Former Utah Jazz executive and assistant coach Scott Layden will join new head coach and team president Tom Thibodeau with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
As both teams feature exciting rosters with young talent, the Utah Jazz and the Minnesota Timberwolves could be competing for playoff spots for the next decade. To that end, the pesky Timberwolves took a major step forward on Wednesday, announcing Tom Thibodeau as the team’s new head coach.
Thibodeau, who previously coached the Chicago Bulls, will also assume the role of team president according to a news release from the Timberwolves. Joining Thibodeau in Minnesota as the team’s new general manager will be Scott Layden, a former longtime member of the Jazz organization.
Layden, the son of former Jazz coach and 1984 NBA Coach of the Year Frank Layden, was an assistant coach and vice president of basketball operations in Utah. He is credited with playing a large role in the team’s selection of both John Stockton and Karl Malone in the NBA Draft in 1984 and 1985.
#Twolves agree to terms with Tom Thibodeau as President of Basketball Operations & Head Coach, & Scott Layden as GM. pic.twitter.com/7aBrN1uYCp
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 20, 2016
Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor on Thibodeau’s hiring–
"“Through this process we quickly identified Tom as the best leader to shape our talented team and help them realize their full potential. Tom’s resume speaks for itself. He is a proven winner, leader and one of the most well-respected NBA head coaches over the last decade. His teams have annually been among the league leaders in defense and we are excited about the approach and mentality he will bring to that side of the ball.”"
On Layden as the Timberwolves’ new GM–
"“Scott Layden brings over 30 years of experience in the NBA to his new role within our organization, including several years in basketball operations leadership positions with Utah, New York and most recently San Antonio. His decades of front office experience will be integral as we head into an extremely exciting time for our organization.”"
On the Thibodeau-Layden front office partnership–
"“Tom and Scott will work in concert together in shaping our roster moving forward. We are confident this partnership gives us the best chance possible of winning an NBA title.”"
According to reports, Thibodeau and Layden will make a pretty penny for their move to the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Per team policy, the financial terms of their deals were not disclosed, but ESPN’s Marc Stein has indicated that Thibodeau will make $8 million annually, while Layden will earn $2-plus million per annum.
Final structure of Thibodeau's deal w/Wolves expected to pay him in $8 million range annually with Scott Layden getting $2+ million annually
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 20, 2016
Next: Former Utah Jazz PG Earl Watson Drops Interim Tag in Phoenix
In addition to Layden’s history with the club, there’s a Jazz connection with Thibodeau as well. Last October, the defensive guru attended preseason games in Salt Lake City and sat in on Jazz practices, working with coach Quin Snyder, his staff and Jazz players.
Although the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Clippers will likely see diminishing returns as their key players continue to age, the Jazz will clearly have their hands full for years to come with teams like Minnesota.
A squad featuring Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns with Thibodeau at the helm is a scary thought for the both the Jazz and the rest of the Western Conference.