It appears that the Minnesota Timberwolves have capitalized off a front office shakeup by the Memphis Grizzlies that left head coach Dave Joerger on the undesired list.
According to the Associated Press, Joerger will be the T’Wolves choice after having a final meeting with team owner Glen Taylor.
The Timberwolves decided on Joerger as the replacement for Rick Adelman on Saturday night after the Minnesota-born Grizzlies coach met with team leadership, including owner Glen Taylor, two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.
Joerger, who went 50-32 in his first season as coach of the Grizzlies and helped the team to the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoff field, is still under contract for two more years in Memphis. But owner Robert Pera is believed to be considering a coaching change after he recently fired CEO Jason Levien and director of player personnel Stu Lash, and it remained unclear just how much the Timberwolves want to give to the Grizzlies for a coach many presume could be fired any day.
The Grizzlies loss is the Timberwolves gain.
Joerger, who went 50-32 in his first season as coach of the Grizzlies and helped the team to the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoff field, is still under contract for two more years in Memphis. Joerger is also a Minnesota native, who’s known Flip Saunders most of his adult life.