Various media outlets are reporting that Ryan Saunders will become the Timberwolves head coach on a permanent basis.
Saunders reportedly is working out details of a contract with new President of Basketball Operations Gerson Rosas.
He would not officially confirm the deal when asked by WCCO radio about the deal.
Just happened to run into Ryan Saunders and Gersson Rosas downtown! Both declined an interview request but seemed to be upbeat. @wccoradio @Timberwolves #AllEyesNorth
— Jimmy Erickson (@jimmyvegas)
May 20, 2019 "Thanks, but it's not a good time," said Saunders, who appeared upbeat when was he approached while using a downtown Minneapolis skyway on Monday morning.
The Timberwolves and Ryan Saunders are in negotiations to make him the permanent head coach, league sources tell @TheAthleticMIN
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski)
May 20, 2019 Deal is expected to be completed soon, sources tell ESPN. Saunders is working on a staff. Gersson Rosas met with candidates at Draft Combine but search turned back to Saunders, the interim coach. https://t.co/VcwzUdb8xa
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn)
May 20, 2019 This comes after Saunders, 33, was named interim head coach on Jan. 6, 2009 after Tom Thibodeau was fired.
In the final 42 games of the regular season, Saunders guided the Wolves to a 17-25 record.
Saunders is the son of the late Philip "Flip" Saunders, the popular former Gopher who coached the Wolves for two different stints.
A graduate of Wayzata High School in Plymouth, Ryan Saunders joined the Gopher basketball team himself in 2004. But injuries limited him to 20 career games in a backup role, and he eventually became a graduate assistant under Tubby Smith.
In 2009, Saunders joined the staff of the Washington Wizards, and moved to the Timberwolves as an assistant in 2014.
Saunders is the youngest head coach in the NBA.
