UPDATE 3:10 P.M.
The Wolves have made the hiring of Ryan Saunders official.
“I’m pleased to announce Ryan Saunders as our head coach,” said Wolves President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas in a statement. “Ryan is an excellent communicator and has developed open and trusting relationships with our players. I’ve known Ryan for many years and have always respected his approach to the game, work ethic, basketball knowledge and passion.
“His coach style and philosophies are ideal for the modern NBA and I am confident that as a partner he will get the most out of our players as we build an identity and a sustainable winning model.”
Original story 7:30 A.M.
It appears Ryan Saunders will have the interim tag removed and soon be named the permanent head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
According to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, the Wolves and Saunders are in negotiations and a deal is expected to be finalized in the coming days.
The Timberwolves and Ryan Saunders are in negotiations to make him the permanent head coach, league sources tell @TheAthleticMIN
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) May 20, 2019
About 10 minutes after Krawczynski reported the news on Saunders, so did ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, confirming that a multi-year deal is in the works.
Ryan Saunders and Minnesota are nearing agreement on a multi-year deal to make him the Timberwolves coach, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 20, 2019
Saunders, if he is indeed given the job, will have beaten out the likes of Heat assistant Juwan Howard, Portland assistant David Vanterpool, Bucks assistant Darvin Ham and Pelicans assistant Chris Finch, all of whom reportedly interviewed for the job.
The hiring of Saunders is the first big decision made by Gersson Rosas, who was named Timberwolves president of basketball operations earlier in May.
Saunders, the son of former Wolves coach Flip Saunders, who died in 2015, coached the final 42 games of the 2018-19 season after Tom Thibodeau was fired. Minnesota went 17-25 with Saunders leading the charge, but the sub-.500 record likely had a lot to do with injuries to Robert Covington, Derrick Rose and Jeff Teague, among others.
At 33 years old, Saunders is the youngest head coach in the NBA.
