The Minnesota Timberwolves learned that Sachin Gupta would not be leaving for Sacramento.
The past week has been a roller coaster on the personnel front for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and they received good news late Wednesday.
Sachin Gupta, the Wolves’ executive vice president of basketball operations, will be returning to Minnesota after the Sacramento Kings opted to hire former Houston Rockets assistant general manager Monte McNair.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Sachin Gupta is staying with the Wolves
We don’t know for sure if Gupta was offered the job and turned it down, if he withdrew, or if the Kings simply selected McNair.
At any rate, if this a role that Gupta genuinely wanted after interviewing and traveling to Sacramento for the finalist round of interviews, then it’s easy to feel bad for him that he didn’t get the position. Leading a basketball operations department is an opportunity that only 30 individuals have in the NBA, and this surely won’t be Gupta’s only opportunity in the coming years.
For the Wolves, it means they get to keep a brilliant mind who was the subject of a feature piece by Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (subscription required) earlier this week.
Wolves President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas reportedly “spoke glowingly” of Gupta in his conversations with the brain trust in Sacramento, which speaks to Rosas’ character as well, being willing to lose his right-hand man if it was ultimately the right thing for his career.
Krawczynski’s piece included several intriguing nuggets, including the note that “Gupta has been more than just a ‘numbers guy’ in Minnesota” and went on regular scouting trips, as well as being more than willing to be involved in film sessions with coaches and players.
He also says that Rosas was already preparing to lose Gupta, expecting him to get the job in Sacramento.
At any rate, Rosas still has his basketball ops dream team together, and at least for the time being, the full coaching staff as well. (Associate head coach David Vanterpool was scheduled to interview virtually with the Indiana Pacers for their vacant head coaching job on Thursday but is one of at least 10 to 12 candidates.)
Next up, Minnesota Timberwolves minicamp, starting on Monday…