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Chris Finch had an introductory press conference as head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.

Finch said he spoke to Karl-Anthony Towns on Sunday night and pledged to make him the centerpiece of the offense.

The Wolves previously interviewed Nurse for their head coaching job in 2019.

Before the Saunders news broke, Towns reaffirmed his commitment to the franchise and said he liked the trajectory of the franchise despite the dismal record.

"If you want to build a legacy we got to win," Towns said. "And I want to build my legacy here so I want to win with the Wolves, and I'm going to do everything I possibly can to keep step-by-step, brick-by-brick, building something and a culture here that's going to stand here for a long time."

Via Chris Hine, Kent Youngblood/Star Tribune

I was gonna make a snarky comment like "what was he before?" but the truth is Towns hasn't been.

Russell: 54 TS% on 30 USG%
Towns: 64 TS% on 26 USG%
Edwards: 47 TS% on 25 USG%
Beasley: 58 TS% on 25 USG%

Coaching change was beyond merit.

i cant beleive he wasnt before but this should of been a given

Rashidi wrote:I was gonna make a snarky comment like "what was he before?" but the truth is Towns hasn't been.

Russell: 54 TS% on 30 USG%
Towns: 64 TS% on 26 USG%
Edwards: 47 TS% on 25 USG%
Beasley: 58 TS% on 25 USG%

Coaching change was beyond merit.

Hasn’t Towns barely played this season?

Really, like KAT was never the centerpiece before? Who was if not KAT in the past? Jordan McLaughlin? Naz Reid?

Despite being given the reigns of the team since being drafted, KAT has failed to lift the team up...and this would be the 5th coach brought in to light a fire under KAT's underachieving ass. I can't deny his talent but he really lacks that fire and no coach can seem to ignite it. It comes from within and KAT doesn't have it...as a primary scoring option. 5 coaches man...5 coaches!!!!

He sleep walked through their loss to the Raptors last week despite the Raptors doing everything they could to lose (being gassed on a second night of a back to back).

KAT as talented as he might be...is not a primary scoring option. Maybe a trade to Dallas for Kristaps Porzingis would help both teams?

5th coach. Maybe it's not the coach. Maybe you're lazy.

nedleeds wrote:5th coach. Maybe it's not the coach. Maybe you're lazy.

Jimmy ?Embiid?

Indomitable wrote:

nedleeds wrote:5th coach. Maybe it's not the coach. Maybe you're lazy.

Jimmy ?Embiid?

I don't have a Jimmy Butler tattoo or anything but it appears he asked out because he looked around at a bunch of uninterested entitled lazy young players. He has his flaws but Butler is a worker, grinder and a self made player. KAT has all the skill, size and talent in the world but has thus far been a loser, Wolves haven't helped by hiring a joke nepotism driven coach in Saunders. Then trading for another lazy no defense playing guy in Russell.

nedleeds wrote:

Indomitable wrote:

nedleeds wrote:5th coach. Maybe it's not the coach. Maybe you're lazy.

Jimmy ?Embiid?

I don't have a Jimmy Butler tattoo or anything but it appears he asked out because he looked around at a bunch of uninterested entitled lazy young players. He has his flaws but Butler is a worker, grinder and a self made player. KAT has all the skill, size and talent in the world but has thus far been a loser, Wolves haven't helped by hiring a joke nepotism driven coach in Saunders. Then trading for another lazy no defense playing guy in Russell.

After the recent Warriors/Heat OT game, Wiggins and Butler hugged and chatted after the game, all smiles. The type of interaction that you wouldn't expect given how Butler's time ended in Minny.

I kind of feel the "the bunch of uninterested entitled lazy young players" does not include Wiggins.

Was he not the centerpiece before?

What the hell is he now?

Shouldn't that already be the case? If not, that explains why the coach is gone. He almost single handedly pulled off an 18 point 4th quarter comeback the other night against the best defense in the NBA.

FNQ wrote:Was he not the centerpiece before?

no he wasn't

nedleeds wrote:

Indomitable wrote:

nedleeds wrote:5th coach. Maybe it's not the coach. Maybe you're lazy.

Jimmy ?Embiid?

I don't have a Jimmy Butler tattoo or anything but it appears he asked out because he looked around at a bunch of uninterested entitled lazy young players. He has his flaws but Butler is a worker, grinder and a self made player. KAT has all the skill, size and talent in the world but has thus far been a loser, Wolves haven't helped by hiring a joke nepotism driven coach in Saunders. Then trading for another lazy no defense playing guy in Russell.

Meh, my understanding has always been that Jimmy likes to talk about hard work, grinding, etc but that’s more because he’s sort of a pushy dude than it is because he has some insane Kobe/MJ 24-7 work ethic. Not saying he’s lazy or a hypocrite, just think he does the amount of work most pros do (which is a lot) but as a personality quirk like to rah rah and troll people about not being intense or crazy or whatever.He also drifts through large portions of games—even his biggest fans will tell you that—so doesn’t seem like he’s even taken his own thing that seriously.

Revived wrote:

Rashidi wrote:I was gonna make a snarky comment like "what was he before?" but the truth is Towns hasn't been.

Russell: 54 TS% on 30 USG%
Towns: 64 TS% on 26 USG%
Edwards: 47 TS% on 25 USG%
Beasley: 58 TS% on 25 USG%

Coaching change was beyond merit.

Hasn’t Towns barely played this season?

That doesn't affect his Usage rate (Towns should very clearly be leading the team when healthy)

For context:
Joel Embiid: 34 USG% (3rd in NBA)
Andre Drummond: 31 USG% (16th)
Nikola Jokic: 29 USG% (21st)
Nikola Vucevic: 29 USG% (24th)
Bam Adebayo: 24 USG% (48th)
Jonas Valanciunas: 24 USG% (55th)

Towns should realistically be where Drummond is at.
(And Drummond where Towns is at, but that's a separate conversation not exactly unrelated to the Cavs decision to bench him)