Timberwolves sign Chris Finch to multi-year extension
On the eve of opening training camp, Head Coach Chris Finch, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly, and players answered questions about what they hope to accomplish this year.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Timberwolves announced Monday that they’ve signed head coach Chris Finch to a multi-year contract extension.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Timberwolves and Finch have agreed to a four-year deal that keeps him under contract with Minnesota through the 2027-28 season. Finch was a finalist for the NBA’s Coach of the Year Award after leading the Timberwolves to a 56-win regular season, the franchise’s best since 2004 and second-best in team history.
Finch also led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since Kevin Garnett’s squad got there in 2004.
"I'd like to thank Glen, Becky, and the entire organization for their continued support and commitment to me and the team," Finch said in a statement. "I'm proud of the way we've been able to establish a great culture here with the Timberwolves and I look forward to continuing to lead this organization and make our fans proud."
"Chris is a wonderful coach, and an even better person," President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly said in a statement. "We are thrilled that he is being rewarded with a well-earned extension. Under his guidance, the team has improved every year, he’s the perfect leader for our organization."
Under Finch’s leadership, the Timberwolves finished the 2023-24 campaign with the top ranked defense in the NBA (108.4).
Finch has led the Timberwolves to three straight playoff appearances, and it hasn’t been the easiest of roads away from the court. Gersson Rosas was fired as president of basketball operations, and there’s an ongoing ownership battle between Glen Taylor, Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore that will be settled in court.
Since being hired to replace Ryan Saunders, Finch is 160-127 over three-plus seasons. He even coached through injury in the playoffs after suffering a torn patellar tendon in his right knee in the clinching game against the Phoenix Suns. He also helped lead the Timberwolves from 15 points down to rally in a Game 7 win at Denver in the Western Conference semifinals, and has made the Karl-Anthony Towns/Rudy Gobert big man duo work since Connelly acquired Gobert in a massive trade.
Now and deservedly, Finch has a long-term home in Minnesota,