Timberwolves Announce Coaching Staff, Front Office Additions
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The Minnesota Timberwolves announced a number of additions to their front office and coaching staffs on Sunday night, including assistant general manager Noah Croom and director of player personnel Brian Pauga.
Croom comes to the Timberwolves after spending the last 12 years as an agent and legal counsel with Goodwin Sports Management, one of the top agencies in the NBA. He is widely known as an expert at navigating the salary cap and collective bargaining agreement and has long been well respected in NBA circles for his ability to help facilitate deals. He also served as an assistant GM for the Vancouver Grizzlies.
Pauga follows GM Scott Layden to the Timberwolves from San Antonio. Pauga spent the past nine seasons with the Spurs, where he was director of scouting in 2012 and the GM of the Austin Spurs in the D-League in 2013.
Thibodeau also officially named his assistant coaches on Sunday. Andy Greer, who spent five years at Thibodeau's side in Chicago, joins from the Toronto Raptors and Rick Brunson, who coached with the Bulls from 2010-12, also was hired.
Ryan Saunders, son of the late Flip Saunders, was retained from the previous staff, as was Vince Legarza, who was promoted to player development coach.
The Wolves hired Peter Patton as shooting coach. Patton has tutored under Spurs shooting guru Chip Engelland and is the single-season record holder for 3-point accuracy in college, when he shot 54.1 percent from deep as a junior at DePaul.
Minnesota hired Matt Duhamel away from the Minnesota Vikings to serve as director of athletic therapy. Duhamel also worked in New England under Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who is close with Thibodeau.
Other holdovers from the previous regime including Calvin Booth (director of pro personnel), Matt Bollero (pro personnel scout), David Crewe (head strength and condition coach) and Manny Rohan (director of basketball administration).
New scouts are John Carideo, Jim Eyen, Drew Nicholas, Jim Todd and Scott Roth.
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