From Marc Stein/ESPN:
As the Minnesota Timberwolves move closer to hiring Portland’s Tom Penn as their new front-office chief, signals are growing stronger that Kevin McHale will retain the right to decide whether he stays on as the Wolves’ coach.
NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com that Wolves owner Glen Taylor — after initially saying that the new general manager would make the final call on Minnesota’s coach — has mandated that whoever is hired to take over Minnesota’s basketball operations must make it McHale’s choice to keep coaching or leave the organization.
Sources say Taylor would like McHale to remain on Minnesota’s bench for at least one more season. McHale has not publicly discussed any of his plans since the end of the regular season.
But Penn’s apparent willingness to keep McHale as coach and team with Wolves assistant general manager Fred Hoiberg on personnel matters — combined with Penn’s role in the Trail Blazers’ rise to prominence in the Western Conference and solid reputation — has established him as the heavy favorite to replace McHale as Minnesota’s lead decision-maker on personnel matters.
The Wolves’ GM search, sources said, is strictly focused on Penn at this point, with one source going so far as to say an offer has been made.
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