Wolves Updates 7/14 Part 2 E-mail
Written by SG   
Tuesday, 14 July 2009 12:17
The Minnesota Timberwolves' deliberate coaching search will soon move into its next phase with ESPN/ABC analyst Mark Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis and Houston Rockets assistant coach Elston Turner expected to progress to the deciding round of interviews, according to NBA coaching sources.

There might be others who advance -- it's believed that Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Terry Stotts could also be invited back for a second interview -- but the one certainty known Monday, according to one source familiar with the process, is that the next round will feature a much smaller number than the first.

After his May 22 hiring, new Wolves president David Kahn made it clear that he would not begin searching for his first coach until after the June 25 draft. Since the draft, though, Kahn has carried out his intent to interview as many as 15 candidates, while also continuing negotiations on a European buyout for No. 5 overall pick Ricky Rubio.



The Web site also reported that Timberwolves president of basketball operations David Kahn and team owner Glen Taylor met Monday with the agent for first-round pick Ricky Rubio, who needs to buy out his contract with a Spanish team before he can join the NBA. Kahn and Taylor told agent Dan Fegan that they aren't planning to trade Rubio, according to espn.com, and want him with the Timberwolves.



Ricky Rubio's ultimate destination is still up in the air as sources close to the situation told HOOPSWORLD this week in Las Vegas that things are still very fluid.

The source said that Wolves' GM David Kahn has been exceptional in his "wooing" of Ricky and his family and has really gone over and above to try and convince Ricky that he'd get tons of minutes and be the focal point of the team. With fellow rookie Jonny Flynn looking very small against NBA caliber guards in Las Vegas – he's played well but is giving up a lot of size to other guards - the belief is the Wolves could be viewing Flynn as the project guy not Rubio.

According to the source, Ricky's major roadblock to playing in the NBA next year is the amount of debt Rubio would incur to buy out his contract, and the sources said buyout discussions have really gone nowhere. Several top-tier Euroleague teams are talking about multi-year deals and more buyout assistance than the NBA allows; there is an emerging threat that Ricky's best decision may be signing in Europe. Ricky's camp has been adamant that no firm decisions have been reached, saying they were evaluating situations and offers.


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