Timberwolves fire coach Tom Thibodeau; Fred Hoiberg a candidate

The Timberwolves fired coach Tom Thibodeau on Sunday, halfway into his third season with the team.

Thibodeau was dismissed about an hour after the 108-86 victory over the LeBron James-less Los Angeles Lakers.

Scott Layden will remain the general manager, and assistant coach Ryan Saunders will be the interim coach for the remainder of the season. Assistant coach Andy Greer also was dismissed.

Thibodeau finished 97-107 with the Wolves, who returned to the NBA playoffs last spring after a 13-year absence. They’re 19-21 and 11th in the Western Conference, two games behind the Lakers for the eighth playoff spot.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Thibodeau, who coached the Bulls from 2010 to ’15, had no idea his firing was imminent. Former Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg and ESPN analyst Chauncey Billups have been discussed as possible candidates to be general manager or coach, Wojnarowski reported, but the organization has yet to reach out to either.

Hoiberg, who played for the Wolves and served as assistant GM, is a favorite of Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor.