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Timberwolves Roundup: Minnesota State Fair, Scott Roth to coach Iowa Wolves

By Ben Beecken

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 03: Shabazz Muhammad #15 of the Minnesota Timberwolves waits to get in the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota on April 3, 2017. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 03: Shabazz Muhammad #15 of the Minnesota Timberwolves waits to get in the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota on April 3, 2017. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Timberwolves boss Tom Thibodeau made the rounds at the Minnesota State Fair and discussed free agency, plus Scott Roth will coach the Iowa Wolves of the G-League.

With only a few weeks to go until training camps open, the Timberwolves still have four roster spots to fill.

Timberwolves head coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau visited the Minnesota State Fair on Monday and appeared in a series of radio interview. The question and answer sessions were documented by the fine local media, including the Star Tribune’s Jerry Zgoda and Jace Frederick of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Topics ranged from free agency to the Kyrie Irving trade rumors to the injured feet of Nemanja Bjelica and Justin Patton. Here are some of the highlights (supplemented by my commentary), courtesy of Frederick.

"A few of those could be filled shortly. In a radio appearance Monday with Chad Hartman on WCCO-830 AM, Thibodeau said something “absolutely” should happen within the next two weeks. Minnesota is pressed up against the salary cap and only has minimum salaries to offer.Thibideau said the Timberwolves have “some offers” out to players who are assessing their options. He said there are players available who have played roles, and even started, in the NBA.“We think we’re going to have a shot at some really good players,” Thibodeau said, “but we have to be patient.”"

This is about what we were expecting. There are quite a few veteran free agents who could be legitimate contributors to a playoff-caliber team, but are simply weighing their options. Many teams only have veteran minimum contracts to offer, and the free agents themselves are in no hurry to choose a new employer.

Of course, it’s getting to be crunch time. Tony Allen is probably the biggest name still on the board and almost certainly the best perimeter defender without a team to call home. In terms of shooters, Luke Babbitt and Anthony Morrow remain unsigned. And for a third point guard, the Wolves had previously been linked to C.J. Watson. Former Timberwolves Dante Cunningham and Gerald Green remain possibilities, too.

And don’t forget about Shabazz Muhammad, who will almost certainly have to sign a minimum contract, and Thibodeau acknowledged the Wolves are still talking with about a return.

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Thibs also noted that Bjelica is on track to return to the floor by training camp and that he’s already running and doing drills, and Patton should be cleared sometime around the first game of the regular season.

Over at the Star Tribune, Jerry Zgoda reports that the Timberwolves have reached an agreement with Scott Roth, who was a scout for the organization last season. Roth was a member of the inaugural Timberwolves squad back in 1989 and also played for the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs in the NBA as well as a handful of teams overseas.

He has been an NBA assistant with Dallas, Vancouver/Memphis, Golden State, Toronto, and Detroit and was most recently a head coach in Europe.

From Zgoda:

"[Roth] has also coached and consulted for the Turkish, Dominican Republic, Canadian and Chinese national teams. He also has worked for such head coaches as Bo Ryan in college basketball and Don Nelson, Dwane Casey and Stan Van Gundy in the NBA.…He’s now entrusted with installing the same strategic concepts Thibodeau teaches in Minneapolis and with developing young players for the Wolves’ new minor league team just purchased last winter. Roth throughout his career has been involved in the development of such young players as Kristaps Porzingis and Willy Hernangomez when he coached in Spain three seasons ago and Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, Jonas Valanciunas, Steve Nash and others when he was an NBA assistant."

It’s an interesting hire as Roth is 54 years old and a longtime assistant at a time when it seems as though the coaching trend has been to hire younger, up-and-coming coaching prospects to lead G-League benches. In fact, Roth is the second-oldest head coach in the league, only trailing Bob MacKinnon of the Texas Legends in experience.

The relationship between Iowa and the big club will be interesting to watch in the coming months and years. How often will the Timberwolves utilize their two-way contracts (thus far, Anthony Brown is the only player signed to a two-way with one slot still open), and how much of Thibodeau’s offensive and defensive schemes will be used at the G-League level?

Next: Wolves Roundtable: Progression and Regression

As August draws to a close, we’re that much closer to finding out the answers to all of these questions and more…