In "guys that used to be related to the Wizards" news, it appears that Flip Saunders is going to be the new President of Basketball Operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves. That means everyone's top-5 favorite punchline GM, David Kahn, is out in the Twin Cities.
As you may remember, Saunders was brought in after Eddie Jordan was let go (and Ed Tappscott rode the tide for the rest of the year) to try to give the team a new identity and another run with the Jamison-Arenas-Butler core. Yada #fingagunz yada RIP Abe Pollin yada, Saunders was also let go, and Randy Wittman was made the head coach.
With Wittman at the helm and a few more vets on the roster, the Wizards are starting to develop an identity. A little more health luck would have made this season completely different, but all in all it does appear as though this team is starting to stabilize.
Here's where things might get tricky: Wittman and most of the rest of the coaching staff were brought in under Flip Saunders. And as Truth About It's Adam McGinnis opined on Twitter earlier today, Saunders's new role in Minnesota could mean some losses to the coaching staff in Washington.
Ryan Sanders is likely back to MSP, I could see Flip raiding Sam Cassell and possibly Don Zierden #wizards
— Adam McGinnis (@adammcginnis) April 26, 2013
At this point, we don't really know anything for certain. But coaches like Ryan Saunders (Flip's son, and a big analytics guy), Don Zierden (worked with Flip in Detroit and Minnesota and coached the Lynx), and Sam Cassell (been with Flip for years, has a great "balls dance") have been integral to the development of this Wizards roster.
it makes sense for Wizards fans to keep an eye on the situation in the Midwest to see if anything changes at home.
H/T to Adam McGinnis