Tom Thibodeau

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With less than 30 hours until the 2017 NBA Draft, a lot can happen.

We’ve already seen the No. 1 pick traded for the No. 3 pick. And that could set up a pattern in what could be a crazy draft.

On Wednesday morning, Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Tom Thibodeau and General Manager Scott Layden addressed the media. The two talked about the draft, its strength, but of course, gave away no secrets because that’s generally not a very smart thing to do a day before the draft, especially when you have as much flexibility as the Wolves do with the No. 7 overall pick.

“We’re ready. We have great flexibility,” Thibodeau said. “There’s been a lot of talk about trading the pick so we know there’s great value in it. We like the players that are in the draft both at our position and if we decide to trade down, there’s a possibility of moving up as well. It’s a great position to be in.”

The team could stick at seven, and there’s plenty of talent, no matter who will be drafted before, that will fall to that spot. The team also has plenty of assets to trade up. And if the team decides to trade down, it will acquire another asset while still picking a player with plenty of talent and upside. Lots of options, which is why the NBA Draft is so fun and so unpredictable.

The 2017 draft class has plenty of talent. There are players who could be top-5 picks in other draft classes, but will slide to the late lottery in this one.

“I think this has the chance to be a historic draft,” Layden said. “You look at the top end of the draft and I think there’s a chance there’s going to be a lot of very good players. It also runs deep into the late first round. I think that’s why there will be a lot of activity at this draft because I think teams see potential to get a great player. So, we’ll evaluate and we’ll see where that fits as far as making the selection. In all likelihood, the picks are so valuable this time of year, you end up wanting to keep the pick. But we’re leaving all options open.”

In the NBA Draft, crazy things happen. Most front offices have a pretty solid idea of what’s going to happen. What players will go where based on talent and team need. But there are also curve balls thrown throughout the night (trades, a player rising or falling) that can switch up everything.

“You have a pretty good feel for it, but here are always outliers,” Thibodeau, who enters his second draft with the Wolves, said. “Last year when you look back there’s always a player who jumps up a little bit. But you also study that possibility, who you think has the capability who does jump up and then you have to be ready. Does that knock somebody back? So, you comb through all those scenarios. You played out every possibility. You want to be ready for everything.”

The draft starts at 6 p.m. on ESPN and NBA TV. We’ll have plenty of coverage here at Timberwolves.com.

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Plenty Of Opportunities For Wolves In What Could Be 'Historic' Draft

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Gallery | 10 Things About Tom Thibodeau

The Minnesota Timberwolves were the hottest commodity for coaches on the open market.

The team has this year’s Rookie of the Year in Karl-Anthony Towns. There’s Andrew Wiggins, last year’s Rookie of the Year. Ricky Rubio is one of the best defensive point guards in the NBA. And don’t forget about Zach LaVine, who is oozing with potential.

The team has drawn comparisons to the young Oklahoma City Thunder team highlighted by Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.

The top coaching candidate on the market was Tom Thibodeau. Thibodeau took a year off after a great run as head coach with the Chicago Bulls, piling up a 255-139 record over five seasons while reaching the playoffs in every season. Thibodeau was named the Coach of the Year in 2010-11 and is also an assistant coach with the USA Basketball Team.

Seldom does the best team match up with the best coach on the open market. In fact, that almost never happens.

It did, though, on Wednesday evening when the Timberwolves announced that they had hired Thibodeau as the team’s new President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach.

“(Thibodeau) is the best coach available on the market right now,” ESPN NBA writer Brian Windhorst said. “The Wolves have the best young roster that we’ve seen probably since the Thunder.”

You could look at his resume for days. Not just aimlessly looking – but reading. That’s how long it is.

Before arriving as an assistant in Boston in 2007, the Celtics ranked 24th in the league in opponent field goal percentage. Then Thibodeau arrived and turned the Celtics into a top-five defense, helping them win the championship in 2008.

In four of his five seasons with Chicago, the Bulls finished top-three in both points allowed and defensive field goal percentage.

Thibodeau pays great attention to detail, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

The Wolves finished 23rd in the NBA in opponent field goal percentage (46.4 percent) and 16th in points allowed per game (102.5) last season.

“They were in the mid-20s defensively this year,” Windhorst said. “I think with Tom Thibodeau and the personnel they have, they could be a borderline top-10 defensive team next year.”

Wiggins and Towns, especially, certainly have the tools to be great defenders. Thibodeau, as coach and President of Basketball Operations, knows it’s in his best interest on and off the court to make sure they turn into just that.

When Kevin Garnett was on the floor last season, although it was only 38 games, the Wolves were much better defensively. Some of it had to do with Garnett being in the right place at the right time. A lot of it had to do with communication.

Two of the best defensive minds in basketball history (if Garnett returns in 2016-17) will be reunited after spending 2007-2010 together in Boston.

Thibodeau’s first professional coaching gig actually started in Minnesota. After stints at Salem State University and Harvard, Thibodeau joined the Wolves as an assistant coach in 1989 under head coach Bill Musselman. He remained with the Wolves until 1991.

While he’s risen up the ranks since then, so has his hair (sorry, Coach).

Glen Taylor and the Wolves are going for it.

Taylor recognizes that this is the most talent the Wolves have had on a team since probably the 2003-04 season with Garnett, Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell.

This team is young, though, and with that comes being impressionable. That’s natural. By hiring Thibodeau, the Wolves brought in one of the most-respected coaches in the business. He will instill the right culture – a winning one – for these players.

The playoffs should be the goal for the 2016-17 season. It’s easier said than done. This is a team that only won 29 games last season, 12 games back from the eighth seed in the West. But with the core of the team improving and the addition of Thibodeau, for the first time since Kevin Love was on the team, playoffs are a very, very real option.

And then there’s the upcoming draft and free agency. By hiring Thibodeau now rather than later, the team has set itself up nicely for the offseason. Free agents won’t have to wonder who will be in charge in Minnesota when making a decision on where to sign. It will also give Thibodeau a chance to scout for the upcoming draft where the Wolves will have a pick somewhere in between five and eight with, of course, a chance of moving up.

This is the most important offseason the team has had in quite a while. This is the most talent the team has had in nearly 12 years. And the team has one of the best coaches in the league at the helm and one of the most-respected basketball minds running Basketball Operations.

That all has to sound pretty good if you’re a fan of the Wolves.

“I’m telling you,” Windhorst said. “If I lived in Minneapolis and could afford it, I would invest in season tickets.”

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The Best Coach For The Best Job

The Minnesota Timberwolves were the most attractive team for available coaches heading into next season. And for good reason. Karl-Anthony Towns. Andrew Wiggins. Ricky Rubio. Zach LaVine. 

Tom Thibodeau was the best coach on the market. And for good reason. Thibodeau was 255-139 from 2010-2015 as Chicago's head coach and was named the 2010-11 NBA Coach of the Year. His resume is a lengthy one.

Here's what the basketball Twitter world had to say about Minnesota hiring Thibodeau as the team's next head coach and president of basketball operations.

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Basketball Twitter Reacts To Thibodeau Hiring

Minneapolis/St. Paul – The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has agreed to terms with Tom Thibodeau as President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach, and Scott Layden as General Manager. Per team policy, terms of the agreements were not released.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Tom Thibodeau back to the Timberwolves,” said Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor. “Through this process we quickly identified Tom as the best leader to shape our talented team and help them realize their full potential. Tom’s resume speaks for itself. He is a proven winner, leader and one of the most well-respected NBA head coaches over the last decade. His teams have annually been among the league leaders in defense and we are excited about the approach and mentality he will bring to that side of the ball. The future of the Minnesota Timberwolves has never been brighter and we are very pleased to have Tom as our basketball operations leader moving forward.

“Scott Layden brings over 30 years of experience in the NBA to his new role within our organization, including several years in basketball operations leadership positions with Utah, New York and most recently San Antonio. His decades of front office experience will be integral as we head into an extremely exciting time for our organization. In getting to know Scott, he has impressed me with his not only his basketball acumen, but also his character and integrity. Tom and Scott will work in concert together in shaping our roster moving forward. We are confident this partnership gives us the best chance possible of winning an NBA title.”

A veteran of over 25 seasons as an NBA head coach and assistant coach, Thibodeau’s teams have advanced to the postseason in 19 seasons, including three trips to the NBA Finals (1999, 2008, 2010). Most recently Thibodeau was head coach of the Chicago Bulls, leading the Bulls to a 255-139 record over five seasons from 2010-15. Under his tutelage, the Bulls reached the playoffs in all five seasons, including holding the best record in the NBA in both of his first two seasons (2010-12). Thibodeau is one of two coaches in NBA history to win the most games in the league in each of his first two seasons. His .647 winning percentage as head coach ranks seventh in NBA history (min. 200 games).

Layden brings an impressive list of basketball credentials to his general manager position, having held various front office and coaching positions in the NBA since 1981. Layden’s previous front office leadership experience includes stints with the Utah Jazz, New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs. Most recently Layden spent the last four seasons with the Spurs as the team’s assistant general manager. In his new role as General Manager, Layden will assist President of Basketball Operations/Head Coach Tom Thibodeau in the evaluation and acquisition of players and in the overall management of all basketball operations for the Wolves. 

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Minnesota Timberwolves Agree to Terms with Tom Thibodeau and Scott Layden

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