NBA Rumors: Minnesota Timberwolves Hiring Jeff Van Gundy

NBA rumors are swirling around Jeff Van Gundy. Since he is one of the brightest basketball minds on the planet, his name typically gets tossed into the mix whenever there is a head coaching opening in the National Basketball Association. According to Yahoo! Sports, the Minnesota Timberwolves are said to be interested in having him lead their franchise. The team needs a coach with a personality since they are trying to fill the void left by the death of beloved coach Flip Saunders.

When Flip Saunders fell ill in August, many were concerned about his health. Those concerns were horribly valid when he passed away in October, shortly before the NBA regular season started. Sam Mitchell went from being the assistant coach to being the head coach, a position that he once filled for the Toronto Raptors. Mitchell was relieved of his duties, as the Minnesota Timberwolves wanted to head in a different direction.

Jeff Van Gundy is one of the highest profile head coaches available in the NBA. His popularity soared when he was in charge of the New York Knicks. Van Gundy maintained a lot of popularity during his stint with the Houston Rockets. Once he became a commentator, he was able to show the world his sense of humor. That caused Van Gundy to become even more popular than he’s ever been, which has helped to make him a top candidate for every vacant head coaching position in the National Basketball Association.

Since they’re still largely ignored by mainstream NBA fans, the Minnesota Timberwolves would love to have a head coach that can command some attention. Jeff Van Gundy will certainly be able to do that. It would make his job easier if the young players on the roster were to reach their full potential under his watch.

One of the biggest appeals of taking over the Minnesota Timberwolves head coaching job is the fact that Karl Anthony Towns is showing signs of becoming a top NBA superstar. With just a year underneath his belt, Towns is already one of the top big men in the league. The former Kentucky Wildcats star looks like someone that will be averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds very soon. Anthony Towns is already averaging 18.3 points and 10.5 rebounds.

Another reason why Jeff Van Gundy might have interest in the Minnesota Timberwolves is the fact that Andrew Wiggins has yet to reach his potential. He’s shown plenty of talent. The challenge of turning Wiggins into an All Star in the NBA could be quite appealing to someone like Van Gundy. If Jeff were able to get Andrew and Karl Anthony Towns to both reach their potential at the same time, then he might have a team that can compete for a championship.

Probably the biggest reason for Jeff Van Gundy to be interested in the Minnesota Timberwolves is the fact that they are looking to make him the president of basketball operations. That kind of power is something that most NBA coaches are looking to have. It enables them to build the roster to resemble the exact lineups that they want to throw on the court. Having that much power makes it much easier for San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich to build a team that contends every single year for more than the past decade.

While he’ll definitely be missed behind the commentating booth, the NBA needs someone like Jeff Van Gundy on the sidelines. His knowledge of the game makes teams much more competitive. A team like the Minnesota Timberwolves would love to get back into the playoffs. Van Gundy can make that happen.

[Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images]