Basketball: T-Wolves fire Flip Saunders after nine years

Kevin McHale shook up the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, firing longtime friend Flip Saunders and taking over the coaching duties for the rest of the season.

McHale, the team's vice president of basketball operations, called Saunders on Saturday morning to break the news.

"We talked this morning, and it was very, very hard," McHale said. "We've known each other for a long time, but our last 32 games we're 12-20, and just not playing at a level that's acceptable, energy-wise.

"Maybe a new voice will help. I'm going to do my best to get these guys competing at a higher level."

Saunders, who had the second-longest tenure among NBA coaches, will be reassigned within the organization, the team said.

Minnesota is 25-26 this season, a disappointment after last season's franchise-best 58-24 mark. Spurred on by Kevin Garnett's MVP season, the Wolves reached the Western Conference finals for the first time, creating optimism heading into this season.


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Yeah, they are definately the biggest dissappointment this season, it they are one of the teams that I'd like to see get through the finals, but it's not gonna be this year. the guys got too selfish and over-confident after last year, it looks like. And this is not the way to go, in my opinion. They are making Flip a patsie,

I think sometimes you just need a change. I dont think Flip will be out of a job for very long. The T-Wolves know he is a good coach and his successor(after McHale) will most likely be a step down but sometimes people get complacent when things are the same for awhile. It's too bad that Flip had to be the "change", but I think this will benefit them in the long run. Dont be surprised if the players respond to the GM coming downstairs to run the team.

I woul d certainly think that McHale would be a great motivator, I've always had a ton of respect for him. Even in this, as he said it was one of the hardest things he's everdone.