With minimal talent and the more promising players lacking experience, the Wolves are no sure bet to improve on last season’s 24-58 record (only four teams had worse records). The Wolves’ roster includes 24-year-old center Al Jefferson, a pair of 20-year-olds in Kevin Love and Jonny Flynn, and 18-year-old Ricky Rubio if he can escape his Spanish team contract and wants to play here.
It’s no wonder that “patience” is among the words Fitch used to describe what he thinks the Wolves need in a coach. He believes the next Wolves boss should have previous head coaching experience and be able to assemble an outstanding group of assistants. The top attribute needed, according to Fitch, is teaching.
Wolves president of basketball operations David Kahn said being an NBA coach involves a lot of expertise but the situation here puts a focus on player development.
“I don’t have a must list criteria (for a coach),” he said. “You would love to find somebody who can cover as many bases as possible because these are huge jobs and they keep getting bigger. And in our case clearly one component will have to be player development and teaching because we have such a young team.
“I have talked in the past about a (coach who can promote) positive environment, healthy environment, game management, X’s and O’s. …I also recognize that finding a person who can do all that in one human being may be hard. So there is no must have. Absolutely none, but I do believe given our youth that if I had to highlight one area it’s player development.”
Kahn was expected to review his coaching candidates over the weekend and said he anticipated interviewing this week. He believes it’s likely a hire will be made during July.
It’s not known if Mitchell is a candidate. TV analyst Mark Jackson’s name has been prominently mentioned for the job even though he doesn’t have previous head coaching experience. That inexperience, including with player development, could be at least somewhat compensated for by hiring experienced assistants to complement Jackson.