The Minnesota Timberwolves finished t he 2015-16 season with an unimpressive record of 29-53, dead last in the Northwest Division and 13th in the Western Conference. The past year marked Minnesota's 11th straight finish under .500. The last time the Timberwolves made the playoffs, the biggest movie in America was the final chapter in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
So despite all of this, why is Minnesota's head coaching vacancy considered arguably the most coveted position in the NBA?
The Timberwolves have amassed a truly impressive collection of young, potentially franchise-altering talent. No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns just completed one of the most impressive rookie seasons in NBA history, while sophomore Andrew Wiggins continues to grow into his own as a scorer. Throw in point guard Ricky Rubio, center Nikola Pekovic, guard Zach LaVine and forward Shabazz Muhammad and you have a nucleus that can potentially grow into something dangerous. That's why Minnesota needs to find the right man to lead them going forward.
The team has begun talking to candidates for the head coaching position and, as of Monday, have conducted three interviews. Owner Glen Taylor reportedly met with former Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau and ABC/ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy. A separate report claims that Taylor has also met with former Oklahoma City Thunder coach Scott Brooks.
"The growing expectation in coaching circles is that the Wolves will choose either Van Gundy or Thibodeau to take over the team as coach/team president, with the ability to bring in a seasoned front office executive to assist with day-to-day operations," ESPN reported.
All three candidates are big names, though it's understandable why Brooks may be in third place. He was ousted from OKC after several disappointing playoff runs. While the injury bug was to blame for many of those losses, it was widely believed that Brooks failed to make the necessary adjustments to win big games, even when the team was fully healthy.
Despite Derrick Rose's ongoing struggles with injury, Thibodeau built a perennial contender in Chicago. At the end of his five seasons with the team, he boasted a .647 winning percentage, though the Bulls had just a 23-28 record in the postseason under his watch. Meanwhile, Van Gundy hasn't coached since the 2006-07 season, but his track record is a solid one. The former Rockets and Knicks coach finished under .500 just one time in his 11-year coaching career.
We'll keep you updated as Minnesota continues to vet its candidates.
Follow Brandon Katz at @Great_Katzby.
