Minnesota Sports Forum

Hate on the owner all we want and rightfully so but I'm thankful he's kept basketball in Minnesota. Not sure how many other owners would've been so loyal over the last 30 odd years.

Kevin McHale is a Minnesota basketball hero, but his time has passed...and I suspect he has no more interest in coaching here than I have in him coaching. I agree that this team needs some younger blood on the sidelines. Ideally that would be one of the many college coaches that have been discussed here many times. But as others have pointed out, it's very unlikely that a good college coach is going to desert his program when its almost October. That's why I think the next Wolves' coach will wear the "interim" label like Mitchell did after Flip died. I suspect Glen will move on Thibs and Leydon soon and name as interim coach whatever assistant coach he deems best for the job. Because he has been selected to coach the past two summer league teams, I think the most likely candidate will be Saunders.


Unfortunately this team will likely struggle next season without Butler, just like they did last year when he was hurt. The Thibs apologists will look at the decrease in wins and attribute it to the departure of Thibs rather than the departure of Butler. Glen and the new POBO will determine that Ryan is not experienced enough to lead a team, and will spend the season compiling a list of the best young college coaches out there...hopefully the one they choose will be interested in the job and we will have by April what many of us wanted two years ago...a young, modern coach who can take this team to the next level with KAT, Wig and whatever Butler brings us.


So some delayed optimism here. As a season ticket holder, I know home games will be more fun next season than last with Thibs no longer roaming the sidelines...even despite a drop in wins. And maybe a new coach can return us to the playoffs in 2020-21.

This is from April but it has quite a few available options. Stephen Silas was a guy that jumped out at me as a guy I hadn't thought about. He was hired by Dallas to be their associate head coach.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23244330/nba-coaching-candidates-big-names-top-prospects-wild-cards

longstrangetrip wrote:Kevin McHale is a Minnesota basketball hero, but his time has passed...and I suspect he has no more interest in coaching here than I have in him coaching. I agree that this team needs some younger blood on the sidelines. Ideally that would be one of the many college coaches that have been discussed here many times. But as others have pointed out, it's very unlikely that a good college coach is going to desert his program when its almost October. That's why I think the next Wolves' coach will wear the "interim" label like Mitchell did after Flip died. I suspect Glen will move on Thibs and Leydon soon and name as interim coach whatever assistant coach he deems best for the job. Because he has been selected to coach the past two summer league teams, I think the most likely candidate will be Saunders.


Unfortunately this team will likely struggle next season without Butler, just like they did last year when he was hurt. The Thibs apologists will look at the decrease in wins and attribute it to the departure of Thibs rather than the departure of Butler. Glen and the new POBO will determine that Ryan is not experienced enough to lead a team, and will spend the season compiling a list of the best young college coaches out there...hopefully the one they choose will be interested in the job and we will have by April what many of us wanted two years ago...a young, modern coach who can take this team to the next level with KAT, Wig and whatever Butler brings us.


So some delayed optimism here. As a season ticket holder, I know home games will be more fun next season than last with Thibs no longer roaming the sidelines...even despite a drop in wins. And maybe a new coach can return us to the playoffs in 2020-21.

LST - I hope you're right that the Wolves will replace Thibodeau before the season starts. It would be strange if they didn't do that under the circumstances. I also agree with you that it's time to move on to a younger modern head coach, which can't be done responsibly until after this season. But I still like the idea of hiring McHale as an interim head coach for this season. I don't know whether he'd have any interest in it, but he could be a stabilizing force and I think he'd help KAT.

Sounds like there are quite a few teams trying to get Butler, we obviously aren't going to get fair value but I'm cautiously optimistic that we aren't going to get fleeced either

lipoli390 wrote:

longstrangetrip wrote:Kevin McHale is a Minnesota basketball hero, but his time has passed...and I suspect he has no more interest in coaching here than I have in him coaching. I agree that this team needs some younger blood on the sidelines. Ideally that would be one of the many college coaches that have been discussed here many times. But as others have pointed out, it's very unlikely that a good college coach is going to desert his program when its almost October. That's why I think the next Wolves' coach will wear the "interim" label like Mitchell did after Flip died. I suspect Glen will move on Thibs and Leydon soon and name as interim coach whatever assistant coach he deems best for the job. Because he has been selected to coach the past two summer league teams, I think the most likely candidate will be Saunders.


Unfortunately this team will likely struggle next season without Butler, just like they did last year when he was hurt. The Thibs apologists will look at the decrease in wins and attribute it to the departure of Thibs rather than the departure of Butler. Glen and the new POBO will determine that Ryan is not experienced enough to lead a team, and will spend the season compiling a list of the best young college coaches out there...hopefully the one they choose will be interested in the job and we will have by April what many of us wanted two years ago...a young, modern coach who can take this team to the next level with KAT, Wig and whatever Butler brings us.


So some delayed optimism here. As a season ticket holder, I know home games will be more fun next season than last with Thibs no longer roaming the sidelines...even despite a drop in wins. And maybe a new coach can return us to the playoffs in 2020-21.

LST - I hope you're right that the Wolves will replace Thibodeau before the season starts. It would be strange if they didn't do that under the circumstances. I also agree with you that it's time to move on to a younger modern head coach, which can't be done responsibly until after this season. But I still like the idea of hiring McHale as an interim head coach for this season. I don't know whether he'd have any interest in it, but he could be a stabilizing force and I think he'd help KAT.

I don't know if it will be before the season starts, Lip. There are too many moving, interrelated parts (fire just the coach, fire Thibs and Leydon together, the Butler situation) and Glen is a deliberate guy. I think he will get his minority owners involved in next steps. It may be that he lets Thibs start the season and then replaces him when the Wolves start out slow because of the absence of Butler, a new cast of characters getting used to each other, and Thibs' continued out-of-step coaching. In any event, I think most of us would be surprised if Thibs isn't gone by the end of the calendar year. Unfortunately, I also think most of us would be surprised if the Wolves made the playoffs this season. I think KAT and Wig are good enough to get us close to 40 wins, but not quite good enough (yet?) to take us to the playoffs in the loaded west.

If thibs does go, i agree with others that it will likely be saunders taking over. I just don't know what he brings. But, i do think that wiggs and kat will give him their support.

Those 2 are the only ones that talk to each other (wiggs was the only one to congratulate kat on his extension). Both guys continue to mention flip and his dreams for the franchise.

My spitefulness is kicking in as we approach the season. I'm pissed off that Butler has made my prediction from a year ago ("Jimmy will retire as the most popular T-Wolf ever"...yeah, right) look foolish now. I'm looking forward to him missing several games because of his knee, playing on a team that wins 30 games, and booing him when he returns to TC.

But it also leads me to ask a question of the board. I know that Jimmy has a guaranteed contract, but does he have to show up to collect his money? If he doesn't show up for media day or practice, do the Wolves have to pay him? I hope not.

longstrangetrip wrote:My spitefulness is kicking in as we approach the season. I'm pissed off that Butler has made my prediction from a year ago ("Jimmy will retire as the most popular T-Wolf ever"...yeah, right) look foolish now. I'm looking forward to him missing several games because of his knee, playing on a team that wins 30 games, and booing him when he returns to TC.

But it also leads me to ask a question of the board. I know that Jimmy has a guaranteed contract, but does he have to show up to collect his money? If he doesn't show up for media day or practice, do the Wolves have to pay him? I hope not.

It sounds like the wolves gave Jimmy permission to not show up to media day and training camp meaning he will not be fined

longstrangetrip wrote:My spitefulness is kicking in as we approach the season. I'm pissed off that Butler has made my prediction from a year ago ("Jimmy will retire as the most popular T-Wolf ever"...yeah, right) look foolish now. I'm looking forward to him missing several games because of his knee, playing on a team that wins 30 games, and booing him when he returns to TC.

But it also leads me to ask a question of the board. I know that Jimmy has a guaranteed contract, but does he have to show up to collect his money? If he doesn't show up for media day or practice, do the Wolves have to pay him? I hope not.

I'm waiting for my full spite of Butler till after at least the trade happens. Butler has already been excused from media day and there is simply no way he is going to be around the team and will be traded. He can be fined by the team (There was a tweet somewhere about specifics of fines for every instance of absence) but he won't be fined and honestly that's not going to accomplish anything.