The Minnesota Timberwolves have fired head coach Ryan Saunders and have tabbed Toronto Raptors assistant coach Chris Finch as his replacement.
Saunders had compiled a 43-93 record in just over three seasons as the head coach of the Timberwolves, including a 7-24 record this season.
The move came hours after the Timberwolves’ loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday night and immediately came with the news of his replacement. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Timberwolves have agreed with Finch on a multi-year deal to become their next coach.
The 51-year-old was the NBA D-League’s Coach of the Year in 2010 and has won four championships coaching in the British and Belgium Leagues. Finch has also spent time in Houston, Denver and New Orleans before joining the Raptors’ staff this season.
As Minnesota will be Finch’s first head coaching job in the NBA, it doesn’t come without questions. Minnesota assistant coach David Vanterpool has been highly regarded in league circles and several including Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard have questioned why Vanterpool didn’t get the chance to replace Saunders.
How the hell do you not hire David Vanterpool and he’s right there on the bench… and has been in front office SUCCESSFULLY and on the front of a bench of a winning team SUCCESSFULLY (7 years) … and also has played a major role in the development of a dominant backcourt smdh!
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) February 22, 2021
Don't understand how Timberwolves associate head coach David Vanterpool does not finally gets his chance to be a head coach for his current employer. He has paid his dues. Deserving. Ready. Confused by this.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) February 22, 2021
While Vanterpool has his fans, Finch has developed a reputation for getting the best out of frontcourt players including Nikola Jokic and Zion Williamson.
Finch will now get to work with Karl-Anthony Towns in an effort to turn around a franchise that has one playoff appearance since Kevin Garnett left in the mid-2000s.
