Report: Minnesota finalizing plans to keep GM Scott Layden and Ryan Saunders

The Minnesota Timberwolves are out of the playoff race, but they are already looking toward the future. The team is currently finalizing plans to keep GM Scott Layden and coach Ryan Saunders, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Layden was hired in 2016 alongside coach Tom Thibodeau. At the time Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said, “His decades of front office experience will be integral as we head into an extremely exciting time for our organization.”

Thibodeau was fired in early January after the Timberwolves began the season 19-21, good for 11th place in the Western Conference at the time.

Saunders was hired to replace Thibodeau as interim coach, a position that his father, Flip, once held. The Timberwolves are currently 36-45 and boast stars in Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. In November, the team traded Jimmy Butler and Justin Patton in exchange for Jerryd Bayless, Robert Covington, Dario Šarić and a 2022 second-round draft pick.

Now, Saunders will follow in his father’s footsteps in being named the full-time head coach. Meanwhile, Layden will continue to build off of his previous front-office experience.

The Timberwolves close out their season on Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets.

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