Minnesota Timberwolves: 5 candidates to replace Tom Thibodeau as head coach

4. Jay Wright

Jay Wright has been the head coach of the Villanova Wildcats since 2002. He’s amassed 428 wins opposed to 129 losses, and has helped Villanova win two national championships in the past three years. Wright has accomplished all he can at the college level, and if he is ready to make the jump, the Minnesota Timberwolves need to be ready to sign him immediately.

Wright deals with changing rosters every single year, and with Minnesota’s lack of salary cap space, he could have to deal with something similar coaching the T-Wolves. Towns and Wiggins are there for the long haul, but the supporting pieces will be changing.

Unlike Tom Thibodeau, Wright is excellent at managing rotations. Thibs played a select few guys an unhealthy amount of minutes while with the Chicago Bulls and in Minnesota. This has led to the dramatic decline of NBA veterans like Joakim Noah, Luol Deng and many others.

Wright is also skilled at creating a dynamic offense. He emphasizes space-and-pace, with Villanova ranking first in points per game and 3-pointers, as well as third in assists. He could take Minnesota’s offense to new heights.

Wright has expressed interest in coaching in the NBA but isn’t quiet ready to leave the NCAA, so similar to Stan Van Gundy, this marriage seems like a long shot.