Report: Sam Mitchell Taking Over As Timberwolves Interim Head Coach
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- About a month after being diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, it appears Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders will be at least temporarily stepping away from the sideline at Target Center.
According to a report from Yahoo Sports, top assistant Sam Mitchell will soon replace Saunders as interim head coach of the Timberwolves so that Saunders can focus on his health. The Timberwolves announced on Aug. 11 that Saunders was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma and would undergo treatment.
Sources: As president/coach Flip Saunders battles cancer, assistant Sam Mitchell will soon be elevated to Minnesota's interim head coach.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) September 10, 2015
There's hope Saunders will return to bench this season, but plan will be for Mitchell to give him time to work on health, sources tell Yahoo
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) September 10, 2015
Saunders, 60, returned to the Timberwolves as the president of basketball operations in 2013. Last year, he replaced Rick Adelman as head coach.
The Timberwolves announced Thursday that they are holding a 10 a.m. news conference on Friday to make a "major announcement," but didn't release any further details.