Report: Tom Thibodeau, Timberwolves make 'contact'

No matter how badly Tom Thibodeau wants to coach the Knicks in New York next season, he might have to settle for a job in Minnesota, which might even be better.

The former Bulls coach and the Timberwolves have made “cursory contact,” according to ESPN’s NBA analyst Brian Windhorst.

Appearing on ESPN’s “Mike & Mike” show Thursday morning, Windhorst said he’s not sure anything will come of it, but he sees the resurgent Wolves as a good fit for whomever they hire.

“Whether or not that happens, I’m just telling you, the Timberwolves job is a great job,” Windhorst said. “There will be lower expectations. They have two guys that look like bona fide annual All-Stars in [Andrew] Wiggins and [Karl-Anthony] Towns. … They’re gonna have another high draft pick, they’re gonna have cap space. I think that’s the best job that’s gonna be available this summer.”

Sam Mitchell has been the Wolves interim coach since Flip Saunders died of cancer in October.

Thibodeau was fired by the Bulls after making five consecutive playoff appearances and compiling a .647 win percentage, the sixth-best in NBA history for coaches with at least 250 games.

The differences between Fred Hoiberg and Tom Thibodeau