Minnesota Timberwolves: Sachin Gupta will oversee front office operations

Things have taken an unexpected turn for the Minnesota Timberwolves this week, to say the least.

President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas was relieved of his duties amidst rumors of toxic relationships within the organization, along with evidence pointing to a “consensual intimate relationship” with a staff member.

Following Rosas’s dismissal, the Timberwolves have given Vice President of Basketball Operations Sachin Gupta authority over the basketball operations department.

Amidst swirling rumors that the Wolves may try to bring in outside help to the position; Elton Brand of the Philadelphia 76ers has already been mentioned as a possibility. Still, Timberwolves ownership will presumably give Gupta a chance to slide over into the president’s chair on a permanent basis.

Who is new Minnesota Timberwolves front office boss Sachin Gupta?

Sachin Gupta has a computer science and an electrical engineering degree from MIT, as well as an MBA degree from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Since entering the NBA as a special advisor for the Houston Rockets in 2006, Gupta rose through the ranks before following Sam Hinkie from Houston to Philadelphia to become the Vice President of Basketball Operations for the 76ers in 2014. He held that role for two seasons prior to Hinkie’s departure and then became the assistant general manager of the Detroit Pistons in 2018.

In 2019, Rosas named Gupta to the role of Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Timberwolves.

What skills does Sachin Gupta bring to the Minnesota Timberwolves?

Gupta has already made history as the first Indian-American to be named President of Basketball Operations in NBA history.

He has received plenty of praise from his previous stops in the NBA, notably from Daryl Morey, the former front office leader of the Houston Rockets. After officially re-hiring Gupta as a consultant in 2018, Morey spoke highly of his re-hire, saying that “Sachin’s fingerprints are all over this team, from his first six seasons with the Rockets to contributions he’s made this past year.”

He is a well-regarded analytical mind, known mostly for creating the ESPN Trade Machine. This was groundbreaking for the time in which it was released, and Gupta was showered with praise and respect for his work.

The teams that he’s worked for have been largely successful, and some of the more forward-thinking minds from around the game are clearly major supporters of Gupta.

While overseeing the basketball operations department with the Timberwolves, Gupta will try to use his extensive knowledge of analytics and his diverse background from his various stops around the league to try and lead the Timberwolves to a winning culture and go from possessing interim responsibilities to, hopefully, a full-time position as President of Basketball Operations.