Tom Thibodeau The Obvious Choice To Lead Young Wolves
Tom Thibodeau was introduced as president of basketball operations and head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday and it’s a perfect match.
The Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday announced Tom Thibodeau as their president of basketball operations and head coach. The young Wolves pegged the right guy to lead the franchise forward from where Flip Saunders began with the building blocks.
Thibodeau is held in high regard as a defensive-minded coach, as Zach Lowe addresses. Minnesota was 23rd in the NBA in points allowed per game, allowing 106.0 on a nightly basis. Their offense was in the middle of the pack at 102.4 points per game.
After Thibodeau took over as head coach of the Chicago Bulls prior to the 2010-11 season, the Bulls’ defense was the second-best in the association, allowing 91.3 points per game. Getting a complete buy-in and coachable players allowed for this to occur. Even in Thibodeau’s final season (2014-15), the Bulls allowed 97.8 points per game, which was good for a top-10 finish.
Thibodeau, 58, recognized that this Timberwolves team isn’t his, but an inheritance from the late Flip Saunders.
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"The big thing for me was the make up of this roster. That didn't happen by accident. That was Flip's vision." - Thibodeau
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 26, 2016
Saunders was able to orchestrate a trade that sent an unhappy Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers for first overall pick in Andrew Wiggins. Saunders also drafted promising athletes in Zach LaVine, Shabazz Muhammad and Gorgui Dieng before landing the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft and drafting Karl-Anthony Towns.
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Saunders also brought Kevin Garnett home in a trade to help lead the young Wolves.
Thibodeau had a special relationship with Joakim Noah, according to ESPN’s Nick Friedell, and developed Noah into a Defensive Player of the Year winner. Now Thibodeau has a more athletic and complete center with Karl-Anthony Towns.
Towns was third in the NBA in double-doubles with 51, and he did so as a rookie. He averaged 18.4 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. Towns’ 7-foot, 244-pound frame provides great length and athleticism that Thibodeau must be excited to work with.
To say Towns is going to be molded into what Noah did for the Bulls is unfair. Towns has a different skill set than Noah, especially on the offensive end. Towns is also more polished offensively than Noah, which could lead to Towns evolving into one of the best players in the NBA.
Thibodeau’s ability to recognize the talent on the Timberwolves is key. This is a team that is coachable and a group of young guys that is thirsting for more knowledge, as proven by its growth. The Wolves won 16 games two seasons ago and improved to win 29 games this season.
When Thibs took over the Bulls, he was leading a team that went 41-41 during the 2009-10 season and took them to a 62-20 record in his first season as head coach. Now to say that the Wolves will be winning 60 games next year might be a stretch, but an improvement should be expected.
Thibs when asked if this is a playoff team. "Might as well get started," doesn't want them looking behind or ahead.
— Jerry Zgoda (@JerryZgoda) April 26, 2016
Towns, Wiggins, Muhammad and Tyus Jones were in the front row to greet their new head coach at his introductory press conference. During the press conference, Thibodeau said he wants the team “committed to each other” and committed to winning, according to the Star Tribune’s Jerry Zgoda.
Winning is just what the Timberwolves fan base wants to seen. Minnesota hasn’t been to the playoffs since the 2003-04 season. They are the active leaders in longest playoff drought with 12 years.
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With a buy in from the players, front office and ownership, the sky is the limit for the young Wolves. Thibodeau’s defensive principles should be key for the Wolves to improve and climb out of the bottom half of the league defensively.
Thibodeau is a home run hire, and he aced his opening press conference, which was open to season ticket holders. He continues to check the boxes, but success on the court will depend on the Timberwolves offseason, which begins with another lottery pick in the 2016 draft.