Tom Thibodeau to Timberwolves: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

After a one-year hiatus, Tom Thibodeau is returning to an NBA sideline. The Minnesota Timberwolves announced that Thibodeau will take over as president of basketball operations and head coach, and San Antonio Spurs assistant general manager Scott Layden will become the team’s new GM:

Press Release on Thibodeau and Layden agreements w/ quotes from #Twolves owner Glen Taylor. pic.twitter.com/kadPMeEfUS

— Timberwolves PR (@Twolves_PR) April 20, 2016

Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press initially reported the move. Marc Stein of ESPN.com noted the deal is “expected to pay him in [the] $8 million range annually.”

This comes after Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reported the sides were set to finalize a five-year contract. 

Stein said Layden would get $2-plus million annually. 

Davide Chinellato of NBA Italy believes the coaching hire is an ideal match:

Thibodeau would be the perfect fit for @Timberwolves. Great basketball mind who would discipline those young talents #IMHO #NBA

— Davide Chinellato (@dchinellato) April 20, 2016

The T-Wolves are coming off a 29-53 campaign. They relieved interim coach Sam Mitchell after the campaign and zeroed in on Thibodeau, who was to some the best free-agent coach on the market. His hiring comes after being linked to the open Knicks job after Derek Fisher’s ouster back in February.

“The Knicks are the job he’s always wanted,” Ian O’Connor of ESPN reported. “He would crawl to Madison Square Garden.”

Thibodeau, 58, was out of the NBA last season after being let go by the Chicago Bulls in 2015. He went 255-139 in five seasons in Chicago, making the playoffs each year and emerging as perhaps the league’s premier defensive mind. The Bulls finished top five in points allowed per possession in four of Thibodeau’s five seasons, per NBA.com, despite dealing with myriad injuries.

It’s hard to not look back at Thibodeau’s tenure and …

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