Flip Saunders to coach Washington Wizards

Photo by ellievanhoutte

Wolves fans: were you hoping for Flip to return to the Target Center, showered in glory, decked in dazzling raiment, restoring the Wolves' fortunes? Well hope no longer: looks like it ain't gonna happen. By all accounts, the most successful coach in Timberwolves history is going to Washington.   From the AP via NBA.com:

Owner Abe Pollin has approved the hiring of Saunders, the choice of president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld to succeed interim coach Ed Tapscott, the executive told The Associated Press. The executive spoke on condition of anonymity because the season has not ended and the Wizards are not yet prepared to make a formal announcement.

You might be disappointed, but you shouldn't be. If Flip and Kevin McHale were ever actually close buds--and that's more fuzzy myth than reality--they surely aren't now, after the former Wolves' coach was first fired and then scapegoated. My guess is that Flip would've rather suffocated under the weight of his own heavy eyelids than again attempt to deal with another McHale engineered roster.

Instead, he inherits a team with three hungry stars--Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison and the splendiferous Gilbert Arenas--an inclination to the kind of flowing, jump-shooting offense that our old buddy favors, and, thanks to Gil's season destroying knee injury, a very high pick in next year's lottery.

I'm usually not one for predictions but: don't be shocked if Flip's Wiz make the playoffs before our Wolves.