Minnesota is in need of a head coach, and there are plenty of candidates out there. Who makes sense to steer a ship destined for greatness?
Last Wednesday night the Minnesota Timberwolves announced they were letting go of Head Coach Sam Mitchell and General Manager Milt Newton, kicking off a coaching search for one of the most desirable jobs in the NBA. With three rising stars in Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, and Zach LaVine, coupled with a young supporting cast, a top-five pick this year, and plenty of cap space moving forward, coaching candidates will be very interested in the upside of this job. Brian Windhorst of ESPN said coaches “would crawl over glass to get this job.” If that’s the case, who is going to be doing the crawling?
Below is a deep-dive into all of the major head coaching candidates Minnesota should consider. This is certainly a subjective list, but hopefully an informative one. While this is undertaken from the Minnesota Timberwolves’ point of view, this could generally serve as a basic primer for coaching candidates out there, with a handful of exceptions. The aim was to find a coach that fit with the team’s long-term goals, would fit well in the organization, and ideally would not handle both front office and coaching responsibilities. Starting with those candidates that Minnesota should simply move on part:
Don’t Bother
George Karl – Karl is probably the most accomplished coach who will be on the market, with 1,175 wins. But in the twilight years of his career, Karl is set in his ways — focused on wins — and that certainly contributed to part of the mess that was the Sacramento Kings this season.
Jeff Hornacek – Hornacek certainly has coaching acumen, as he took a bare Phoenix roster two years ago and drove them within a hair of the playoffs. But he clearly clashed with players on the Suns as well as with management, and Minnesota doesn’t need drama.
Mark Jackson – Jackson proved to be a solid defensive coach and player’s advocate on the Warriors, both positive things. But the offense fell well short of its ceiling during his tenure, and his method of closing off front office input and alienating assistant coaches is an organizational cancer that belongs in another city.
Brian Shaw – The former Nuggets coach is being passed around as an option, but his coaching record leaves much to be desired. In Denver, Shaw first lost the locker room, then began throwing them under the bus in the media. The Timberwolves need a coach who can connect with the young stars, not put them down.
Jay Wright – Fresh off a national championship, the Villanova Wildcats head coach is experiencing some NBA buzz. However, Minnesota should look past the recency bias and identify coaches with more NBA experience. Brad Stevens is the exception, not the rule, to college coaches making the leap.
Kevin McHale – Been there, done that. No thanks.
Good Coaches, but Not a Great Fit
Vinny Del Negro – Perhaps the most underrated coaching candidate out there, Del Negro took his teams to the playoffs in four of five seasons, and accomplished just as much with the Clippers as Doc Rivers has thus far. But young talent on his teams exploded just after he left, suggesting he may not be the best fit for unlocking the fullest potential of young players.
Monty Williams – Monty Williams benefited more than anyone else with the broken season New Orleans had this year. While his in-game tactician skills were certainly lacking, and hold him back from being a top coaching candidate, the Pelicans played hard every game under his tutelage. That matters.
David Blatt – Another coach whose reputation improves as his replacement struggles with similar issues, Blatt has decades of experience coaching and the unmet expectations for Cleveland shouldn’t be placed at his feet. But his distrust of the media and personal hubris mean Minnesota should shy away.
Lionel Hollins – One thing the former Memphis and Brooklyn coach did with the Grizzlies was instill an identity; that’s an undervalued aspect of coaching. But his lack of emphasis on outside shooting as a coaching philosophy would not be a good fit.
Dwane Casey – Casey is currently under contract in Toronto, so he isn’t a candidate available now. But with the Raptors down 0-1 to the Indiana Pacers, the thought of another first-round exit is surely lingering in the minds of Toronto fans and, more importantly, ownership. If the Raptors flame out Casey could be shown the door. In that case, Minnesota should do their due diligence and bring him in for an interview, but ultimately his inability to win in the postseason and the fact his defenses never could reach the upper echelon of the league should dissuade Minnesota from pulling the trigger.
Should Take a Long Look
Luke Walton – The cool guy with the best start to his coaching career in NBA history – and no official wins to his record thanks to quirky rules. Walton has spent two seasons learning from Steve Kerr, and will be a highly desired head coaching candidate this offseason. However, Walton may be better served with a more established group of players, as his hands-off approach may not be the best for young players developing. In addition, Walton more than any other major candidate may care about location and market; a job like L.A. or New York most likely appeals to him more.
Mike D’Antoni – The thought of Rubio – Towns pick-and-rolls with LaVine, Wiggins, and a stretch big surrounding them in D’Antoni’s offense is too exciting to contain. There is no question that D’Antoni could install an offensive system that would get these guys humming. But they were playing well under Sam Mitchell’s system the last two months of the season, and D’Antoni hasn’t demonstrated consistency in installing strong defenses or in taking teams deep into the playoffs. That doesn’t mean he can’t do either, of course, but the shine fades a bit under closer review.
Nate McMillan – One of the top names among assistant coaches, McMillan has put in solid work with Indiana for years and has found himself on these lists often. WIth the Pacers’ reload this season propelling them into the playoffs, McMillan should get some sit downs. He’s helped by the poor play of Indiana players once they leave – Hibbert, Stephenson, C.J. Watson- who contributed while on the Pacers.
Sean Sweeney – Milwaukee’s defensive coordinator and Jason Kidd’s right-hand man is young – only 31 – but he has proven to be gifted at his job, and is seen as the architect behind last year’s Bucks and their switch-everything defense. However, both the regression of Milwaukee this year and his youth will most likely hold him out of the head-coaching ranks for a few more years.
Nate Tibbetts – The growth of young players in Portland, including CJ McCollum, Allen Crabbe, and Damien Lillard – has Tibbetts getting real head-coaching buzz around the league. Tibbetts has worked in the D-League and has head coaching experience, and should find a spot as the top guy within a season or two.
Jeff Van Gundy – Van Gundy has the coaching resume, and he’s certainly a very bright guy. Unlike most guys who have been out of coaching since 2007, he has stayed in touch through his work as a commentator on ESPN/ABC. He also was good friends with Flip Saunders and knows the vision Flip had for this group. However, Van Gundy is incredibly opinionated, to the point it could cause issues between ownership and the front office if there is a disagreement. Minnesota may want to avoid that.
Tom Thibodeau – Realistically, Thibs belongs in the next group or perhaps even as a favorite. Glen Taylor thinks highly of the former Chicago Bulls coach and has proven amenable to having one man control both coaching and personnel, something Thibodeau is rumored to be seeking. But the hard-nosed philosophy of coaching Thibs would instill, which certainly yields results, won’t be the best fit with this roster. As Rob Mahoney of Sports Illustrated wrote, Andrew Wiggins has responded well to a different method of coaching – more soft-spoken, conversational – than other players, who need the more brash push towards excellence. Thibs provides the latter, but there is strong evidence that he uses one coaching style and one only. Steve Kerr in particular has shown how coaching – much like raising children and teaching – needs a more nuanced approach tailored in some way to the “learning styles” of the players. With the immense potential still untapped in this core, the Timberwolves need a coach who can best unlock that and teach in a way that the players can learn. Thibs is great, but perhaps not the best to fill that role.
The Favorites
Scott Brooks – There are plenty of things to like about Scott Brooks as a head-coaching candidate. He is a culture-guy, focusing heavily on instilling a healthy culture in the organization, between both the players and the coaches. The value of this is seen in Oklahoma City (clearly), Golden State, and Portland. Brooks also has shown an ability to develop talent; Durant, Westbrook, Harden, Ibaka, Jackson, and Adams have all grown into above-average players after beginning their professional careers with Brooks. If the Timberwolves are looking for a coach with experience developing a core of superstars, Brooks is clearly the top guy. However, Brooks has shown poor in-game tactician skills, from a refusal to stagger minutes for Durant and Westbrook (which many view as a mistake) to allowing the Thunder players to go isolation on play after play without any offensive creativity. If the Wolves pick Brooks they probably won’t be disappointed, but he might not be the best pick.
Jarron Collins – Collins seems like the heir apparent to stand at Steve Kerr’s side once Luke Walton leaves for a job of his own, but teams may look to jump in line and snag Collins this season. A former player, Collins could channel some of that experience that has worked so well for KG and Towns this season. However he also has two years of working with Steve Kerr and Ron Adams to draw on from the coaching side. Reportedly fiercely competitive, Collins could be a younger coach ready to grow with this young group. I don’t know why, but I like this fit a lot.
The Pick
Dave Joerger – This is perhaps a surprising choice, especially considered against guys like Thibodeau and Van Gundy. But Minnesota has shown that it likes Joerger, interviewing him last season despite his contract with Memphis and nearly hiring him. With Memphis entering a phase of rebuilding, it seems unlikely they would prevent Joerger from interviewing again if he so desired. The work Joerger did this season, keeping a fragmented and decimated team together enough to make the playoffs, was simply tremendous. In different circumstances he could receive Coach of the Year consideration. He has demonstrated an ability to get younger players engaged and playing hard,and role players have always played above their heads for Joerger. And Joerger is very unlikely to make front-office demands, something Minnesota should avoid if at all possible – thus he bridges the gap between young up-and-comers and older, veteran coaches in both age and demands. The combination of Minnesota’s past interest and his current credentials makes him the top pick for their next coach.
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