Minnesota Timberwolves Roundup: Gates returns, Wiggins in for Canada?
By Ben Beecken
The Minnesota Timberwolves welcome back a former assistant coach, and Andrew Wiggins might be suiting up for Team Canada.
The Minnesota Timberwolves‘ coaching staff is one step closer to being filled.
There have been a few hirings announced over the past few weeks, from new offensive coordinator Pablo Prigioni to associate head coach David Vanterpool, who will reportedly quarterback the defense.
Bryan Gates, who was an assistant coach under Flip Saunders in 2015-16, is back in the Twin Cities after reportedly joining Ryan Saunders’ staff. Gates was in Sacramento as an assistant to Dave Joerger for the past three seasons. Joerger was fired this offseason.
The Timberwolves are in the process of adding another name to Ryan Saunders' coaching staff: veteran assistant Bryan Gates, league sources tell @TheAthleticMIN
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) June 17, 2019
Before Gates joined the Timberwolves organization the first time, he was highly though of as a player development coach with the New Orleans Pelicans after playing a part in Anthony Davis‘ early years in the league.
The obvious connection here is the relationship with Saunders, but there’s surely a Karl-Anthony Towns-related component here, too.
In other news, Andrew Wiggins was rumored to have given a “yes” to Team Canada. And by ‘rumored’, I mean that the general manager of the national team reported that Wiggins was in.
Rowan Barrett, the GM of Canada's national men's basketball team, tells me Andrew Wiggins has committed to play for Team Canada this summer at the World Cup in China. Huge boost to help the chances at qualifying for next summer's Tokyo Olympics.
— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) June 17, 2019
Now, after Wolves boss Gersson Rosas gave a pre-draft press conference on Tuesday, things appear to have changed.
Rosas said today that he wasn’t aware of an invitation being extended to Wiggins. Going further: a source says Wiggins has definitely NOT committed to playing for Team Canada. https://t.co/kty8ba1P9X
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) June 18, 2019
The Gates and Wiggins/Team Canada pieces of news are connected: Gates was on the Team Canada staff when Wiggins last suited up for his home country back in 2015. New Wolves associate head coach David Vanterpool was also on that staff.
For as obvious as it might seem that the Wolves new front office regime may try to move on from Wiggins quickly, there have been a series of moves that could be construed as aiming to give one last run at getting him to reach his potential.
From retaining Saunders as head coach to adding Team Canada staffers and bringing former assistants back into the fold, it’s easy to see why Wiggins could be feeling progressively more comfortable.
Next. Potential Andrew Wiggins trade options. dark
The draft is less than 36 hours away, and we’ll have plenty of lead-up coverage here at DWW in the coming day and a half. It’s the Christmas Day of Wolves fandom, after all…