Wolves close to hiring Rambis as coach
Los Angeles Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis is on the brink of becoming the coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, multiple league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
After meeting with Timberwolves executives, including owner Glen Taylor, Rambis was working on assembling a coaching staff in anticipation of receiving a formal offer on Thursday, sources said.
Rambis is expected to hire Dave Wohl as his top assistant, an Eastern Conference executive said. Let go as an assistant GM in Boston this summer, Wohl has a close relationship with Rambis and has nearly 25 years of NBA coaching experience. It is believed that one current Minnesota assistant – possibly Ed Pinckney or Dean Cooper – could stay to be a part of Rambis’ staff.
Rambis’ hiring could have a positive impact on the Wolves’ chances of luring the fifth overall pick in the draft, Spain’s Ricky Rubio(notes). Rubio’s agent, Dan Fegan, is fond of Rambis.
Rambis is expected to beat out television analyst Mark Jackson and Houston assistant Elston Turner for the job. All the coaching finalists had to undergo a lengthy psychological exam, sources said. It was the same test administered during the GM search.
