Hoiberg, Williams Front-Runners For Timberwolves Coach, Tom Thibodeau Fired

The Minnesota Timberwolves sent shockwaves across the NBA on Sunday night when they fired head coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau despite the team securing a 22-point win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Assistant coach Ryan Saunders is expected to take over the coaching duties on an interim basis, which is expected to be for the remainder of the 2018-19 season, while general manager Scott Layden will take over the day-to-day operations of the basketball department.

“We would like to thank Tom for his efforts and wish him all the best,” Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said, as quoted on the team’s official website. “These decisions are never easy to make, but we felt them necessary to move our organization forward.”

Thibodeau took over the reins in Minnesota in 2016 after spending five seasons as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls, but the team owner is said to have wanted the change after the team did not meet the set expectations after the first-half of the campaign. The Timberwolves are currently 11th in the Western Conference with a 19-21 record.

"I said let’s let it go and see how things worked and I think now, we’ve gone up through halfway through the season and I don’t think we’re where we thought we would be or where we think we should be,” the Timberwolves owner added, according to Minneapolis Star Tribune reporter Chris Hine.

"We still have hopes to getting into the playoffs and I think with half the season left, let’s see if this change will make a difference," Taylor added.

While a new appointment is not expected to be made until the end of the season, there are a number of candidates that have already been touted as the front-runners for the Timberwolves job.

Another former Bulls head coach is supposed to be leading the race, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Fred Hoiberg, who was fired by the Chicago franchise in December last year is said to be under consideration by Taylor.

“Fred Hoiberg is a serious consideration of Minnesota owner Glen Taylor to become either the GM or head coach in the future, league sources tell ESPN. Hoiberg was an assistant GM in Minnesota prior to Iowa State. Scott Layden remains GM now,” Wojnarowski wrote.

Hoiberg has been unemployed since his dismissal from the Bulls and was supposed to have been considered for the vacancy at UCLA. But he is said to be prioritizing the NBA over college basketball.

Former New Orleans Pelicans coach Monty Williams has also been linked with the vacancy. He is currently the assistant coach in Philadelphia and has the experience of working with big players.

Mark Jackson is another candidate who has been linked with the job and Fox Sports’ NBA expert Chris Broussard believes he could be considered owing to his experience of working with talented young players. He was the head coach of the Golden State Warriors between 2011 and 2014 and played a role in shaping Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

“Big Thibs fan, but this was the right call. Clearly wasn’t working out. Should gage Mark Jackson’s interest. He was critical to development of young Steph & Klay. Could really help KAT & Wiggins,” Broussard wrote.