Ryan Saunders Has Been Fired - Chris Finch Hired!!!

[bluethunder0005]

I'm already looking forward to the "Should we fire Chris Finch" threads that will appear a year from now. Ryan clearly wasn't head coach material but I'm skeptical that Finch will be the first good head coach we've had since the Flip/KG era (maybe Adelman counts). I really think this team is going to continue to have issues as long as the current ownership is the way it is, we've hired countless coaches and they each were supposed to provide something and none of them did.

[winforlose]

I'm already looking forward to the "Should we fire Chris Finch" threads that will appear a year from now. Ryan clearly wasn't head coach material but I'm skeptical that Finch will be the first good head coach we've had since the Flip/KG era (maybe Adelman counts). I really think this team is going to continue to have issues as long as the current ownership is the way it is, we've hired countless coaches and they each were supposed to provide something and none of them did.

I have a strong suspicion it won’t even take a year. This hiring smells bad from the jump. He seems like another assistant coach with no real head coaching experience who relied on relationships rather than accomplishments to get ahead. That said, only time will tell if Finch actually has leadership potential. Ryan clearly could not motivate the team and his schemes were middle school level. The bar for being better than Ryan is so low that both Sam Mitchell and Thibs could accidentally stumble over it. The bar for being an actual NBA coach with a respectable record and the support of your team is much higher.

[Klomp]

I have a strong suspicion it won’t even take a year. This hiring smells bad from the jump. He seems like another assistant coach with no real head coaching experience who relied on relationships rather than accomplishments to get ahead. That said, only time will tell if Finch actually has leadership potential. Ryan clearly could not motivate the team and his schemes were middle school level. The bar for being better than Ryan is so low that both Sam Mitchell and Thibs could accidentally stumble over it. The bar for being an actual NBA coach with a respectable record and the support of your team is much higher.

It's obvious you have no clue who Chris Finch is or what his history is. I have been one of the last few Saunders supporters here, but even I know it's obvious Finch has a much better head coaching resume than Saunders at this point. He has been a head coach at four stops in Europe (three very successful) and in the G League, plus the British men's national team. He also has been an assistant for four NBA teams and the associate head coach at three of the stops.

[Klomp]

Fun fact: Chris Finch was an assistant coach on the 2014-15 Rockets team that included Pablo Prigioni on its roster.

[Worm Guts]

I don't know how good Chris FInch will be, but the big problem for him is that he only has as much job security as Gerson Rosas. It wouldn't be surprising if he was here less than 2 seasons.

[Klomp]

I don't know how good Chris FInch will be, but the big problem for him is that he only has as much job security as Gerson Rosas. It wouldn't be surprising if he was here less than 2 seasons.

I think that's why it was important to get him in here now. Gives him (and Rosas, by proxy) a little time to build a small resume before the ownership change. It can't get much worse than we've seen so far, and any improvement from this point to the sale will look worse for Saunders and Taylor than it does for Rosas and Finch.

[Dewey]

I don't know how good Chris FInch will be, but the big problem for him is that he only has as much job security as Gerson Rosas. It wouldn't be surprising if he was here less than 2 seasons.

I think that's why it was important to get him in here now. Gives him (and Rosas, by proxy) a little time to build a small resume before the ownership change. It can't get much worse than we've seen so far, and any improvement from this point to the sale will look worse for Saunders and Taylor than it does for Rosas and Finch.

It had to be done... I like Finch

Timing wise ... it allows Finch a period Of time to evaluate roster pre-deadline and ahead the off-season which he will need. I like the hire

[_AIJ_]

Disgusting move. Typical by this franchise.
The first guy to be fired was the wrong one.
The responsible for this **** show is still in the control.

It's a matter of time until he get's fired thought. Hopefully with a new ownership along.

**** Rosas.

Lol. Wrong one? We all know Ryan was the catalyst in all this. Have you seen him made a play???

[Howard Cosell]

I don't know how good Chris FInch will be, but the big problem for him is that he only has as much job security as Gerson Rosas. It wouldn't be surprising if he was here less than 2 seasons.

I think that's why it was important to get him in here now. Gives him (and Rosas, by proxy) a little time to build a small resume before the ownership change. It can't get much worse than we've seen so far, and any improvement from this point to the sale will look worse for Saunders and Taylor than it does for Rosas and Finch.

Are you related to Glenn Taylor? I’ve never seen someone who has hugged Twolves decisions year after year which has led this franchise to be one of the worst one in all of sports with the exception of you. The firing of Saunders is fine...the process was horrific. Rosas, as GM, is a travesty. But just like with Thibs and every other Taylor Tree decision you can’t seem to say it can you?

[Klomp]

I don't know how good Chris FInch will be, but the big problem for him is that he only has as much job security as Gerson Rosas. It wouldn't be surprising if he was here less than 2 seasons.

I think that's why it was important to get him in here now. Gives him (and Rosas, by proxy) a little time to build a small resume before the ownership change. It can't get much worse than we've seen so far, and any improvement from this point to the sale will look worse for Saunders and Taylor than it does for Rosas and Finch.

Are you related to Glenn Taylor? I’ve never seen someone who has hugged Twolves decisions year after year which has led this franchise to be one of the worst one in all of sports with the exception of you. The firing of Saunders is fine...the process was horrific. Rosas, as GM, is a travesty. But just like with Thibs and every other Taylor Tree decision you can’t seem to say it can you?

I don't see the point in making my blood boil over sports. I am a fan of the Timberwolves. As such yes I try to support the moves they make. Do I agree with everything? No. Does that make my opinion automatically right and the team automatically wrong? No. I post because I'm passionate, but I also believe I'm rational enough to try to understand all sides of a situation.

[Klomp]

Saunders had known for several weeks that he was in trouble as the losses mounted, sources told The Athletic. Players openly wondered about Saunders’ job security and it only seemed to be a question of whether he would make it to the end of the season. The answer came not long after a 103-99 loss to the Knicks in New York on Sunday night in a meeting with Wolves President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas.

In the wake of considerable fan criticism of Saunders, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor had resisted calls to fire the coach while star Karl-Anthony Towns was out of the lineup with COVID-19. Taylor felt that Saunders deserved a chance to coach a team built almost entirely around Towns’ versatility before making such a big decision, sources said. But the Wolves were 1-7 since Towns returned Feb. 10, prompting Taylor to sign off on the move.

https://theathletic.com/2340381/2021/02/22/ryan-saunders-fired-chris-finch-hired-timberwolves

[Foye]

Disgusting move. Typical by this franchise.
The first guy to be fired was the wrong one.
The responsible for this **** show is still in the control.

It's a matter of time until he get's fired thought. Hopefully with a new ownership along.

**** Rosas.

Lol. Wrong one? We all know Ryan was the catalyst in all this. Have you seen him made a play???

We all know that Saunders was only the 3rd most important person that needs to go.

Taylor and Rosas still there. Not much will change as long as they are in charge of the team.

[Dewey]

Disgusting move. Typical by this franchise.
The first guy to be fired was the wrong one.
The responsible for this **** show is still in the control.

It's a matter of time until he get's fired thought. Hopefully with a new ownership along.

**** Rosas.

Lol. Wrong one? We all know Ryan was the catalyst in all this. Have you seen him made a play???

There are lots of issues when you’re 7 and 24… But we were in a position to win a bucket of games and Ryan struggled in those moments. Starting to lose the players a little bit as well and that combination is when coaches usually get fired

[Baseline81]

Saunders had known for several weeks that he was in trouble as the losses mounted, sources told The Athletic. Players openly wondered about Saunders’ job security and it only seemed to be a question of whether he would make it to the end of the season. The answer came not long after a 103-99 loss to the Knicks in New York on Sunday night in a meeting with Wolves President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas.

In the wake of considerable fan criticism of Saunders, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor had resisted calls to fire the coach while star Karl-Anthony Towns was out of the lineup with COVID-19. Taylor felt that Saunders deserved a chance to coach a team built almost entirely around Towns’ versatility before making such a big decision, sources said. But the Wolves were 1-7 since Towns returned Feb. 10, prompting Taylor to sign off on the move.

https://theathletic.com/2340381/2021/02/22/ryan-saunders-fired-chris-finch-hired-timberwolves

With no fans at Target Center, I wonder what avenue he heard the criticism most. Maybe RealGM?

I do think the change would have been done earlier if fans were allowed back. Bags, signs and the like would have sank Saunders sooner.

[Scoot McGroot]

Good bye Ryan...anyway Saunders family will be in our heart....


That said...wtf is Finch?? does anyone know what his main ways of playing are?

Read on Twitter

?s=21

Caitlin Cooper is one of the best in the NBA in X’s and O’s Write ups and research. This was her deep dive into how Chris Finch would likely have fit into Indiana. I would imagine that a lot of the “Sabonis” mentions could be substituted with KAT and make sense?

Edit: I’ll say this, as a Pacers fan, I was VERY high on Finch as a candidate due to his ability to help design offense out of nothing, and to excel around both an offensive focused big, and dynamic guards. It’s a weird situation to hire someone into midseason like that, but as a coach, I think he’s a great get. He was likely getting a head coaching job somewhere this next offseason. He’s simply been a finalist too many times the last couple seasons not to.

[jpatrick]

Good bye Ryan...anyway Saunders family will be in our heart....


That said...wtf is Finch?? does anyone know what his main ways of playing are?

Read on Twitter

?s=21

Caitlin Cooper is one of the best in the NBA in X’s and O’s Write ups and research. This was her deep dive into how Chris Finch would likely have fit into Indiana. I would imagine that a lot of the “Sabonis” mentions could be substituted with KAT and make sense?

With our current personnel, but mostly DLo/KAT,
Denver would be the scheme we should probably try to replicate. KAT is t the passer Jokic, but he is a good passing big and one of the most efficient scorers in the league, DLo could be Murray lite.

[Foye]

Disgusting move. Typical by this franchise.
The first guy to be fired was the wrong one.
The responsible for this **** show is still in the control.

It's a matter of time until he get's fired thought. Hopefully with a new ownership along.

**** Rosas.

Lol. Wrong one? We all know Ryan was the catalyst in all this. Have you seen him made a play???

There are lots of issues when you’re 7 and 24… But we were in a position to win a bucket of games and Ryan struggled in those moments. Starting to lose the players a little bit as well and that combination is when coaches usually get fired

I feel bad for Ryan Saunders.
Not once in his time in Minnesota he was given even an average nba roster to coach.
First he had to work with the dysfunctional mess that Thibs had accumulated and that was followed up even worse by Rosas small ball vision. I haven't watched any full Wolves game lately so I can hardly comment on the mess he might've caused with the rotations but lets be honest:
He was never put in a position by management where it was even possible to show continuous internal improvement and success (which given the Wolves putrid franchise history would already be hovering around the .500 mark).
Getting rid of Saunders is just sacrificing a pawn.

Saunders may not have been the right coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves but no other coach will have success with this dumpster fire of a roster that Rosas has assembled.

Rosas is the one that needs to be fired. And at latest he will be fired, latest when the franchise is finally sold.

I can tell you so much. My soccer team had accumulated the same mess in the front office. By end of 2020 they were basically deadlast in the league in a position where 100% of teams have been relegated given they had just won one game until then.
It's been 8 weeks since management turnover. New president, new general manager, new coach, got rid of the cancers on the roster and signed two new players.
5 games into the 2nd leg of the season, they have already picked up more points than they did in the entire 2020 part of the campaign, they are playing together as a team, the energy on the pitch has increased significantely and they are beating teams they have no business beating given the individual talent on the roster.

All that is impossible as long as you still have the same stubborn decision makers at the top of your organization. Taylor won't ever find the right GM - because he does not have the basketball mind to do so. Rosas won't ever find the right players - because his small ball vision is stubborn to begin with.
And this brings us back to one point. Getting rid of Saunders is just sacrificing a pawn to ensure Rosas and Taylor are not blamed more for their own failures.

[Klomp]

With no fans at Target Center, I wonder what avenue he heard the criticism most. Maybe RealGM?

I do think the change would have been done earlier if fans were allowed back. Bags, signs and the like would have sank Saunders sooner.

Maybe so. But I have noticed most of the midseason coaching changes in franchise history have been made either at the quarter pole or halfway point of the season. Right around the 20 game or 40 game mark.

Add to that the point about resisting to do it while Towns was out with COVID. Towns was out between games 12 and 24, putting the quarter pole right in the middle of that stretch.

[Jedzz]

Ryan seemed like a good person and was given a chance at possibly his dream role. His father I believe had a piece of ownership in the team and it's likely still with the family now. I would guess Ryan lands on his feet, or probably a pair of LV sneakers. The rest of us are stuck watching a broken team.

[winforlose]

Ryan seemed like a good person and was given a chance at possibly his dream role. His father I believe had a piece of ownership in the team and it's likely still with the family now. I would guess Ryan lands on his feet, or probably a pair of LV sneakers. The rest of us are stuck watching a broken team.

He made more failing than most successful nurses will make in a lifetime. Same with teachers, firefighters, police, EMTs, ect... Landing on his feet is more a matter of planning then anything else. Hopefully his coaching career is sufficiently damaged that he must start from the bottom and earn any further opportunity he enjoys.