener in L.A., but he said those talks were never that serious.
