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Wolves Relieve Kurt Rambis of Coaching Duties

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Timberwolves announced that the team has relieved head coach Kurt Rambis of his coaching duties.

"I want to thank Kurt for his contributions to our franchise and wish him the best in his future endeavors," said David Kahn, Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations. "His arrival signaled we were serious about building a championship-contending ballclub over the course of time. We have accumulated a solid nucleus of young talent with a bright future during the last two years. I am hopeful Kurt receives his share of the credit for helping develop that talent and his contributions are not forgotten as we become a better basketball team.

"It is always hard to make these decisions. It is especially hard when it involves somebody of Kurt's reputation. Even so, this is the right time for us to make a head coaching change now that we've identified our roster and its specific needs."

Rambis was named the ninth head coach of the Timberwolves on Aug. 10, 2009. In his two seasons as head coach of the Wolves, Rambis compiled a 32-132 record. Rambis joined the Wolves after serving as an assistant coach on Phil Jackson's Los Angeles Lakers staff for seven seasons (2001-04, 2005-09).

C.lupus wrote:Why now?

EddyCool wrote:

C.lupus wrote:Why now?

It would be better if they waited longer?

KG_Wolves wrote:Why now?


B/c he's been hired?

C.lupus wrote:

KG_Wolves wrote:Why now?


B/c he's been hired?

More like...

Krapinsky wrote:I am OK with a Bickerstaff-Bickerstaff contingent. In his last stint with the Bobcats he took a terrible expansion roster and improved them every year before he was canned, from 18 to 26 to 33 wins.

Esohny wrote:

Krapinsky wrote:I am OK with a Bickerstaff-Bickerstaff contingent. In his last stint with the Bobcats he took a terrible expansion roster and improved them every year before he was canned, from 18 to 26 to 33 wins.

It's not my ideal, but since hiring Adelman isn't going to happen, I can live with it.

I wouldn't have minded trying for one of the assistant coaches that have been interviewing for HC jobs, like Budenholzer.

C.lupus wrote:

EddyCool wrote:

C.lupus wrote:Why now?

It would be better if they waited longer?

No, it would have been better to do it in april. But word was that it was dragging to save Papa Taylor money.

I think Krap is right, they must have agreed on a buyout.

Rambis this morning released a statement to the Associated Press.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity that Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor has given me," he said in it. "During my years working with coaches (Phil) Jackson, (Pat) Riley and (Cotton) Fitzsimmons, I learned all the ups and down of this sport. And today is one of the down days.

"But I'm confident that my work -- and the work of my staff -- with our many young players over the last two years will begin to pay off for Mr. Taylor and Timberwolves fans. Now, as important new players are added to the mix, the future of this franchise should be a bright one and I am thankful for the chance I had, to play a part in shaping that future.".

Today’s Rambis news shouldn’t surprise anyone awake for the last two months.

“It doesn’t surprise me just because of everything that’s been going on,” Wolves forward Anthony Tolliver said. “All the rumors: One day it’s all over the news that he’s fired and the next day he’s not. How can you keep somebody on after all that?

“For me, not having or having a coach this time of year didn’t really matter. It doesn’t change anything I do or don’t do. What it does is brings resolution for Kurt. Me and Kurt have a good relationship. I’m glad for him that it’s resolved one way or the other, so that he’s able to move on.”

Rambis was 32-132 in those two seasons since the Wolves signed him to a four-year contract in August 2009 after he spent nearly three decades with the Los Angeles Lakers as a player, assistant coach and front-office executive.

He brought elements of mentor Phil Jackson’s mysterious triangle offense with him from Los Angeles. It turned out to be a mismatch of system and philosophy with a young team that never seemed to fully grasp or believe in it.

“I never really thought the offense was a problem, the defensive side was,” Tolliver said. “We scored enough points to win games. We struggled with the ability to get easy buckets in crunch time, but our main problem was the defensive end. Whoever they bring in next, it’s really important that they be a defensive coach.”

But this is a roster built for offense, isn’t it?

“We do have a lot of firepower,” Tolliver said. “But at the end of the day, in order to win you have to play defense. No one ever won by just scoring…I think we did spend enough time on it. Kurt definitely taught it and we did it in practice, but with different coaches’ styles and different coaching personalities, sometimes certain people respond in different ways to different people.

“I don’t think his message ever got across to some of the people. To some of us, it did. Some guys bought in and some guys didn’t.”

Asked what kind of coach the team needs to hire next, Tolliver said, “Someone who’s going to be a disciplinarian. Kurt’s a really nice guy. Sometimes that got in the way. I’m not saying he’s too nice, but sometimes it’s good to have a coach no likes to be a jerk.

“I know several players on the Bulls and nobody really liked Tom Thibodeau, but that’s O.K. You don’t have to like the coach. You just have to be able to play for him.”

EddyCool wrote:

C.lupus wrote:

EddyCool wrote:[Why now?

It would be better if they waited longer?

No, it would have been better to do it in april. But word was that it was dragging to save Papa Taylor money.

I think Krap is right, they must have agreed on a buyout.

Krapinsky wrote:

Esohny wrote:

Krapinsky wrote:I am OK with a Bickerstaff-Bickerstaff contingent. In his last stint with the Bobcats he took a terrible expansion roster and improved them every year before he was canned, from 18 to 26 to 33 wins.

It's not my ideal, but since hiring Adelman isn't going to happen, I can live with it.

I wouldn't have minded trying for one of the assistant coaches that have been interviewing for HC jobs, like Budenholzer.

Adelman doesn't like playing young players. If you want Adelman than be prepared to see a starting lineup of Ridnour-Webster-Tolliver-Love-Darko. Adelman's offense is also quite similar to the one Rambis tried to install.

Here's the other guy we'll interview:



Maybe he could help us recruit Eric Gordon??