By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher
The Minnesota Timberwolves have fired interim head coach Sam Mitchell. He was put in a tough situation.
He took over as interim head coach after Flip Saunders got sick. Ultimately, Saunders’s illness led to his death.

The Timberwolves are also searching for a person to lead their basketball operations. Milt Newton, their General Manager, held dual roles on an interim basis.
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“The future of the Minnesota Timberwolves has never been brighter,” Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said. “It’s important that we find the best leaders to shape our talented team and help them realize their full potential. We owe it to our fans, our community, and to our players to ensure our team has the best chance possible of winning an NBA title.
“I would like to thank both Sam and Milt for a good job under very difficult circumstances in guiding our team this season. They were put in a historically challenging position as no team in NBA history has had an active head coach pass away. Both men provided our team with continuity and direction for the 2015-16 season. We will always be grateful to Sam for his contributions this season and wish him and his family the best in the future.”
Mitchell — who previously played for the Timberwolves — went 29-53 in his lone season as interim head coach for the team. As a head coach, Mitchell is 185-242 in 427 games, including his tenure as the Toronto Raptors head coach.
According to the Timberwolves Twitter account, a search firm Korn Ferry will aide in finding the team’s next head coach.
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The Timberwolves, according to The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski, are interested in former Houston Rockets head coach Jeff Van Gundy, who is currently a broadcaster for ABC. The team is also interested in former Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau and former Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Scott Brooks.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst is also reporting that Memphis Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger may also receive interest in the position.
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